3 Commanders players who can reinvent themselves under Dan Quinn in 2024

Benjamin St-Juste - Commanders CB

Here’s a statistic you won’t see often. In 2023, Benjamin St-Juste was No. 4 in the entire NFL in pass breakups.

There may be reasons for this that have nothing to do with St-Juste's skill. Players who get thrown on a lot have more chances to break up passes. But most of the defensive backs who rank high on that particular list are among the league's best cornerbacks.

For context, four of the top 10 were in the Pro Bowl. Two others finished in Pro Football Focus' top-15 rankings for corners last season. Of course, St-Juste was not one of them.

The former third-round selection finished much farther down the PFF list because he gave up too many big plays and committed too many bad penalties. But the pass-break-up numbers suggest that this is a player with genuine talent.

At least some of the penalties can be addressed through technique work. Some of the big plays can be fixed through a general upgrade in positional coaching and scheme. The Washington Commanders' cornerback play was so bad last season that position coach Brent Vieselmeyer was fired during the campaign along with defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.

Tommy Donatell is now on staff to coach defensive backs, while Jason Simmons will be coordinating overall coverage schemes. And don’t forget new defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. has worked magic with tall, rangy cornerbacks like St-Juste throughout his career as a position coach.

This is the perfect environment in which to thrive. There's also the small matter of this being a contract year for St-Juste.

I have no idea whether Jamin Davis, Chris Paul, or St-Juste will take big steps forward this year, or simply continue the pattern of mediocrity that has plagued so many young Commanders draft picks over the last four seasons. But there is reason for hope with Dan Quinn leading the charge.

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