The Commanders’ Week 15 win against the Giants impacted the 2026 NFL Draft order, and their plans could change because of it
The Commanders’ plans for the 2026 NFL Draft could change after falling in the order following win against Giants.
The Washington Commanders finally ended their eight-game losing streak against the New York Giants on the road, even though it wasn’t pretty at all.
Of course, wins are important in this business, even if you’re not playing for a spot in the playoffs, but some people care more about draft position at the end of the season. The Commanders’ roster needs a lot of help, and they only have six picks to work with, and only two are in the top-100 picks. The locker room got a much-needed win to build off of, while the offseason plans took a hit after dropping two spots in the 2026 NFL Draft order.
The fall may or may not be enough for the Commanders’ plans to change, but they still have options and a lot of tough decisions to make.
The Commanders fell from the No. 6 overall pick to the No. 8 overall pick after Week 15 win
The last thing this team needed was a 12-game losing streak to end the season, and it was a real possibility if they couldn’t beat the Giants, but they took care of business, barely. The Commanders were sneaking into the top-5 of the 2026 NFL Draft order, but the win knocks them back to the NO. 8 overall pick in the draft following the rest of the outcomes in Week 15.
The Commanders’ best option would be trading back to collect more picks, so they have a better chance of rebuilding the roster. Drafting only six players will probably result in two or three starting, and the rest waiting for their turn, similar to the recent draft class. Trading back allows them to take more swings on players to fill the many needs on the roster. Dropping back in the draft order might change that plan, though.
Should the Commanders stay and draft or trade back still?
Regardless of where the Commanders draft, they need someone willing to trade with them, and that’s less likely with a higher pick, so they might have to stay put if they finish with the No. 7 or No. 8 overall pick. The good news, however, is that a player like Caleb Downs or Jeremiyah Love has a good chance of falling to them regardless. Yes, this likely means they wouldn’t trade back and risk missing a top player, but they would still leave with a talented player, which is what matters the most.
The talent drop off after the Commanders’ pick could be drastic enough to not trade back from, and worth risking another Chris Olave situation. Trading back from No. 4 or No. 5 overall is much different than trading back from No. 8 overall.
The Commanders still have three tough games left on the season against the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles twice, with both having something to play for in their playoff hopes. Where the Commanders eventually land will have huge implications on what they will do in the draft. Even if they finish outside of the top-5, some teams may still want to trade up, or they can take advantage of a great blue-chip player falling to them.
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