Plenty of criticism has come the way of the Washington Commanders for what they did on defense this offseason — mainly that they spent big on defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and didn’t put that money toward an edge rusher.
While the Commanders are being accused of not doing enough, the thing to remember is the biggest move the franchise made for its defense in 2025 was probably made midway through the 2024 season when they traded for New Orleans Saints cornerback and 4-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore.
Lattimore is pricey — he’s due $36.5 million over the next 2 seasons — and it’s easy to see how the Commanders might already look at that as their big spend for 2025 to improve the defense on a team many think will be Super Bowl contenders.
The problem? Lattimore looked terrible at times in 2024 as he came back from a hamstring injury and he might not ever return to that Pro Bowl form. Washington might not have the depth they really need to be contenders — which means they should add a veteran free agent cornerback like Super Bowl champion Rasul Douglas.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder listed adding a veteran cornerback as the biggest need or the Commanders headed into training camp.
“This was a need for the Commanders last year, hence the midseason trade for Marshon Lattimore,” Holder wrote on July 16. “But he wasn’t very reliable in Washington. The only other notable veteran at the position the front office brought in this offseason was Jonathan Jones, who also didn’t play particularly well in 2024 … shoring up the secondary with a veteran would be in line with how GM Adam Peters has operated over the last two offseasons.”
Douglas Helped Eagles Win Super Bowl as Rookie
Douglas was an All-Big 12 player at West Virginia before the Eagles drafted him in the third round (No. 99 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. He started 5 games as a rookie and had 2 interceptions on the way to winning a Super Bowl.
Douglas was a part-time starter for 3 seasons in Philadelphia before he was waived in September 2020. Since then, Douglas has played for the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Packers and Buffalo Bills, where he started 15 games in 2024 and had 6 pass deflections.
Through 8 NFL seasons, Douglas has approximately $25 million in career earnings.
Young Talent Could Surprise Commanders
There’s a chance the Commanders might already have what they need on the roster in a pair of talented young players with second year cornerback Mike Sainristil and rookie Trey Amos.
Sainristil was one of the stars of Washington’s run to the NFC Championship Game last season with 2 interceptions in the postseason. Amos was a second round pick (No. 61 overall) after he earned All-SEC honors at Ole Miss in 2024 with 13 pass deflections and 3 interceptions.
If those 2 can turn into reliable starters — you can make an argument Sainristil already is — it would be incredible value. Amos signed a 4-year, $7 million contract and Sainristil, a second round pick in 2024, is in the second year of his 4-year, $7.7 million rookie contract.
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