Grading the signing: Washington Commanders add new unexpected CB in Amik Robertson, who will come with questions
The Commanders add veteran CB Amik Robertson to the defense for Daronte Jones, but he will come with questions that need to be answered.
The Washington Commanders were very vocal about adding a playmaker on defense this offseason, and they needed a lockdown corner.
The Commanders are also poised to spend big money in free agency and have been active in swinging on bigger names around the league. We expected the Commanders to land a top corner, but their first move of free agency was an option that nobody considered, with veteran CB Amik Robertson coming to Washington.
Robertson is agreeing to a two-year, $16 million deal that won’t be official until Wednesday, but was he the right move to make?
Commanders find corner answer in free agency with Amik Robertson
New defensive coordinator Daronte Jones needs talent, and Robertson brings the versatility that Jones has praised all offseason. The biggest question will be where Robertson will play at 5-8, 185 pounds, and a split amount of snaps in the slot and outside throughout his career. A to Z Sports Detroit beat writer, Mike Payton, says that Robertson’s career has been a roller coaster over the last two years.
“It’s the tale of two halves with Robertson. In 2024, he went from being in the slot to working out wide after injuries, and he played so well. Everyone will remember when he shut down Justin Jefferson in Week 18. In 2025, he started out well, but then became the only healthy cornerback and was getting picked on by quarterbacks every week. Because of that, he went from a player whom people thought the Lions should extend in 2024 to a player the Lions weren’t expected to bring back.” – Mike Payton, A to Z Sports Detroit
Robertson is just 27 years old and has shown flashes, but also had a lot of the weight of the defense on his shoulders. Jones can decide where to play Robertson and let him thrive. If anyone knows Robertson, it’s Jones, who saw him play twice a year in the NFC North.
Grading the Commanders’ signing of Amik Robertson
The signing comes with concerns because of his size, but it could pay off with an experiences, yet a younger corner on the team after releasing Marshon Lattimore. There will be questions about where he plays and what this means for Mike Sainristil, so there’s still a lot to figure out. They needed help in the secondary, and Robertson can be a fiesty corner on the outside and in the slot.
We don’t know if the Commanders will get the lockdown corner from 2024 or the struggling corner from 2025, who gave up six touchdowns, but had a lot on his plate. The Commanders desperately need a stout slot corner, but he’s also thrived on the outside against some of the best in the NFL. This move also doesn’t stop them from adding another top CB in free agency or the NFL Draft.
GRADE: B-
Washington Commanders News
Commanders 2026 NFL Free Agency Tracker: Every free agent signing, in-house return, and release made by Washington
Every move the Commanders make during the 2026 NFL free agency period, including big-splash signings, in-house returns, and surprise releases.
