It appears that Marshon Lattimore’s time with the Washington Commanders will soon be ending. After spending the crux of his time in Washington injured, the nagging injuries affected his on-field performance.
According to ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, he believes that it is inevitable that Lattimore and the Commanders part ways.
“Lattimore shined in the first half of the 2024 season before struggling with a hamstring injury. But really, nothing has gone right since the Saints dealt him to the Commanders in the middle of that campaign. Last season, the 29-year-old was one of the worst starting cornerbacks in the league with twenty-seven tackles and one interception in nine games, before suffering a torn left ACL.
“Lattimore still has one year left on his contract, but there is no guaranteed money, so the Commanders could easily cut him with a post-June 1 designation. If he wants to continue playing in the NFL, he would be better off putting his time in Washington behind him.”
The question remains, how the Commanders go about replacing Lattimore?
Options in Free Agency
Alontae Taylor– Taylor becomes a free agent in 2026 and could be a solid replacement for Lattimore. Throughout his career, Taylor has shown he is a physical corner and has played in a system that requires aggressive man-to-man coverage. He would compliment Washingtons younger defensive backs well, and at age 26 he still has considerable upside.
Riq Woolen- Much like Taylor, Woolen is built for man-to-man coverage. The defensive back had an excellent rookie season with six interceptions, but has plateaued since then. While he has had periods of inconsistency at times, he has shown he can press at the line and disrupt timing. While there is some risk, under a Dan Quinn defense built on having aggressive corners, Woolen may fit in just fine.
Greg Newsome II– Newsome has spent most of his career under the defensively aggressive Cleveland Browns. What Newsome brings to the table is more balance, as he is played in man-to-man and zone defenses. He is healthy and entering the prime of his career. This would not be a high-risk signing and is one of the safer options.
Building Through the Draft
Mansoor Delane, out of Virginia Tech, is arguably the best corner option in the NFL draft. He is comfortable playing in both a zone as well as man to man coverage. He is deemed a playmaker with an aggressive style, and matches what Dan Quinn looks for in a cornerback. It would be surprising if any of the other corners are drafted before him in the first round.
Jermod McCoy– From Tennessee, McCoy is one of the better outside corners in the NFL Draft. McCoy has excellent man-to-man skill coverage. One of his biggest drawbacks is that he is overcoming an ACL tear that resulted in him missing the 2025 season while playing at LSU. Depending upon how he is evaluated, it would not be surprising to see him slip into the second round. While it may not be an ideal first-round pick for the Commanders due to his injury, he may be a solid second-round pick-up.
The Final Verdict
After reviewing both options, free agency is the better route for Washington. Most of the Commanders’ defensive backs are young and could use some veteran leadership in that role. The good news is that the bar has not been set too high after how Lattimore played the last two seasons, so any of these options should be an upgrade.