BMitch thinks Commanders need to go heavy on lines in draft, urges fans to 'trust the process'
This week's NFL Scouting Combine could help Commanders brass determine who will ultimately be in their draft class two months from now, but what it could also do is put some shine on under-the-radar players who, if Washington feels they have a chance at a player from a strong group, could shape some of the free agency plans as well.
Adam Peters did say Tuesday that he expects to go heavy in free agency because there are a lot of players to replace or re-sign…but just like last year, Brian Mitchell urges everyone to let the process play out and see what happens in the fall, because almost every judgment outside of Jayden Daniels from March to September was off the mark last year.
"We have heard a lot about this being a draft where we have a lot of good defensive linemen, and I believe that Washington would definitely be paying attention on that side because they are going to try their best to strengthen the defense, and the same with offensive linemen," Brian said. "I know a lot of fans, all you talk about and think about are skill positions, and that's nice, they sell a lot of jerseys, but if you don't have the big boys to protect them, they can't do their job, and if you watched the defense, teams were able to run the ball at will."
Of course, nothing is a sure thing, in free agency or the draft, but trust in Adam Peters to find the right fits again,
"A lot of guys will go in the Top 10 or 20 that we'll have no chance at, but have a lot of confidence in Adam Peters, and I believe that he's gonna get someone who's gonna be effective," BMitch said. "We watched guys they drafted last year perform higher than their position, and I know we want first-round picks, but there's not a football team in history that has all first-rounders. Maybe you find a guy in the second or third round, but they have a skill level that you believe you can get a lot out of and you have to start working with that."
Brian feels they need to go heavy on the lines, but, even as Peters says he wants to build through the draft, there's also no team ever with 53 of their own draftees on the roster.
"If you can get a guy for a proper price or trade position, you do it, because when the season starts, I don't think anyone's gonna care how you got here; all you care about is the guys producing at a high level on the field," BMitch said. "We have to compete with Philly twice a year, and what do they do? Protect their quarterback and get oat the other one. That's where your mind should be; we were able to score on good defenses with the best of them, but we had issues when we couldn't block them up, and teams were able to move the ball on us."
Everybody looks for the sexy positions, but…
"When you jump in your car, you don't care about how pretty it looks, you care about how good the engine will run, and how long it's gonna run strong for you," Brian said. "On a football team, your motor and transmission are the big dudes that show up on a consistent basis, and the crew is in position right now trying to build something long and sustainable. You build culture and foundation by having the right people around, and these people have a plan, a map of what they want to do, and a mindset of the type of people they want to bring here."
