5 wide receiver trades Commanders must consider as depth continues to unravel

The Washington Commanders have a problem quietly brewing in their wide receiver room. If the same trend continues, it could provoke general manager Adam Peters into drastic action before Week 1 against the New York Giants arrives.

Second-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin's contract battle remains at the forefront. The wide receiver and Washington haven't found any middle ground on an extension as yet. Not even his trade request moved the needle, although the wideout and Peters remain on speaking terms based on their recent conversation at practice.

Washington's pass-catchers have found life difficult over the last two weeks. The dynamic has changed without McLaurin, and the lack of consistency during joint practice and the preseason game against the New England Patriots brought this firmly under the microscope.

Ideally, McLaurin will get back onto the field sooner rather than later. He is the franchise cornerstone — the alpha who makes everyone better. But make no mistake, Peters is going to be watching how others perform closely in the coming weeks.

Scouring the waiver wire for reinforcements is possible. The Commanders have maxed out their tradable assets throughout the offseason, but Peters is in win-now mode. If he can strike a deal for a pick swap or late-rounder, that changes the landscape considerably.

With this in mind, here are five wide receiver trades the Commanders must consider as their depth continues to unravel.

Wide receiver trades Commanders must consider as depth continues to unravel

Commanders could trade for Kendrick Bourne

This would have to be the right trade at the right price. Adam Peters hasn't dismissed anything, but acquiring Marshon Lattimore, Deebo Samuel Sr., and five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil makes it much more difficult.

That doesn't mean Peters won't try if the correct opportunity presents itself. And the front-office leader might turn to someone he knows well from a previous stop.

According to reports, Kendrick Bourne is being phased out of the New England Patriots' offense. Injuries have stunted his production over the last two seasons, and it seems like new head coach Mike Vrabel prefers others.

Peters was part of the brain trust that identified the wideout as an undrafted free agent target with the San Francisco 49ers. Therefore, he could decide to get involved if the AFC East club makes him available.

This will cost almost nothing. But if Bourne can stay healthy, he could be another useful, experienced addition to the Commanders' passing attack.

Commanders could trade for Tim Patrick

The Washington Commanders have had plenty of success with veteran players a little down on their luck who manage to galvanize their careers under head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. General manager Adam Peters won't hesitate to roll the dice once again if he believes it can benefit the franchise.

Although he's had some devastating injury problems in recent years, Tim Patrick represents an intriguing option who could reportedly be available. He put together a full campaign with the Detroit Lions last season as a rotational piece who logged 59 percent of offensive snaps. But considering he missed the 2022 and 2023 seasons with a torn ACL and torn Achilles, respectively, staying injury-free was a major positive.

Patrick will have gained tremendous confidence from this experience. At 6-foot-5, he represents a matchup nightmare when fit and firing on all cylinders. While asking him to be a WR 1 or WR2 is a stretch, the Commanders wouldn't need that from him in this scenario.

What they'd want is for Patrick to be a red-zone asset and take away attention from others in key down and distances. That seems like an attainable objective, but whether the Lions would want to move him to an NFC rival is highly debatable.

Commanders could trade for John Metchie III

The fact that John Metchie III is playing in the league represents an achievement in itself. A prolific wide receiver at Alabama, he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia shortly after being selected No. 44 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. But after successful treatment, he finally got to fulfill his dream during the 2023 campaign.

Metchie's brought in 40 receptions from 67 targets for 412 receiving yards and one touchdown over his two active seasons. It was always going to be a slow burn back to his old self, but the Texans don't have the luxury of waiting around.

This is a business, after all. Metchie made the team last summer when trade speculation was rife. The same rumors are swirling this time around, and the Texans might be more receptive depending on the compensation package.

It would be a low-risk, high-reward pickup by the Commanders. Metchie is incredibly talented. Building back momentum gradually was always the primary objective for the pass-catcher. What Peters needs to figure out is whether he could bring something different to Washington's receiver unit if he decides another fresh face is needed.

Metchie deserves a bit of good luck. Landing in Washington would represent all that and more.

Commanders could trade for Adam Thielen

The Carolina Panthers suddenly have an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position. They boast a nice blend of youth and experience, led by first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan and Pro Bowl pass-catcher Adam Thielen.

After contemplating retirement this offseason, Thielen decided to stick around. He thought something special was building in Carolina with resurgent quarterback Bryce Young. At the same time, there is a youth movement underway with McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr.

Thielen remains the team's most consistent receiver. He's an exceptional route-runner with assured hands in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field. The former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State figures to play a key role for Carolina again in 2025, and general manager Dan Morgan also bumped his pay this offseason.

That said, everyone has a price. Adam Peters won't push the boat out too much for someone who's probably a one-year rental. But if the Washington Commanders need to find more dependability in the passing attack, this is the exact sort of player they should be looking for.

The Panthers would be extremely reluctant to part ways with Thielen. That might change if they're out of contention by the trade deadline, but not right now.

Commanders could trade for Romeo Doubs

This might be more on the expensive side, but it's starting to look like Romeo Doubs could be on the chopping block. And in this scenario, there would be a couple of legitimate suitors who'd believe there is still some untapped potential left.

Doubs is a curious case. He's 6-foot-2 with a large wingspan. He has every athletic intangible imaginable to be dominant. No fewer than 15 touchdowns over his first three NFL seasons are encouraging, but the former Nevada standout also boasts 22 drops.

That is far from ideal. It's also a reason why Doubs is being touted as potential trade bait at some stage this offseason.

Nothing concrete has emerged as yet. Doubs fell hard during training camp practice this week, but it's reportedly too serious. But this does nothing to diminish the concerns that he might not even meet expectations in Green Bay after a promising start.

It's also worth remembering that Doubs is entering the final year of his deal. The Packers could decide to cash in now rather than risk losing him for nothing next spring. If general manager Brian Gutekunst goes down this route, this could provide the Commanders with a boom-or-bust option who could make a real difference if he transitions smoothly.

More Commanders news and analysis