Marshon Lattimore's trade to the Washington Commanders was the first massive statement that this sleeping giant had woken up under head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters. Unfortunately, it failed to meet expectations.
Lattimore is now gone, released with one year remaining on his deal. The four-time Pro Bowl cornerback ended up playing just 11 regular-season and three playoff games. It was an unmitigated disaster, and his recovery from a torn ACL could mean a long wait before getting another opportunity.
Peters felt the move was right at the time. Hindsight is always 20/20, but the front-office leader was in a philosophical mood after finally breaking his silence on Lattimore's abrupt exit from Washington.
Adam Peters felt good about Commanders' trade for Marshon Lattimore, but injuries caused his demise
During a conversation with John Doran of WUSA9 at the annual league meetings, Peters felt like swinging big for a corner was the move Washington needed at the time. He pointed to injuries as a reason things didn't work out, which is the risk any team takes when making blockbuster splashes in the trade market.
"You make decisions with the information you have at that time. For us to make noise in the playoffs, I thought we needed to get another corner. Marshon [Lattimore] was available. Marshon's a really good player. Unfortunately, he ran into some injuries.
"Anytime you make a move, there's always risk involved. We felt good about that. Looking back, you could say I wouldn't do that again or would do it again, but we thought we would have him for that year and into the future, and it didn't work out. Sometimes, they don't work out."
Adam Peters looks back on the Marshon Lattimore trade in 2024. Lattimore was released by the #Commanders earlier this month pic.twitter.com/3aJxVpRIli
— John Doran (@JohnDoranTV) March 31, 2026
Peters is aggressive, willing to strike when opportunities present themselves. His move for Lattimore looked doomed from a long way out. That doesn't mean acquiring the former Ohio State standout wasn't the right call at the time.
NFL history is littered with failed trades and draft busts who never met their end of the bargain. Lattimore added his name to the list, and even with the injuries representing misfortune, his performances overall just weren't good enough.
At least the Commanders didn't make a longer commitment to Lattimore. They let his contract play out, which ended up saving them $18.5 million with an early departure. That provides some solace, but Washington still doesn't have its shutdown coverage presence to fall back on when it counts.
In fairness to Peters, his trades for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. went much better. Lattimore was a swing and a miss, but that won't stop Peters from pulling the trigger on another big move further down the line.
Win some, lose some.