On Tuesday, the Washington Commanders dealt their leading sackmaster, Montez Sweat, to the Chicago Bears for a second-round draft pick. 

Sweat represents an immediate upgrade for a Bears pass rush that is still struggling in Year 2 under Matt Eberflus. A former first-round pick, Sweat has 6.5 sacks through the first eight games of the 2023 season and he has compiled 35.5 sacks in 67 career games. Right now, the Bears are dead last with just 10.0 sacks and they finished 2022 with a measly 20.0 sacks, which was also good for dead last in the NFL.

It was a smart move by the Commanders. It's clear Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen are the future of the defense and with those two on the interior, just about anyone could line up on the edge and have success. By no means am I saying Sweat is overrated or anything like that – it's just the truth.

And when looking at next year's draft class, there are plenty of guys that can come in and take over for Sweat. But, with the Commanders nabbing what is currently the 35th overall pick, the bigger picture should be in play.

The Montez Sweat trade can help the Commanders find a franchise quarterback in 2024

Right now, the Commanders sit at No. 11 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Whether you're using the Jimmy Johnson or Rich Hill chart, Washington can move up as high as No. 3 or No. 4 by packaging the 11th overall pick and No. 35 together. 

Now, obviously, it's going to require what would probably be a 2025 first rounder to move up into the top-3 or top-4, but that would be worth it in order to grab a guy like Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, Michael Penix Jr., or even Bo Nix. Either way, the Commanders should have the draft capital to pull this kind of move off, especially if the Bears continue their losing ways.

The key with the current top-10 draft order is just about every team has a QB, already. Below is the present-day top-10 with each starting QB on the roster in 2023 and 2024:

1. Arizona Cardinals – Kyler Murray
2. Chicago Bears (via Panthers) – Justin Fields
3. Chicago Bears
4. New York Giants – Daniel Jones
5. New England Patriots – Mac Jones
6. Green Bay Packers – Jordan Love
7. Indianapolis Colts – Anthony Richardson
8. Las Vegas Raiders – Jimmy Garoppolo
9. Denver Broncos – Russell Wilson
10. Los Angeles Rams – Matthew Stafford

None of the above guys, sans Richardson, are viewed as long-term solutions, right now. But, the contracts of Murray, D. Jones, Garoppolo, Wilson, and Stafford have their respective teams locked in through 2024, at least. Assuming none find a trade partner, of course (their markets aren't going to be great, anyway). Even Love's deal has been shaped to where the Packers will lose money if they cut him in 2024 and they hardly save anything if he's traded. Only the Bears and Patriots are in a spot where it would make a lot of sense to take a QB high.

Meaning, if these teams are still in front of Washington by the time the draft rolls around, there's a good chance they'd make a deal to move back. Right now, it's all playing into Washington's hands, for the most part.

Sure, there's also a chance one of the top QBs will be there at 11, but at the same time, this organization has been deprived of franchise QB play since Kirk Cousins left in 2018. The 2024 class is expected to bring in some of the best QB talent in recent memory. If there was ever a time to invest – 2024 is the year.

What about Sam Howell and Ron Rivera?

David Harrison, a friend of mine who covers the Commanders for Sports Illustrated's Commander Country, had this to say about the hypothetical situation:

If it’s this coaching staff then no – as of now I don’t think they’d do that, I think they’d roll with Sam Howell. But if it’s a new staff, anything is possible. The big question really is whether or not this staff is trading for picks they’re going to spend or the next guy is going to spend. – David Harrison, SI's Commander Country

That does make a lot of sense, but here are the key question: Should Rivera return in 2024? Has Howell done enough (and can he do enough) to entrench himself as the starter moving forward?

Howell has played pretty well in 2023, but if Rivera is let go, everything is on the table in terms of roster construction under the new staff. And, personally, I think Rivera should be let go. He's been the head coach of the Washington franchise for four seasons, now, and the best he has to show for it is an 8-8-1 record in 2022. He simply can't put it all together for a multitude of reasons. Especially in this 3-5 season.

Rivera's potential departure wouldn't just open the door for this scenario: it'd blow it wide open. A new head coach and new general manager (assumed) would salivate over the opportunity to land one of these QBs in hopes of getting their Washington era started off on the right foot. And, Howell would make a great backup option, or, the Commanders could even trade him in a potential package to move up.

No matter where you look, things just got really interesting in Washington. Obviously, there is still a lot of time left on the clock, but it's certainly ticking and the 2024 season could look very different when it's all said and done.