The Washington Commanders entered the 2025 NFL Draft with a perceived need for a pass-rusher, and with general manager Adam Peter praising the depth of the group two days before the first round, it was expected they would use one of their five picks to take one.
By the end of the seventh round on Saturday, the Commanders had five new players set to add depth at the offensive line, cornerback and wide receiver, but an edge rusher was not among them.
Everybody, breathe, because the Commanders don't seem panicked by how things worked out for them. The Commanders trusted their draft board throughout the weekend, and while they're not necessarily settled at the defensive end position, they chose who they believed were the best players available when they were on the clock.
"It wasn't, 'We weren't going to address edge at any point,'" assistant general manager Lance Newmark said at the end of the seventh round. "There were never any conversations of that mindset. It was, 'These players made the most sense for us.'"
Though the Commanders came away with about half the number of new players compared to their haul in 2024, there was clear excitement from the front office about the players they took. They had first-round grades on offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. as well as cornerback Trey Amos, and both picks drew rousing cheers from the Commanders' draft room. They added wide receiver Jaylin Lane and linebacker Kain Medrano, both of whom had the best testing numbers for their respective positions at the combine, and took running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, a projected fifth-round pick, in the seventh round.
Analysts generally agree with the Commanders' assessment of their draft class and have given the team favorable grades. What many point out, however, is the lack of attention given to edge players. Newmark and the rest of Washington's front office insist that they like what they currently have at the position. Dante Fowler went back to the Dallas Cowboys, but they added players like Javon Kinlaw, Jacob Martin and Deatrich Wise to a group that already had Dorance Armstrong and Clelin Ferrell.
The Commanders didn't sound opposed to adding to that group through the draft. Peters described the class as having "something, I think, for everybody" and believed there were good players littered throughout the draft. But Peters was also quick to praise the players currently on the roster.
"We have really good players, but DQ [head coach Dan Quinn] preaches competition," Peters said. "So, those guys are going to come in and compete and the best guys are going to play."
The Commanders had chances to add to that group with each of their picks, but when it came time to make their selections, they found the value at other positions too much to pass up. Peters said the team was "holding their breath" as Conerly fell to them because of how he could elevate their offensive line. They passed up on calls to trade back to take the Oregon tackle, because while there were other needs, adding more protection for Jayden Daniels remains their top priority.
"I think it's every move we make, we're trying to maximize him and really the whole team," Peters said. "He [Conerly] was the highest player on our board, [and that] is really what it ended up being. It wasn't really so much we needed to get an O-Lineman or anything like that, but he was clearly the highest player on our board."
The Commanders had a similar choice in the second round. They had options to trade back and acquire more picks, or they could take Amos, who they considered with their first-round pick. They chose the latter, not because they didn't like the edge rushers that could have been available to them, but because they viewed Amos as someone who could be physical at the line of scrimmage and improve their secondary right away.
"He's a press corner who can be really physical to the line of scrimmage, but he is also a guy who can really play in any scheme you want," Peters said. "And I think that's what separates him from a lot of different guys."
It's also worth pointing out that other teams were looking to capitalize on the depth at pass-rusher. Prior to the Commanders taking Lane, four edge rushers went off the board. So, rather than reach for an edge rusher, they took Lane, the best player on their board at the time, who could add dimensions to their offense and provide help in the return game.
The sixth round was quiet at edge rusher; only two players at the position were drafted during that portion of Day 3. The Commanders passed on what options were available there and selected Kain Medrano, who had some of the best numbers for a linebacker at the combine. Things were even more sparse in the seventh round with only one edge taken, and the Commanders wrapped up their day with running back Croskey-Merritt, who had 17 rushing touchdowns in 2023 and could add more explosiveness to their backfield.
That strategy falls in line with how the Commanders have operated since Peters took over; trust the board, don't overreach and take the best possible players who can help the roster.
"They're all different in their story about coming here, but we're equally excited about adding all three of them quite honestly," Newmark said. "They all are players that we were really, really happy to add."
That doesn't mean the Commanders are done at the position. They still have months to go before the season starts in September, and Newmark always has an eye on how they can improve the roster.
"You certainly are always watching that board," Newmark said. "We watch it every day and we always circle back to guys and see where they're at. Sometimes they don't want to do anything right now, but that's constant. It's on the wall in my office, so I see it every morning when I walk in and we talk about it on literally a daily basis."
