The Washington Commanders (7-2) significantly increased their playoff chances on Tuesday, acquiring Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore of the New Orleans Saints ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
We graded the deal, giving Washington an A+ for the trade, which you can find here.
What did others think of the Lattimore trade? ESPN gave the Commanders a B+ and explained why here.
When you have a quarterback playing well on a rookie contract — even if he is literally a rookie — there is no time to waste. The window is open, and the time is now. You must go for it, so credit to the Commanders for making a move to address a major weakness at the deadline.
The Commanders are currently 31st in defensive open score against opposing wide receivers, meaning they allow their opponent’s wideouts to get open more often than expected than every team but one.
A large part of the problem was cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, who has been targeted 25% of the time (second most among outside corners with at least 150 coverage snaps) and is allowing 1.9 yards per coverage snap (also second most), per NFL Next Gen Stats. Meanwhile, Lattimore has the lowest target rate among outside corners (10%) and is allowing 0.7 yards per coverage snap (third lowest). To put it simply, this is a major upgrade.
CBS Sports gave the Commanders an A-:
With an extra third-rounder in tow due to their preseason Jahan Dotson trade, Washington capitalized on New Orleans’ sudden rebuild — unofficially initiated by the team’s firing of head coach Dennis Allen — by sending a package of picks for the three-time Pro Bowl cover man.
USA Today gave the Commanders a B+:
From a talent standpoint, there’s plenty to like in this move. Lattimore, 28, is a sticky presence in coverage and also a playmaker with 15 career interceptions. Even amid the Saints’ widespread struggles, he’s yielding a career-low 5.2 yards per target while allowing a meager 69.1 passer rating when targeted, according to Pro Football Reference. Still, this was a good bit of draft compensation to surrender, even for a team that was set to have an extra third-round pick thanks to its Jahan Dotson deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Even though Lattimore is a proven entity, cornerback play can be volatile, and some other high-profile deals at the position – like the Tennessee Titans’ move for L’Jarius Sneed – have gone bust. That seems less risky, however, with the overall track record exhibited by a player who will clearly upgrade a premium spot – rookie Mike Sainristil can now move back to his more natural position in the slot – and serve as more than a rental. Health could be an X-factor, as Lattimore has missed 19 games since the 2022 season and is dealing with a hamstring injury. He is also due a hefty $36.5 million in the final two years of his contract after this season, though Washington is in a solid spot to absorb the hit.
The Athletic gave the Commanders an A-, while Bleacher Report gave them a B+.
As you can see, everyone agrees this was a good move for Washington. Of course, so much depends on Lattimore’s health. He’s missed 19 games over the past three seasons. However, the Commanders are banking on Lattimore’s talent and reuniting him with some old friends (Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown) and being re-energized by playing meaningful football again.
