Three cornerbacks that make a lot of sense for the Washington Commanders to sign in free agency
There's little debating new Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and new defensive coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr., are about to put as many resources as possible into rebuilding the defense.It won't be easy, either. The Commanders defense was one of the league's worst units in 2023 and a major factor in the equation was a […]
There's little debating new Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and new defensive coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr., are about to put as many resources as possible into rebuilding the defense.
It won't be easy, either. The Commanders defense was one of the league's worst units in 2023 and a major factor in the equation was a porous secondary that allowed the most passing yards per game, the most passing touchdowns per game, and the highest QB rating to opposing quarterbacks in 2023.
Fortunately, Washington has plenty of cap space and there should be plenty of guys on the market that can help turn things around.
1) L'Jarius Sneed
Quinn ran Cover 1/3 over 51% of the time last year in Dallas, per Sports Info Solutions and it's always been a staple of his defenses. While Joe Whitt Jr. said the staff will coach around its player's strengths, that obviously excludes any pieces brought in, at the moment.
You have to be good in man coverage in order to succeed in Cover 1/3 and Sneed is just that. In fact, he's one of the best man corners in the game.
Just take a look at Sneed's numbers when in Cover 0, Cover 1, or Man Cover 2, which are the primary man coverages:
| Category | Stats | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
Completion % | 35.5% | 3rd |
QB Rating | 37.0 | 5th |
TD/INT | 0/1 | t-2nd |
EPA/tgt | (-0.40) | 5th |
Yards per cover snap | 0.8 | t-4th |
Positive play rate | 29.0% | 5th |
Total targets | 31 | t-21st |
Sports Info Solutions
As you can see, he's more than capable in man coverage and it's based off a solid sample size, as Sneed's 31 targets ranked in the upper half of this list.
Sneed is also very good in zone coverage. Per Pro Football Focus, he didn't allow a single touchdown in zone during the regular season and his forced incompletion rate of 23% tied for second-best among qualifying corners.
The trick with Sneed is the Kansas City Chiefs could easily franchise tag him, which would take him off the market. Plus, they will likely serve as competition even if they don't franchise him. Either way, we project Sneed's deal (non-FT, of course) to come out to $16 million per year, which is expensive, but totally doable for the NFL's cap space leader.
2) Kenny Moore
The Commanders spent most of the 2023 season searching for a permanent nickel, but they never really found one. Second-year safety, Quan Martin, and fourth-year corner Benjamin St-Juste appear to have the momentum from last year, but that can obviously come to a complete halt with a new staff.
Moore is only 28 and is coming off a three interception season that included two pick-sixes. He's a physical, play-making corner who's made plenty of splash plays in Gus Bradley's scheme.
You know, the scheme very similar to what Quinn likes to run?
The new defensive staff will also love Moore's versatility. He can line up at nickel, in the box, on the line, on the outside, and he's an effective blitzer, evidenced by his 9.5 career sacks. He'd also allow Martin to become more of a traditional safety, which is his strong suit.
We project Moore's new deal to average $9.25 million per year, which is affordable, too. In all, Moore offers a lot of value and would be an immediate upgrade that allows St-Juste to provide good depth.
3) Stephon Gilmore
Year 1 for Quinn will center around winning, like any NFL season. But it's also about setting expectations and creating a culture. Who's better to help make that happen than an established vet who knows what it takes to achieve both goals because he's played under Quinn for multiple seasons?
Enter Stephon Gilmore, a former Super Bowl champ and Defensive Player of the Year.
Sure, Gilmore will be 34-years-old before the 2024 season starts, but he's still playing good football at this stage in his career. Still, the age factor is a concern and some of his important advanced metrics are declining.
We project a one-year, $8.5 million deal for Gilmore, which is certainly worth taking on. Especially when weighing the long-term impact he could provide.
Final word
No one is saying the Commanders are going to, or need to, sign all of these guys – the point is any of them make sense and any could easily make an impact for the team in 2024.
And with Quinn and Whitt Jr. fully invested in the kind of player they need in the backend, I'm sure we'll see a firm direction when it comes to talent acquisition.
