3 Commanders holdovers who could play a significant role in 2024

Darrick Forrest - Commanders S

Taken in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Darrick Forrest was somewhat of an unknown name. Not only to Washington Commanders fans but to most of the league.

The Cincinnati fans who saw him star in college somewhat expected Forrest to come in and show the same urgency and downhill style he showcased throughout his collegiate career.

Though he has shown some great flashes throughout his career with the Washington Commanders so far, he also has remained somewhat exploitable in man coverage. Unafraid to play down near the box and get physical, the next step in his game should come this year under the tutelage of his new defensive-minded coaches. Forrest will likely be expected to show some new things to take his game to new heights.

Being looked at to start next to newcomer Jeremy Chinn, the two safeties will carry with them an aggressive demeanor into the Commanders' new-look secondary. With that comes some skepticism about coverage capabilities. It is no secret that this was a huge disappointment for Washington last season.

The great thing is that both safeties are still young. Both Chinn and Forrest should now be able to grow and thrive alongside one another for the foreseeable future.

With more cornerbacks having been brought in to shore up other aspects of the secondary like second-round pick Mike Sainristil, it should unlock the strengths of Forrest. The blossoming veteran should be able to do what he does best and unleash his vicious tackling while also producing more efficiency in the passing game. This is something he did quite brilliantly back in 2022 before last year's injury complications.

Forrest has a whole lot of upside. He still goes under the radar. But he should be set up to make a name for himself league-wide under the expert guidance of Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.

He's a pick for to become Washington's biggest surprise next season if everything clicks.