The NFL announced compensatory selections for the 2022 NFL draft Tuesday, and the Washington Commanders did not land one pick.
This was expected, as Washington was busy last offseason in free agency. The Commanders landed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, cornerback William Jackson III and wide receiver Curtis Samuel in the early days of free agency last March.
Washington didn’t have any compensation picks in 2021 either after a busy offseason in 2020 — head coach Ron Rivera’s first year. While the Commanders didn’t sign any of the top free agents, they did sign several players, most of whom would start for them over the last two years at different times. It was arguably the most successful free-agent class in franchise history.
As for those 2021 free agents, Fitzpatrick and Samuel were busts. Both players can blame injuries, as Fitzpatrick went down in the second quarter of Week 1 with a hip injury and never returned. Samuel had groin surgery and never fully recovered, appearing in five games and finishing with six receptions for 27 yards. The Commanders hope Samuel bounces back in 2022.
Jackson started slowly but was playing much better until a late-season injury sidelined him for Washington’s final three games.
With no compensatory picks in the 2022 NFL draft, the Commanders have just six picks:
- Round one: No. 11 overall
- Round two: No. 47 overall (moved down five spots in Carson Wentz trade)
- Round three: no pick, due to Wentz trade
- Round four: No. 112 overall
- Round five: no pick, due to Camaron Cheeseman trade in 2021
- Round six: No. 188 overall
- Round seven: No. 228 overall
- Round seven: No. 237 overall(from Colts due to Wentz trade)
