The Washington Commanders enter this weekend’s 2026 NFL Draft with six overall picks. The Commanders are without picks in the second and fourth rounds after last year’s trade for Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. It was a terrific trade for Washington, and one GM Adam Peters would do all over again, but he’d sure like to have those picks back.
While Peters can’t get those picks back, there are ways for the Commanders to add more. NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently conducted a mock draft exercise where he traded Washington’s No. 7 overall pick. In this exercise, Jeremiah traded down to No. 16, receiving a second and fourth-round pick in return.
This would be ideal for the Commanders, but they’d also miss out on a potential blue-chip talent inside the top 10. What’s more important? The extra picks, or taking a shot at landing a perennial Pro Bowl player?
Who are some potential impact players at positions of need for Washington if it moved back? Much of that depends on how far back the Commanders moved. While Peters would like to explore moving back, he’s not going to move back far. So, we look at three potential tradeback options for Washington.
USC WR Makai Lemon
The Commanders like Lemon. ESPN NFL insider Peter Schrager didn’t rule out Washington taking Lemon at No. 7 to serve as new offensive coordinator David Blough’s version of Amon-Ra St. Brown, a player whom Lemon is often compared to. Washington met with Lemon multiple times, including a recent top-30 visit. What if Washington moved back to No. 13 or No. 16 and still landed Lemon? That would be a good haul. Lemon had an outstanding career at USC is the type of player who can immediately dominate in the slot. If the Commanders move back, I’d bet Lemon is the top option.
Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Cooper is terrific, and despite not being huge (6-foot-0, 199), he plays like an angry running back. While he’s a bit smaller, Cooper has drawn comparisons to former Commander Deebo Samuel because of his ability after the catch. Cooper is versatile, having played both inside and outside at Indiana. Cooper is being slept on in this class, as he does a little bit of everything. Cooper would be more than a consolation prize for Washington.
Oregon S Dillon Thieneman
The Commanders could move down and add Caleb Downs, but he’s probably not making it past No. 10. Thieneman is another player to monitor. A third-team All-American and All-Big 10 performer at Purdue, Thieneman transferred to Oregon last year and was even better. He has excellent range. He’s a terrific athlete whose speed matches his play style. New defensive coordinator Daronte Jones coached Harrison Smith in Minnesota. Could Jones view Thieneman as his Smith? Thieneman is a tone-setter in the secondary, as he’s equally good against the pass and the run.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: 3 potential tradeback targets for Commanders
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