Getty Charvarius Ward returns an interception.
With Dan Quinn taking over as the head coach of the Washington Commanders, their defense should improve. With names out there this offseason on the trade block and free agency market, Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department writes that Charvarius Ward is the player they want them to trade for.
Quinn was the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys and finished top-7 in both points and yards in his three seasons there. The Cowboys also had the most turnovers over that span, forcing 93. In the hypothetical trade from Bleacher Report, the 49ers would trade Ward for a 3rd round pick.
“The Commanders defense needs help on the back end. The 49ers sent Washington their 2024 third-round pick for Young, and are facing a pretty dicey cap situation. If the Commanders could give the 49ers their third-rounder back for Ward, it could be a win for both franchises.
“Will San Francisco want to move Ward? Undoubtedly not. He was the team’s best cover corner in 2023 and allowed an opposing passer rating of only 64.5 in coverage. However, he’s entering the final year of his contract and is set to carry a cap hit of $17.9 million.”
The Commanders Need Pass Rushers
After a season where the Commanders traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the deadline, replacing them should be priority No. 1. Pressure on the quarterback is a necessity and as currently constructed, Washington will need to add players who can do that.
Charvarius Ward is another great target for them as they look to add defenders who can play at a high level. He’s spent most of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, so winning is something he’s used to. Bringing in someone who has a winning attitude and knows what it takes is also huge for a Commanders team that could be rebuilding.
Ward was named 2nd-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2023.
If the Commanders wanted to land him, Bleacher Report writes that they could take some of the dead money remaining on his deal.
“Theoretically, the Commanders could agree to take on some of the $17.2 million in dead money remaining on Ward’s deal to facilitate a deal and lighten San Francisco’s cap burden.”
Dan Quinn’s Job Is to Fix the Defense
The Washington Commanders were the worst defensive team in football when it came to points allowed per game. Washington gave up an embarrassing 30.5 points per game. They ranked last in passing yards allowed per game with 262.2 yards, 27th in rushing yards allowed per game with 126.8, and 23rd in takeaways per game with 1.1.
All of these figures will improve under Quinn if he can complement the same strategies and the Commanders front office lands players like Charvarius Ward. Changing this defense will take patience but if Quinn can speed along this process, Washington will be in a much better position than they were in this season when they finished with the 2nd worst record in football and didn’t compete in most games.