Potential defensive free agent targets for the Commanders in 2023

Secondary

Were I splitting this up between cornerback and safety, the safety position might even be ranked ahead of the defensive line. With two young studs in Kam Curl and Darrick Forrest, the back end of the Commanders defense is as strong as it has been in at least a decade. Rookie Percy Butler is a bit reckless, but he should grow into a very good player as well. And Bobby McCain is still around at a reasonable price to provide some veteran leadership.

The only pending free agent at safety is Jeremy Reaves. I would re-sign Reaves because I consider him to be an excellent depth player who can play both defense and special teams. As with the d-line, Washington does not need to add front line players to its safety ranks. (And BTW – there are plenty who may become available this offseason, with names like Jessie Bates, Jordan Poyer, Jimmie Ward, and Amani Hooker all scheduled to hit the market. Even if several of them re-up with their current team, there will be a lot of talent out there.)

In situations like this, I like to go back to my rankings of college players from four years ago and see where some diamond-in-the-rough contenders ended up. Every year, across the NFL, promising players seem to fizzle out. Usually it’s because they can’t play, but sometimes it is due to things beyond their control. This was especially true through the COVID seasons.

So there are two players who are not even in the league right now who I would invite in for a tryout. Evan Worthington (of the USFL), and Sheldrick Redwine, who has bounced around the league over the past four years. Both would come very cheap and could be good developmental players.

The only other safety I would keep an eye on is Tampa Bay’s Mike Edwards. I think that Tampa would like to re-sign him, but cornerback Jamel Dean has to be their top priority and that may free up Edwards. He is well worth a look if available.

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At cornerback, the situation is more dire. Due to the flameout of high-priced free agent William Jackson III, Washington is left with just two proven boundary corners heading into next season. Benjamin St-Juste is locked in and still on his rookie deal. Kendall Fuller has one more year at $13 million. The Commanders seem to like young slot corner Rachad Wildgoose, who is an exclusive rights free agent this offseason. That means the team still controls him if they so choose. I assume they will.

There are several quality corners under 30 set to hit the market in 2023. Players like Jonathan Jones (NE), Emmanuel Mosely (SF), Cameron Sutton (PITT), and Rock Ya-Sin (LV) would all appear to good additions on paper. But Washington is not the only team who has swung and missed at a big-name corner in recent years. If they pursue anyone, hopefully they will be sure to find players who fit their style of defense, and not expect them to conform.