The Washington Commanders are planning to pick a quarterback as the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 draft, and now they need to find players to ensure he remains uninjured. NFL The Athletic’s Ben Standig
predicts that the Commanders will choose two offensive tackles in the first three rounds to protect their projected No. 2 overall pick, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. Standig anticipates the Commanders selecting Arizona offensive tackle
Jordan Morgan in the second round (No. 36 overall) and then Notre Dame offensive tackle Blake Fisher in the third round (No. 78 overall). “If more corners or receivers become very good and place themselves in the 27-35 range, perhaps a tackle or two might slip,” Standig wrote. “Some teams might view Morgan as an NFL guard or be concerned about his ACL injury in 2022, even though he recovered and received All-Pac-12 honors last season.”
Having two Offensive Tackles could be Safety Net for Young QB
Morgan, 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds, started 37 games as a left tackle during his
time at Arizona and was selected to the All-Pac-12 team twice. “A three-year starter who displayed his ability to recover and work hard by returning to play well after suffering a torn ACL late in the 2022 season,” said
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein . “Morgan is both smooth and flexible in open spaces, with the capability to help set up running plays with blocks at the second level and lead blocking on the play side.Fisher, 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, started 25 games as a right tackle
for Notre Dame over the last two seasons. He gained the starting position as a true freshman at Notre Dame in 2021 but got injured in the first game of the season against Florida State. Fisher left Notre Dame with one year of eligibility remaining.
“Selecting two tackles within the first 78 picks is not due to poor memory or a misunderstanding of how starting lineups function,” Standig wrote. “It's a recognition of the value of the position and the assistance it will provide to a young quarterback … some teams may see (Fisher) as a great choice on either side, as he might have been a top 25-50 pick with another year in college.”
What Do Commanders Have On Offensive Line Right Now?
The Commanders made significant investments on the offensive line in free agency, signing Pro Bowl center
Tyler Biadasz away from the Dallas Cowboys on a three-year, $29.25 million contract and signing guard and three-time Super Bowl champion Nick Allegretti away from the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year, $16 million deal. The Commanders have veteran
Cornelius Lucas on a one-year contract at left tackle, which would give Morgan a year to develop. Right tackle Andrew Wylie is in the second year of a three-year, $23 million contract. The Commanders took two offensive linemen in the 2023 NFL draft and both seem like significant failures so far — Daniels didn’t play at all in 2023 and third-round pick
Ricky Stromberg only played in four games before being placed on injured reserve. “Lucas, a potential Week 1 starter, only signed a one-year deal,” Standig wrote. “Right tackle Andrew Wylie’s 2025 salary equals cap cut potential. There’s great uncertainty with 2023 fourth-round pick Braeden Daniels following a redshirt season.”
Ben Standig of The Athletic predicts that the Washington Commanders will select two offensive tackles in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL draft.
