The Washington Commanders enter Week 3 with a bit of a defensive reshuffle.
Defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. is gone for the year, and veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones will remain on the shelf for at least a month. Still, the absence of others also creates a timely opportunity for another defensive back to step into the spotlight.
Enter Quan Martin — a versatile perimeter stalwart whose skill set and adaptability could prove pivotal against the new-look Las Vegas Raiders under head coach Pete Carroll.
The 2023 second-round pick from the Ron Rivera era is a player Washington has steadily groomed for a larger role as the years have progressed. While his rookie campaign was about situational snaps and learning NFL speed, fast forward two seasons, and he remains one of football's better young safeties who continues to fly under the radar.
His combination of instincts, alignment flexibility, and a growing grasp of defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.’s scheme makes him the one Commanders defender who could flip the ballgame on its head.
Why Quan Martin fits so well into this week's Commanders strategy
With Jones sidelined, Washington’s cornerback starting trio is expected to continue to feature Marshon Lattimore, rookie Trey Amos, and second-year nickel Mike Sainristil. It’s a talented but relatively inexperienced unit outside of the four-time Pro Bowler, which places even more importance on Martin’s role as a hybrid safety.
And considering the lack of, well, anything from Lattimore in D.C. thus far, Martin's role becomes all the more critical — specifically, his ability to cover from number to number.
On the backend, Martin isn’t locked into a single assignment. He can line up as a deep safety, rotate into the slot, or even step into the box to provide run support.
That versatility not only makes him unpredictable for opposing quarterbacks but also gives Whitt the freedom to disguise coverages and adjust on the fly. Against Las Vegas, that adaptability will be critical.
The Raiders have a potent one-two punch present in the passing game with Jakobi Meyers on the outside and tight end Brock Bowers up the seam as an elite weapon at the position.
Martin’s ability to shift between responsibilities — one snap covering ground over the top, the subsequent pressing in the slot, and the following reading play action after a few consecutive gives to running back Ashton Jeanty — could give Washington the extra edge it needs to make quarterback Geno Smith uncomfortable.
The former Illinois prospect is also benefiting from the continuity of Whitt's defense. Now in his second year in the system, he’s no longer thinking through assignments; he’s reacting and playing with his hair on fire.
Martin earned his reputation as a ballhawk and alignment-versatile presence due to his ability to read quarterbacks, diagnose route combinations, and anticipate throws in college. Those traits often take time to translate at the NFL level, but Whitt has praised his growth on multiple occasions over the last few campaigns.
With Jones out, Martin could and should be asked to do more with less depth available.
One of the Commanders’ most significant needs heading into 2025 was generating a higher rate of game-changing type plays on defense. Last season, Washington ranked 21st in forced turnovers, and the front office has been clear that the unit has to be more opportunistic in getting the ball back to Jayden Daniels and the offense.
For Martin, it's precisely where he can change a game.
He doesn’t just tackle — he hunts the football. Whether it’s undercutting an in-breaking route or punching the ball loose in traffic, Martin has the mentality and tools to create the kind of swing plays that can completely alter momentum. Against a Raiders team that thrives on sustained drives via the force of Jeanty in the ground game and Bowers on high leverage downs, one or two timely takeaways could see Washington gain control quickly.
The Commanders don’t need Martin to be perfect — they need him to be disruptive. His snaps will always be there, and his presence gives Whitt flexibility to experiment with looks that disguise where the pressure and coverage are coming from.
That ability, in today's NFL, is priceless.