It's not hard to see why there are concerns around the Washington Commanders' cornerback room. The options all have questions to answer, and 2025 second-round pick Trey Amos will start the season on injured reserve.
Not exactly inspiring, but there are no real concerns in the building.
That might have something to do with Daronte Jones' defensive scheme perhaps not needing an elite-level cornerback to make improvements.
Daronte Jones' aggressive Commanders scheme may not need an elite cornerback
Shutdown corners are hard to find. There are very few around the league capable of locking up one side of the field or following the opposing offense's best pass-catching threat consistently. The Commanders don't have anything close to that, but the success of Jones' system will be predicated on pressure.
And lots of it.
If Jones plans to deploy a system similar to the one Brian Flores runs in Minnesota, the Commanders will bring the heat from every angle. Exotic blitz packages, disguised coverages, and three big bodies on the defensive trenches capable of clogging up space for others to do damage.
That is the formula. Flores has had significant success with it in Minnesota, and he doesn't have a Pro Bowl-level cornerback to depend upon.
Causing havoc in the backfield is much more important.
If a quarterback has no time in the pocket or is frequently forced off-structure, bad decisions and mistakes follow. This also makes things easier for the entire secondary, which is something Jones is looking to accomplish after getting a well-deserved promotion this offseason.
The Commanders also have the personnel in place to make this work.
Commanders' improved defensive personnel can bring Daronte Jones' system to life
Up front, there is Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, and free-agent signing Tim Settle Jr.; three experienced performers who know their roles. And if they manage to stay healthy, they will be the anchor to potentially propel Washington's defense to greater heights.
On the edge, there are Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Dorance Armstrong Jr. as the top dogs. They have the size, length, and speed to put up good numbers. If fifth-round rookie Joshua Josephs and Javontae Jean-Baptiste can also impact the rotation, that's only going to help.
The linebackers have aggression, explosiveness, and dynamism. Frankie Luvu, Leo Chenal, and No. 7 pick Sonny Styles also have versatility, which Jones will no doubt exploit to maximize their influence.
Players like Nick Cross, Tyler Owens, and maybe even Mike Sainristil can be used in blitz packages to keep protections off balance. Creativity is key, and if Flores' formidable Vikings defense is any indication, there will be innovation where once there was nothing but predictability.
Having Amos will help once he gets back into the lineup, obviously. And you still need good cornerbacks to make any defense successful.
But it is not the key cog that will make Jones' defense tick.
Pressure from the defensive front seven is.
There is cautious optimism around Washington's defense this season. Fans can get carried away at this time of year, but the Commanders haven't shown much schematically in the preseason.
They won't give away useful tape to other teams before it's necessary. But make no mistake; we'll learn much more about what this group is capable of when they begin the campaign with road games against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys.
And if Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott think they'll be in for an easy ride, they could be mistaken.
After all, pressure breaks pipes.
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