4 Commanders on the hot seat entering Week 8 vs. Eagles

Benjamin St-Juste - Commanders CB

There was so much hope for the Washington Commanders cornerback unit entering the season. The prospect of some reaching new levels and the introduction of first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes meant expectations were high, but it's been subpar at best aside from Kendall Fuller remaining ultra-consistent while all around him crumbles.

The latest to come in for severe criticism is Benjamin St-Juste. His performance was nothing short of woeful at the New York Giants, getting burned for big gains by Jalin Hyatt and looking like he had no answer for the explosive rookie whenever they were lined up against each other.

St-Juste is giving up 61.0 percent of his targets through seven games. But his 73.5 passer rating allowed isn't awful and means this might be more of a blip rather than anything to greatly concern despite clear regression over the last three contests.

The former third-round selection out of Minnesota was looking to become a genuine shutdown option on the outside in 2023. While the jury is still out on that front, getting the better of A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith versus the Philadelphia Eagles would go a long way toward alleviating concerns this weekend.

Easier said than done, obviously. Brown is on an unbelievable run of form right now and Smith is another big-time problem if afforded enough space, leaving St-Juste and the Commanders with their work cut out versus an exceptional passing attack.