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The offense for the Washington Commanders in 2025 seems to be set. But they still need to work on their defense and must be careful with their first pick. And here are three reasons why Mike Green is the perfect fit for the Commanders in the 2025 NFL Draft.
First, there’s a chance Green gets gobbled up before the Commanders have a chance to get him. It would be a great day for the Commanders if he slipped all the way to No. 29. However, too many mock drafts have him going higher than that.
Therefore, the Commanders might need to execute a trade, perhaps as high as the No. 19 spot. But he’s the guy the Commanders need to get to make their defense more threatening.
Edge Mike Green fills Commanders’ biggest need
Here’s a quiz question. When was the last time the Commanders had a premier pass rusher?
You have to go back seven years to find defensive end Ryan Kerrigan. That’s a long time without having a guy who can send fear into the opposing team’s offensive coordinators’ offices.
Green brings the explosiveness to the edge rusher position that the Commanders have missed all these years. That’s his trademark signature, according to nfldraftbuzz.com.
“Green's calling card as an NFL edge defender will be his explosive first step and sophisticated rush plan that keeps tackles off balance,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “That blend of speed and technique projects well to passing downs.”
Now the Commanders will have to pick and choose their spots with Green against teams that can run the football.
“… His 248-pound frame raises legitimate concerns about holding up against NFL offensive tackles in the run game,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “Year one likely means a specialized role focusing on what he does best — hunting quarterbacks in sub packages.”
But Green has the potential to become much more than a guy who comes in when the other has to pass the football.
“His natural leverage and rapidly improving hand usage suggest room for growth, even if he'll never be a power player setting the edge,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “There's enough physicality on tape, particularly against tight ends, to project eventual three-down capability once his frame fills out. The key will be maintaining his rare movement skills while adding necessary mass.”
Edge Mike Green brings a needed attitude
When the Commanders play teams like the Eagles and Cowboys, they face guys with the attitude of being unblockable. That creates a unit-wide bonus for the defense.
Green has some of the intangibles that a guy like Micah Parsons brings to the Cowboys. Of Green isn’t Parsons and won’t be. But he could bring a Parsons-like attiude to the Commanders.
The reason comes from his determination. Green plays over the top from an effort standpoint on every snap, according to nfl.com.
“High-energy pass rusher with productivity and a method of play that should translate to the next level,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “He relentlessly presses forward, but can run out of gas due to his hot-running motor.”
Playing alongside a guy like that could make a difference for a guy like Javon Kinlaw. The Commanders spent big money to bring the defensive tackle into town. And a young buck like Green might help Kinlaw reach the potential that made him the No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Commanders need player with chip on his shoulder
Washington built its 2024 success on getting the right players into the organization. And that approach should serve them well in 2025.
But the NFL is a violent world. And have a guy who plays with an edge is important when things get tough late in the season and in the playoffs.
Green has off-field questions that could push him deeper into the first round and give the Commanders a shot. Concerns about Green stem from his 2022 departure from the University of Virginia football team. He told reporters he had been accused of sexual assault twice, but denied the allegations, and said he had “done nothing wrong,” according to nfl.com.
“There's accusations out there,” Green said. “I've never been questioned. I've never been asked. You know what I'm saying? Like, nobody ever asked me a question about what happened before I departed from Virginia. It was just accusations that caused me to leave from there.”
Green said he’s not worried about falling in the draft because of the reports.
“As you can see, throughout this process I've been rising higher and higher and higher,” he said. “That should tell you everything that you need to know. I've been sticking to the process, like I said earlier, and I've been telling the truth. I have no concerns and I have no problem with talking to these teams about it because I know who I am and I know the truth.”
