The Washington Commanders' defense has quietly improved in recent weeks, allowing no more than 23 points in any of its last four games. At the heart of it all has been a player who looks like one of general manager Adam Peters' sneakiest free-agent signings.
Safety Nick Cross hails from Bowie, Maryland, and he played for the Maryland Terrapins in college. Now with his hometown club, he's making an impact that's hard to deny.
Cross hasn't filled up the stat sheet for the Commanders, but he's getting the job done. And against the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football, he did a little bit of everything.
Nick Cross is Commanders' X-Factor for Daronte Jones' blitz-heavy defense
The tone-setting presence isn't just excelling in pass coverage. He's also bringing pressure on the blitz, which has been critical to the way new coordinator Daronte Jones runs his unit.
Jones turned Cross loose on eight blitzes against the Giants, generating five pressures. He leads all NFL defensive backs with 11 pressures from 23 blitzes, according to Next Gen Stats.
Cross had one major blunder against the Giants, in which he let up on a blitz and gave quarterback J.J. McCarthy extra time to find tight end Isaiah Likely for what became a 66-yard catch-and-run touchdown. But other than that, he was rock solid.
The versatility of the former Indianapolis Colt has made him a valuable puzzle piece in Jones' system. And he's emerging as the answer the Commanders desperately needed at the safety position.
Nick Cross has been the antidote to the Commanders' long-time safety struggle
It's been a number of years since the Commanders had quality production at safety. Last year was especially rough, with the much-publicized struggles of Quan Martin and Jeremy Reaves playing a role beyond his normal special teams niche.
Many fans wanted that situation resolved by drafting a potential perennial All-Pro in Caleb Downs. But while the rookie has had impressive flashes with the Dallas Cowboys, Cross is proving that he's what the Commanders needed for the here and now.
Cross is an experienced player who has proven to be the perfect fit in the new scheme. After missing three games early on in the season, his presence has been felt, and the entire unit's improvement has been apparent since his return.
The 2022 third-round pick brings no shortage of different skills to the Commanders that make everyone around him better. And Jones knows exactly how to use him all over the field.
After the disaster that was last year's group, the Commanders either signed or drafted no fewer than five new players to start on defense.
So far, Cross is proving to be one of the best of the bunch.
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