Last year, it was reported that the Washington Commanders were turning over every rock in their search for a franchise quarterback—even calling about the availability of untouchable assets like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.
If done without being disrespectful, it’s a good idea to explore every avenue to improve the team. But if the rules were broken—as the case would be if Washington indeed reached out to retired signal-caller Andrew Luck—it’s an inexcusable misstep that should infuriate fans and the incoming ownership group (likely Josh Harris and others).
As most know, the 2023 NFL Draft had just 31 selections because the Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick for tampering with Tom Brady, so a similar penalty could be coming for the Commanders—especially with Colts owner Jim Irsay putting a spotlight on the issue:
If any NFL Team,attempted to contact Andrew Luck (or any associate of him)… to play for their Franchise – it would be a clear Violation of the League’s Tampering Policy.
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) May 8, 2023
Although the franchise has thrown their support behind second-year passer Sam Howell for 2023, the possible loss of a first-round pick couldn’t come at a worse time when you consider the strength of the 2024 quarterback class, which will be headlined by USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, and Oregon’s Bo Nix (among many others).
To resolve the potential tampering issue, Washington would be wise to quickly make a deal with the Colts that would allow them to keep their first-round pick in 2024. Last month, the Cardinals swapped their third-round pick (No. 66 overall) with the Eagles (No. 94 overall) as compensation for tampering with new head coach Jonathan Gannon (Arizona received a 2024 fifth-round selection as part of the deal).
So, there is a template to work with for the Commanders, and they should offer the option for Indy to swap second- and/or third-round picks next year if Washington finishes with a worse record. That’s something that could be worth taking for the Colts, and it might not even come to fruition for the Commanders if they are able to avoid a collapse.
Again, the priority should be doing anything possible to keep their 2024 first-round selection to have the ammunition needed to draft a quarterback, so a potential pick swap would be a small price to pay for head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew after their apparent misstep.
Whether they are the ones that should get the opportunity for another big swing at the position—after missing on Carson Wentz—is a question for new ownership.