3 changes Commanders' coaching staff must consider in Week 7 vs. the Panthers

Secondary must figure something out

It's no secret that the Washington Commanders' secondary has been largely terrible through six weeks. They started slow, made some serious improvements, and then got obliterated by the Baltimore Ravens.

This week they aren't going up against that. But that is not an excuse for them to not make some changes.

Emmanuel Forbes Jr. has been considered to be on the trade block by many. He was a healthy scratch last weekend. Benajmin St-Juste also has to pick it up in pursuit of a new deal. Perhaps this is good news for Adam Peters. With this duo gone, they can begin to recreate the secondary.

The Commanders still have a long way to go this season. Whether they need to play more zone or not, something must be done. They made Zay Flowers seem like Steve Smith Sr. last week. Washington lost the game in the first half last week because they didn't have the personnel to slow down the pass-catcher while trying to focus on stopping Derrick Henry.

It only takes one game for opposing quarterbacks to learn how to pick apart an opposing defense. With Andy Dalton under center, it's not as if he can't do this. He has been a more than serviceable quarterback, and if the Commanders can't get pressure, they will need to have a solid game plan on the backend of Joe Whitt Jr.'s defense.

It should be noted that Quan Martin and Mike Sainristil are two young players who can be built around going forward within this secondary. They are showing signs of life, but the inexperienced defensive backs cannot do it alone.

For all Carolina's faults, the offense is running functionally under Dalton's guidance. That's why some severe adjustments are needed in the pass defense to emerge with another morale-boosting success on home soil.