NFL insider says table is set for Washington Commanders to take a massive gamble during first round of 2026 NFL Draft
The Washington Commanders have a tough decision to make when they’re on the clock with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, including one move that’s expected to happen often this year.
The Washington Commanders are two weeks away from being on the clock in the 2026 NFL Draft, and there is still a lot of uncertainty about what they’ll do.
A lot depends on how the board falls before them, but then they have a difficult decision to make when they’re up at No. 7 overall in the first round. There’s no doubt there will be talent available for them to pick, but they could also make one move, which is expected to happen often this year, according to one NFL insider.
The Washington Commanders are a prime trade-back candidate
The Washington Commanders only have six picks to work with in this year’s draft, and only two of them are in the top-100. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, teams are looking to make many trades in the first round. Teams want to recoup more second and third round picks due to the lack of depth of talent on day three, and trading back could be likely for a team like the Commanders.
Shultz says a couple of nuggets worth noting in his tweet above, and says teams expect a flurry of trades in the first half of the first round, where the Commanders pick. He also says that EDGE, CB, and LB will be the defensive positions to push trades, and even WR.
This is interesting because the Commanders could have Rueben Bain Jr, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Mansoor Delane, and Carnell Tate on the board when they select, and a team could want their pick.
The Washington Commanders have to decide if they want to stay and pick or trade back a few spots for more picks and still try to land one of the top players on the board.
Should the Washington Commanders stay and pick, or trade back?
The top trade-back teams to watch are the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Miami Dolphins. Teams could be high enough on Rueben Bain Jr. specifically to want to trade up. The Commanders do need more picks in the top-100, and there’s a good chance they could trade back with the Bengals or Chiefs and still land Caleb Downs.
This is the best-case scenario for the Commanders, but it might not be as easy as it seems, and they’ll have to stay and pick where they are. Regardless, the Commanders will have a difficult decision to make and a lot of talent on the board.
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