Big Marshon Lattimore injury update is timely boost for struggling Commanders

The Washington Commanders are still waiting for the debut of Marshon Lattimore. Even seeing him practice would be a bonus at this juncture.

Lattimore's been missing for the last three games since his trade from the New Orleans Saints. He's working his way back gradually from a hamstring injury. The Commanders are taking every possible precaution to ensure the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback is ready to hit the ground running when medically cleared.

Dan Quinn offered a promising update regarding Lattimore last week. The head coach didn't think it would be too much longer before he'd be involved. He worked separately from his teammates on the side field last week, which left him unavailable for Washington's disastrous home loss to the Dallas Cowboys at Northwest Stadium.

With the Commanders' promising start to the campaign fading quickly on the back of three straight losses, the urgency to get back on track versus the Tennessee Titans before their bye cannot be overstated. This also raises the anticipation regarding Lattimore's potential involvement in assisting a cornerback room through immense complications.

Benjamin St-Juste is regressing. Noah Igbinoghene and Michael Davis are inconsistent. Former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is out of favor. Rookie second-rounder Mike Sainristil cannot do it alone despite showing promise in recent weeks. Getting Lattimore into the mix will provide this unit with a huge boost.

All eyes were on Washington's practice field on Wednesday as preparations for Week 13 began. In particular, whether Lattimore would be doing anything more strenuous than working with the team's strength coaches.

Marshon Lattimore's practice return is significant boost for Commanders

As it turned out, Quinn's latest update on Lattimore's status was a timely boost. He confirmed that the Ohio State product would practice for the first time with his new teammates on Wednesday. This could eventually lead to participation in some capacity this weekend if he comes through the next few days unscathed.

Not many teams have the luxury of introducing a player of this caliber so late in the season. General manager Adam Peters struck to acquire someone he felt could provide accomplished production immediately. Taking part in practice is the biggest hurdle yet towards returning to a competitive setting.

This is a gradual process. Fans are becoming increasingly frustrated - especially with the team going through their first prolonged slump under Quinn. The Commanders acquired Lattimore for the long-term as well as helping right away. Throwing him out there before he's ready is only going to cause unnecessary issues.

Lattimore is highly competitive. He's probably more frustrated than anyone about not being healthy enough to feature as yet. Trusting the process and taking things step by step remains the correct course of action, no matter how long it takes.

Keeping track of developments in the coming days will provide a broader indication of Lattimore's status. Everything else is a guessing game.

More Commanders news and analysis