Marshon Lattimore’s time with the New Orleans Saints is over.
Ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, the Saints sent the star cornerback to the Washington Commanders in exchange for multiple draft picks. It’s an aggressive move for the Commanders, who are all in on returning to the playoffs, but a potential sign of a forthcoming rebuild for the Saints, who fired head coach Dennis Allen on Monday.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Lattimore trade.
Marshon Lattimore Trade Details
Here are the full details of the trade, per Adam Schefter of ESPN:
Commanders get: Marshon Lattimore, 2025 fifth-round pick
Saints get: 2025 third-round pick, 2025 fourth-round pick, 2025 sixth-round pick
Trade: New Orleans is sending four-time Pro-Bowl CB Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders, per sources.
Saints had multiple teams interested in the 28-year-old CB who still is recovering from a hamstring injury. Commanders’ push is on. pic.twitter.com/IRPCVEAyAG
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 5, 2024
The sixth-round pick is the same pick the Saints sent to the Commanders last summer in the trade involving defensive tackle John Ridgeway III.
Washington was among multiple teams that reportedly pursued Lattimore before Tuesday’s trade. The Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and Baltimore Ravens also were interested in the 28-year-old cornerback.
The Commanders, who desperately needed cornerback help, reportedly called the New York Jets about D.J. Reed but were turned away.
Lattimore, a four-time Pro Bowler, entered the NFL in 2017 as a first-round pick. He’s racked up 15 interceptions, 88 pass breakups, five forced fumbles, and 405 combined tackles in his seven-plus seasons.
What Are Lattimore’s Contract Details?
Lattimore is signed through 2026 but isn’t guaranteed any money in 2025 and 2026, when he’ll carry base salaries of $18 million and $18.5 million, respectively.
Thanks to a contract restructure finalized last winter, the Commanders will get Lattimore on a major bargain for the rest of this season. He’s due just $605,000 through the rest of the campaign.
As for the Saints, they’ll carry dead cap hits of $14.01 million and $31.6 million in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
#NFL TRADE#COMMANDERS ACQUIRE
CB Marshon Lattimore
2024: $605k (gtd)
2025: $18M (non-gtd)
2026: $18.5M (non-gtd)#SAINTS ACQUIRE
2025 3rd Rd PickNew Orleans dead cap hits:
2024: $14.01M
2025: $31.6M— Spotrac (@spotrac) November 5, 2024
Lattimore is due to carry cap charges of $31.4 million in 2025 and $28.5 million in 2026. It’ll be interesting to see whether the Commanders look to extend him before the end of the season.
Lattimore Will Provide Major Boost to Washington’s Defense
At 7-2, the Commanders already have vastly exceeded preseason expectations. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels looks like a star, and Washington looks like a team that could be a tough out in the postseason.
But Washington’s defense needed help.
Entering Week 10, the Commanders ranked 23rd in Pro Football Network’s Defense+ metric. They also ranked 21st in pass-defense EPA per dropback and 18th in defensive pass success rate, per TruMedia.
The run defense has been even worse. Washington’s defense currently ranks 25th in yards per play allowed (5.7), 26th in points allowed per drive (2.3), and 28th in red-zone efficiency (allowing TDs on 69.2% of opponents’ red-zone trips).
The Commanders addressed the secondary need by adding Lattimore, who’s one of the best cornerbacks in football. But it wouldn’t be surprising to see Washington also bolster its defensive line before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.
Grading Commanders-Saints Lattimore Trade
From PFN’s Dallas Robinson:
While Washington’s coverage unit has improved in recent weeks, the club still ranks 20th in EPA per dropback on defense. Lattimore will likely replace starting Commanders CB Benjamin St-Juste, who’s allowed the seventh-most yardage among corners in 2024.
This was a no-brainer move for the Saints, who need to enter full rebuild mode and get their salary cap in order. If you cancel out all the draft picks involved, Over the Cap’s draft value chart pegs Lattimore’s value as a mid-second-rounder. New Orleans couldn’t turn down that sort of package for a player who missed 50% of the club’s games from 2022 to 2023.
Lattimore’s injury issues present a risk for Washington, but GM Adam Peters had extra draft capital to work with and a clear need in the secondary. The Commanders’ first-year regime is still revamping this roster, despite the team’s early success in 2024. A pure rental might not have made sense given Washington’s roster construction, but a multi-year asset like Lattimore does.
True win-win trades are rare in the NFL, but the Lattimore deal fits the bill.
Commanders grade: A-
Saints grade: A