No matter how successful an NFL team might be, one principle holds true for roster management: if you’re not striving to improve, you’re falling behind.
Even the Kansas City Chiefs, winners of three Super Bowl titles in the last five years, are always making adjustments. With that in mind, the Washington Commanders should adopt a buyer’s mindset as the NFL trade deadline on November 5 approaches.
If the Commanders decide to make a move, their focus should be on cornerback and wide receiver positions. Among available options, New Orleans Saints’ four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore should be at the top of their list.
The Saints, after hitting a low point in their season following a Week 9 defeat to the Carolina Panthers (where Lattimore was sidelined due to a hamstring injury), now sit at 2-7 and could be eager to sell.
For the Commanders, who hold a 7-2 record and are experiencing their strongest start since 1996, a trade for Lattimore could be a strategic step to bolster their chances of immediate success, possibly even a Super Bowl bid.
On November 2, Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk noted that “Marshon Lattimore continues to attract trade discussions in league circles. His contract, which extends through 2026, would bring a cap charge of $20.63 million in 2025 but would clear $16 million in cash from the books. With a 2024 base salary of $1.21 million, acquiring him wouldn’t burden the new team with significant cap space immediately, though the challenge would lie in managing 2025 and beyond.”
Lattimore: A Top Cornerback Since 2017
Drafted 11th overall out of Ohio State in 2017, Lattimore has established himself as one of the league’s premier cornerbacks. He earned the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year title in 2017, securing his first Pro Bowl appearance with five interceptions in just 13 games. He’s since accumulated 15 career interceptions over seven seasons and has made the Pro Bowl four times.
In 2021, Lattimore signed a substantial five-year contract extension worth $97.6 million that runs until 2026. However, injuries have impacted his recent seasons; he missed 10 games in 2022 due to a lacerated kidney and another seven games due to an ankle injury.
Commanders’ Cornerback Woes
The Commanders’ issues at cornerback trace back to their previous leadership team, which selected Emmanuel Forbes Jr. from Mississippi State as the 16th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Forbes has struggled to even secure a backup role in his first two seasons, and he didn’t play a single snap in their Week 9 victory over the New York Giants, according to The Athletic’s Ben Standig.
Despite these challenges, the Commanders’ defense has held its own. They currently rank 14th in overall team defense and are fifth in passing defense heading into Week 10.
“You can’t really complain about the Commanders’ defense,” NFL insider Kevin Clark said on the November 4 episode of the “This is Football Podcast With Kevin Clark.” “Things are going well. You just can’t.”
