Ranking the Commanders next in line for contract extensions after Terry McLaurin

1. Kendall Fuller

Fuller’s contract with the Commanders won’t expire until after the 2023 season, but the 27-year-old could position himself for a second contract if he turns in another productive season as Washington’s No. 1 cornerback.

A Baltimore, MD native, it just feels like Fuller should spend his remaining prime years in Washington. After all, he was drafted by the team in the third round back in 2016 and re-signed in 2020 after a two-year stint in Kansas City.

Despite a slow start to 2021, Fuller’s 81.5 player grade from Pro Football Focus ranked third amongst cornerbacks. Only the Rams’ Jalen Ramsey (84.4) and the Falcons’ AJ Terrell (82.7) produced higher grades. For context, Ramsey was named a first-team All-Pro and Terrell earned second-team All-Pro honors.

The Commanders’ secondary has serious question marks after its inconsistent output last campaign, but Fuller isn’t one of them. From Week 7 to Week 12, he allowed just 15 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown. That stretch included six breakups, zero missed tackles and limiting DK Metcalf to 14 yards on one catch.

It’s clear Fuller is most effective on the boundary and he seems locked into that role with Benjamin St-Juste the early favorite to start in the nickel.

Given his local ties, the way he’s embraced being in Washington, which isn’t something most players can say, and becoming the secondary’s most important player, Fuller belongs with the Commanders for the foreseeable future.