In November, the Washington Commanders traded for Marshon Lattimore from the New Orleans Saints. The NFC East franchise gave up a 2025 3rd-round pick, 2025 4th-round pick, and 2025 6th-round pick in exchange for the star cornerback and a 2025 5th-round pick.
The Commanders wanted to improve their secondary but failed to get the best out of Lattimore. The four-time Pro Bowler played just two games for the team in the regular season as he was limited due to a hamstring injury. He played all three playoff games but didn’t perform well in the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Commanders Fans Are Disappointed by Marshon Lattimore’s Performance
The Commanders lost 55-23 against the Eagles, and many of their fans on social media were quite disappointed with Lattimore’s performance. The cornerback was involved in an unpleasant exchange with A.J. Brown, which the fans didn’t take well due to the player’s history of engaging in conflicts with other receivers like Mike Evans.
Brown finished the game with six receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. Jalen Hurts had a phenomenal game as well, throwing for 246 yards without turning the ball over. Since the Commanders’ defense was completely dominated by the Eagles’ offense, the fans’ dissatisfaction was quite unreasonable.
They specifically pointed out Lattimore’s performance as the expectations were set high for him because he is widely regarded as one of the best players in his position. Here are some of the reactions from the Commanders fans, including from the ones who want the cornerback to be released or traded:
Adam Peters please cut lattimore
— NotSlickEnough (@notslickenough) January 26, 2025
“Get whatever you can get for Lattimore, or just cut him. He’s awful,” said a fan.
Another fan added, “Pathetic, absolutely pathetic effort… and PLEASE cut Lattimore.”
Liability Lattimore
— Antwon (@AntwonTX) January 26, 2025
“Lattimore has no poise. AJ Brown was in his head all day. He’s a classic knucklehead,” wrote a fan.
One fan added, “Marshon Lattimore ain’t nothing but Draymond Green in a football jersey.”
Like how is he starting in an NFC Championship Game?!
— @BlackBostonSportsFan (@BlackBostonSpo2) January 26, 2025
In his first season with the Commanders, Lattimore played just five games, including the playoffs. Despite his struggles, Washington should still keep the cornerback on the roster beyond this season. He still has two years left on his deal, and releasing him after trading away multiple draft picks for him doesn’t make much sense.
The Commanders team is quite young, so a veteran like Lattimore will help the young players. Moreover, he could be a significant contributor to the team next season if he stays healthy. The former Saints star struggled with injuries this past campaign, and it’s for any player, especially at his position, to perform in the postseason immediately after missing most of the regular season.
Commanders Should Be Aggressive in the Offseason
The Commanders have the 29th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and $90.9 million in cap space for the next season. The team has already found their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels and now should be aggressive in the offseason to build a roster around him.
The Commanders’ offense is already pretty good and needs minor improvements to become a perennial contender next season. However, the defense requires a lot of improvement, and the team should invest their draft assets and money available in the free agency to get significant upgrades on the defense.
Washington could target free agents like Haason Reddick, Charvarius Ward, Justin Reid, and Charles Omenihu and re-sign Bobby Wagner. Getting veteran players on defense will help the Commanders make a run at the Super Bowl, as the current group of players lacks experience playing under pressure.
Head coach Dan Quinn is known for his work on the defensive side of the football, and if the franchise gets him better players, the Commanders could have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Surrounding Daniels with a good defense is a recipe for success, as the LSU product has shown immense poise at a young age to come up big in clutch moments throughout the season.