As the Washington Commanders push through a rocky season, the conversation around the team is shifting-fast. With playoff hopes long gone, fans are already eyeing the future, particularly what general manager Adam Peters might do with his limited draft capital in 2026.
He’s holding just six picks, and only two of those fall within the first four rounds. That’s not exactly a war chest, but it’s enough to spark some serious debate about how the team should approach the final stretch of the season.
Some in the fanbase are openly rooting for losses-yes, the ol’ tank-for-draft-position mindset. The logic?
A higher pick could either land Washington a blue-chip prospect or give Peters the leverage to trade down and stockpile more picks. It’s the classic short-term pain for long-term gain approach.
But while that might make sense from the outside looking in, it’s not how things work inside an NFL locker room.
Just ask Jeremy Reaves.
The veteran safety didn’t mince words when he took to social media following Washington’s Week 15 win over the Giants-a game that, for some fans, felt like a setback in the race for draft position.
“Don’t care about no draft pick order, respectfully! Love y’all though ❤️”
That’s not just a tweet-it’s a message. Reaves, like most players in the league, isn’t thinking about April.
He’s thinking about Sunday. He’s thinking about his teammates.
And, perhaps most importantly, he’s thinking about his own future in a league where nothing is guaranteed and every snap is a job interview.
Reaves followed up with more pointed comments, making it clear he’s aware of the noise from fans calling for the team to pack it in-but he’s not buying into that.
“I love interacting with fans on here! I always have, but some of y’all who I know ain’t real fans fr say the dumbest/weirdest 💩 on here…”
That’s the reality check. Tanking might be a popular topic among fans and analysts, but for the guys in the trenches, it’s not even a consideration.
This is a violent, unforgiving sport. You don’t go half-speed in the NFL.
That’s how you get hurt. And no player is going to willingly underperform just so the front office can draft someone who might take their job.
Head coach Dan Quinn still has the locker room behind him. The Commanders may not be lighting up the standings this year, but there’s no quit in this group.
They’re still battling, still grinding, still trying to win games. That’s not just about pride-it’s about survival.
Every rep matters, every game is film for the next contract, and every win, no matter how small in the grand scheme, means something to the men on the field.
And let’s be honest: even if Washington did end up with a top-three pick, there’s no guarantee it would lead to a franchise-altering player. Draft history is littered with top picks who didn’t pan out and late-rounders who became stars.
It’s a gamble no matter where you’re picking. Peters may want more ammo for the draft, but that’s his challenge to solve.
The players? They’re focused on the now.
This isn’t the NBA. There are no guarantees in the draft, no lottery balls to lean on, and no safe bets. The Commanders are playing to win, and that’s exactly how it should be.