3 post-draft moves Commanders GM Adam Peters must make in 2024
By Dean Jones
Commanders must acquire another CB
Adam Peters needed to find cornerback help relatively early in the 2024 NFL Draft. Thankfully, this is something that didn't go unnoticed by the general manager as part of his grand plans to get the Washington Commanders out of the wilderness and back among the contenders.
The Commanders used the No. 50 overall selection on Mike Sainristil, who former Alabama head coach Nick Saban claimed was the best pound-for-pound prospect in this entire class. While his skill set represents an immediate upgrade, this will be from the slot as the STAR cornerback option according to Peters.
This leaves the Commanders with Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes as their outside coverage tandem. Michael Davis was signed in free agency for situational purposes, but how much of an impact he can make is another matter.
Forbes and St-Juste both struggled last season. They were alone in that regard as Washington's defense failed to meet some lofty expectations, but giving them another shot to prove themselves represents a gamble if the same complications emerge.
Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. are accomplished developers of defensive backs. This means there will be no excuses for Forbes and St-Juste this time around. But make no mistake, the Commanders cannot sit around in the hope this duo takes a significant leap forward.
The money is there to find another dependable veteran corner capable of manning the outside effectively. Davis might be a solid rotational piece, but it's not enough in the pass-happy world the NFL has become.
Someone like Stephon Gilmore would be ideal. He's still performing at a high level despite his advancing years and worked with Quinn closely on the Dallas Cowboys in 2023. However, the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year might have his heart set on returning home to the Carolina Panthers based on reports.
Sainristil is a sensational addition, there's no getting away from that. But it doesn't detract from the need to acquire another outside cornerback in the event Forbes or St-Juste fluff their lines.