(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Executives of rival NFL teams reportedly believe that the Washington Commanders will make a stunning selection with the No. 2 pick in next month’s draft.

With Caleb Williams a virtual lock to go first overall to the Chicago Bears, most assume that the Washington Commanders will take LSU’s Jayden Daniels or North Carolina’s Drake Maye with the No. 2 pick.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, most NFL executives he’s spoken to believe that the Commanders will actually go with Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy right after Chicago takes Williams:

“When I’ve had conversations here with executives from other teams who know (Washington GM) Adam Peters well, know the situation well, the most popular answer for what they do at No. 2 is J.J. McCarthy.”

If this is indeed Washington’s plan, then it promises to completely shake up the 2024 NFL Draft in a variety of ways. You’ll most certainly have more teams trying to trade up for Daniels and Maye, who are the consensus top-three QBs in this year’s class alongside Williams.

Speculation has ramped up that the Minnesota Vikings are trying to trade up for McCarthy. If the Commanders are sold on the national championship-winning QB, though, then who knows how that’ll impact Minny’s draft strategy?

The Vikings hold the No. 11 pick in the draft, with the QB-needy Denver Broncos right behind them at No. 12. The Las Vegas Raiders (owners of the No. 13 pick) are another team that could try and move up for a quarterback.

The Washington Commanders Are Getting A QB, One Way Or Another

The only guarantee is that the Washington Commanders are taking a quarterback with their first-round pick. The option to trade out of No. 2 and still get McCarthy later on is an option, especially if another club makes a can’t-refuse offer so they can move up for Daniels or Maye.

The Washington Commanders haven’t had a steady quarterback option since Kirk Cousins, who left in free agency six years ago.

This is their chance to finally get one. It’s one of the deepest QB classes in recent memory, and Washington hasn’t been this well-positioned to take a top-tier QB prospect since 2020, when they chose Chase Young over the likes of Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa.

So when all is said and done, the Washington Commanders will have found a new QB with the No. 2 pick. The only question is if it’ll be McCarthy, Daniels or Maye.

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