Grading the signing: Commanders add former Super Bowl champion to answer key roster question and he could become a major steal
The Commanders failed to seriously address the cornerback room during free agency and the draft, but they fortunately still managed to land an experienced veteran that can come in and provide consistent, quality snaps.
The Washington Commanders finally addressed the cornerback room that still yielded a lot of questions after free agency and the draft.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Commanders are adding veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas. It’s a one-year deal worth up to $3.8 million and the former Super Bowl champ immediately bolsters a subpar cornerback room.
It’s a smart move on the Commanders’ end and it will definitely provide a boon for a secondary looking to prove 2025’s dismal display was an anomaly and not the standard.
Rasul Douglas is a versatile veteran who still has plenty of gas left in the tank
Douglas’ play last season was, in a word, excellent. The wily veteran didn’t sign on with the Miami Dolphins until the end of training camp yet he was pressed into playing time almost immediately after a Week 1 injury. Douglas’ experience shined quickly with good leverage on his zone assignments, effective disruption when Miami wanted to press, and a consistent presence as a support player on the perimeter.
Is he someone you’d leave on an island and ask to run vertically down the field without a safety at this stage of his career? Probably not. Does he have the quick twitch ability to undercut and jump throws for interceptions? It seemed he was half a step off. But if you want a high floor, high IQ starter who won’t give up explosives and will make the plays that come to him, Douglas is a guy worth signing.
The best part is he can line up not only on the perimeter, but also at nickel and safety when it makes sense. That kind of versatility is very-much needed for a secondary that’s a big question, as a whole.
Rasul Douglas’ 2025 stats
Douglas has been in the league since 2017, when he won the Super Bowl as a rookie with the Eagles. He’s had a solid career, with 2025 being one of his better seasons. Below are the numbers from last year:
- Reception % allowed: 54.7%
- Receiving yards allowed: 410
- Receiving TDs allowed: 3
- Interceptions: 2
- QB rating when targeted: 72.6
- Missed tackle rate: 11.3%
Douglas is a great fit for Daronte Jones’ scheme
We remain unsure as to what Jones’ defense officially looks like, but he should run quite a bit of zone, which is right in Douglas’ wheelhouse. Douglas can also press when it makes sense and Jones will certainly know when to utilize those strengths, as well.
But what’s most important for Jones’ DBs is intelligence and the ability to quickly decipher passing concepts. Whether it be route trees/releases/breaks/ID’ing which player is doing what, etc. Jones needs smart players on the back end and Douglas fits the bill to a tee.
Overall, it’s a great move on paper. Douglas’ play will be the ultimate factor in whether or not the move is eventually considered a success or failure, but everything is lining up for it to be the former and not the latter.
Final Grade: B+