The Washington Commanders have some questions to answer at the cornerback position this offseason. General manager Adam Peters moved swiftly when the legal tampering window opened, agreeing to terms with Amik Robertson. He's versatile and dependable, but he's not an elite-level difference-maker by any stretch of the imagination.
More moves are coming. But for one previous flop who departed the franchise last summer, he's been given a surprising payday when most thought an uncertain future awaited.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Green Bay Packers have reached an agreement with Benjamin St-Juste. It's a two-year, $10 million deal that could reach $10.5 million with incentives, which is a pretty big commitment for someone who's never quite met expectations.
Benjamin St-Juste is looking to put his Commanders' ghosts to rest for good
St-Juste's career in Washington fizzled out quickly. He's got the size and length to be impactful, but lapses in concentration were an ongoing frustration, and it was no surprise to see Washington gradually send him to the fringes before letting him walk in 2024 free agency.
The former Minnesota standout found work quickly, signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. St-Juste demonstrated improvement last season, aside from some customary mistakes. However, some analysts thought this may have had more to do with the scheme Jesse Minter installed than anything else.
The Packers are paying to find out for sure. This represents an outstanding opportunity for St-Juste on an impressive defense. With the likes of Micah Parsons generating pressure on the front, that should make things easier from a coverage standpoint. But with some formidable wide receivers in the NFC North to counteract, he cannot put a foot wrong.
As Commanders fans are painfully aware, St-Juste is not always capable of achieving this feat. And in a division where even the slightest mistake can be heavily punished, that's a problem.
Considering the money, Green Bay is probably expecting St-Juste to become a core part of their cornerback rotation, at the very least. It's a shift in defensive philosophy following Jeff Hafley's departure from the Packers to become the Miami Dolphins' head coach. Jonathan Gannon obviously sees him as a good fit for what he has planned, and he knows the corner well from their time going up against each other in the NFC East.
It'll be interesting to see if St-Juste can maximize this exceptional opportunity. With a bigger paycheck comes raised expectations, and a massive effort will be needed to repay this faith.
Whether he's capable or not is another matter.