5 Commanders players cementing their future in Washington beyond 2024
By Dean Jones
Noah Igbinoghene - Commanders CB
It's easy to forget that Noah Igbinoghene is still just 24 years old. The cornerback's gone through a rollercoaster NFL career so far. But head coach Dan Quinn saw something in the player last season on the Dallas Cowboys to warrant another look.
The Washington Commanders have gradually gotten the former first-round pick involved. It's not perfect from Igbinoghene, but the flashes alone suggest there is something to mold into a decent rotational option regardless of whether additional reinforcements arrive.
Washington made a daring trade for Marshon Lattimore before the deadline. Pairing the four-time Pro Bowler with promising second-round rookie Mike Sainristil is a mouth-watering proposition. The inconsistent Benjamin St-Juste is out of contract and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. looks like a lost cause. Igbinoghene sticking around on another short-term agreement cannot be completely dismissed.
How the Auburn product performs in the coming weeks will determine his fate. Igbinoghene is growing in confidence, but the margin for error remains slim as the Commanders look to cement their playoff spot in Year 1 of Quinn's head coaching tenure.
Dante Fowler Jr. - Commanders OLB
Dante Fowler Jr.'s arrival this offseason went relatively under the radar compared to others. The edge rusher has the full trust of head coach Dan Quinn, who worked with him previously on the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. Even so, not many fans were expecting the significant impact he's made so far this season.
It took a while for Fowler to firmly establish himself. When the light came on, he instantly became Washington's most prolific pass-rusher by a considerable margin. This is a huge positive considering the inconsistencies of others.
The former No. 3 overall selection has 8.5 sacks, 12 pressures, and nine quarterback hits in 2024 to date. This is more impressive when one considers Fowler has played just 48 percent of the team's defensive snaps within Joe Whitt Jr.'s expansive scheme.
Washington will likely target an edge rusher relatively early in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, those in power would be wise to give Fowler another deal if he maintains these surprising performance levels over their remaining six games.