Commanders’ plan at No. 11 shifts with Wentz trade. What now?

When Commanders coach Ron Rivera met with reporters last week, he acknowledged the obvious: The Carson Wentz trade alters the team’s plans for the 11th overall pick. 

By trading for Wentz, the Commanders are no longer in the market for a quarterback — at least in the first round, anyway. 

“It does at 11, most certainly,” Rivera said at the NFL owners’ meetings in Florida. 

Rivera didn’t rule out taking a signal-caller later in the draft — Washington has only two quarterbacks on the roster with Wentz and Taylor Heinicke — but for now, the Commanders seem set at tackling other needs with their first-round selection in this month’s draft. 

But what direction will Washington take? The pick will come down to who’s available, of course, though beyond that, the Commanders have a slew of needs at positions in which a rookie could come in right away and make an impact. 

Let’s rank ‘em.

Wide receiver: Washington was one of just two teams last year without at least two 400-yard receivers, putting the Commanders in the same sad boat with Indianapolis — coincidentally Wentz’s former team. That makes wideout a logical fit and this would be the draft to do so. Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson is regarded as the top receiver, but most mock drafts have him landing in the top 10 to the Falcons at No. 8. 

If Wilson is off the board, then USC’s Drake London provides intriguing size at 6-foot-3. He would give the Commanders a true possession receiver they’ve lacked since Pierre Garcon departed in 2017. (The Commanders’ Terry McLaurin is too fast and too versatile to qualify as such.) 

The Commanders do have in-house options that could fill in as a No. 2 receiver. Dyami Brown was a third-round pick a year ago. And Washington’s brass still holds out hope for Curtis Samuel, the oft-injured veteran who signed a three-year, $34.5 million contract last year. A new weapon for Wentz, however, has its appeal. 

Cornerback: According to Over The Cap, the Commanders have nearly $29 million wrapped up in their cornerbacks in 2022 — only three teams (Ravens, Dolphins, Giants) are slated to spend more. That, at first glance, doesn’t suggest there’s an immediate need at the position. 

A closer look reveals otherwise. 

The Commanders ranked 29th in passing yards allowed and dead last in passing touchdowns surrendered last season. The secondary struggled to find a rhythm until free-agent signing William Jackson III started to become more comfortable in Washington’s scheme, Kendall Fuller was moved to the outside and Danny Johnson was inserted into the slot. Even then, the unit was far removed from its dominant 2020 campaign.

Cincinnati’s Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. are seen as the top two corners in the draft. The latter is coming off of a foot injury that limited him to just three games this past fall. But according to multiple reports, Stingley is now recovered and plans to fully participate in LSU’s Pro Day on Wednesday. 

Gardner, whose length has drawn comparisons to Richard Sherman, has been predicted to go as high as No. 4 to the Jets. Like Sherman, Gardner isn’t lacking in confidence. 

“I’m the best player in the draft,” he tweeted Sunday.

Safety: After releasing Landon Collins last month, the Commanders still haven’t filled their Buffalo nickel position — a hybrid role that saw Collins playing linebacker and safety in 2021. Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton may be best suited to do so. Or he could just play safety across from Bobby McCain or Kam Curl. That wouldn’t be a bad option, either. 

Regardless, Hamilton is a big, hard-hitting safety at 6-foot-4. He played both safety spots in college and his versatility is a big appeal on the next level. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com called him a “true intimidator over the middle” who can also be “Effective in the box with potential for downhill disruptions.”

Safeties have a hard time going in the first round — none were selected over the last two drafts — but Hamilton figures to be an exception to that standard.