Benjamin St-Juste and 3 Commanders who shouldn't play another snap post-bye
By James Dudko
A starting cornerback, offensive tackle, versatile wide receiver, and defensive tackle are among the players who shouldn't take another snap for the Washington Commanders after the bye week.
Their exit tickets should be punched for a variety of reasons. One of those involves improved talent at key positions thanks to the emergence of a few members of this year's draft class.
Other arguments in favor of change include the in-season acquisition of proven, Pro Bowl-level talent. There's also the unavoidable fact certain newcomers haven't made the impact expected among vulnerable position groups, notably the wide receiver spot.
Here are the four Commanders whose workloads should be considerably lighter coming out of the bye.
4 Commanders who shouldn't play another snap after the bye week
Benjamin St-Juste - Commanders CB
The cornerback rotation no longer needs to carry Benjamin St-Juste for three good reasons. None better than four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore finally nearing being game-ready for a pass defense desperately in need of his talents.
Dan Quinn sounds confident enough that Lattimore is at last ready to go. The head coach told reporters, including The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala, how the experienced corner has been progressing.
Dan Quinn on Marshon Lattimore: "We're very encouraged about all the work that he and the medical team put in. ... We've put him through a lot of tests, and he's hit all the marks up until now."
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) December 9, 2024
All signs are pointing toward Lattimore making his long-awaited Commanders debut in Week 15. Against his former team the New Orleans Saints, no less. That's fate for you.
Regardless of his first opponent, Lattimore's availability puts St-Juste's position in the starting lineup in jeopardy. Not only is the Ohio State product an obvious upgrade, but he's somebody who can handle one-on-one matchups against an opponent's best receiver.
Cornerback coverage stats
— Stat Acccount (@AcccountStat) December 12, 2024
x = Yards Allowed per Coverage Snap
y = EPA Allowed per Target pic.twitter.com/7XrtN6xHMa
St-Juste also has a problem because of the rapid strides made by Mike Sainristil. Washington's second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has proven he's no niche defensive back, limited only to the slot. Instead, he has been able to handle coverage responsibilities on the boundary.
Add in the recent playing time granted to offseason acquisitions Michael Davis and Noah Igbinoghene, and St-Juste's time looks all but up. He's not the only member of the defense who should expect more time on the bench.