Washington Commanders’ general manager Adam Peters wants to build his team through the NFL Draft and supplement it through free agency and via trades.
That makes the trade that brought cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the Commanders from the New Orleans Saints a move that should be part of the minority and makes it unlikely Peters goes hunting for further starting talent in that group outside of the draft.
So as mock drafts and future offseason speculation begins for all teams, even those in playoff contention like Washington is, it is going to be necessary to focus on college players about to turn pro if you want to see the team add even more new blood to its cornerback group just like Bleacher Report did by identifying Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron as a potential target for Peters next April.
“Even after trading for Marshon Lattimore, the Commanders will need help at cornerback with three unrestricted free agents at the position in Michael Davis, Benjamin St-Juste and Noah Igbinoghene. So, the Jim Thorpe Award Finalist should be on Adam Peters’ radar during the draft cycle,” says Bleacher Report.
B/R goes on to talk about how Barron’s versatility and ability to use his intelligence, physicality, and ball skills to play multiple positions should make him a weapon for whatever NFL defense he lands on.
It goes on to say that while there is a speed deficiency apparent in his game he makes up for it with his toughness that only further feeds into his versatility.
Toughness, physicality, and ball skills all fit the mold of what a Commanders defensive back is supposed to look like from what we’ve seen in this one-year sample size with coaches Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.
And intelligence to overcome perceived athletic disadvantages is something that has made Mike Sainristil an early star at cornerback despite the inches he’s giving up against most of his opponents.
Perhaps, when April comes, Peters will make this move and add yet another player that ‘looks like’ he fits in with what Washington is doing under this new regime.