5 early salary-cap cuts the Commanders could target in 2024

Commanders could sign Darious Williams

Like Kevin Byard, Darious Williams is 31 years old and would not be counted on as any kind of long-term fix. But if the Washington Commanders lose cornerback Kendall Fuller to free agency, he could be a very good short-term remedy.

Even with Fuller, the Commanders need a major upgrade in cornerback play. The hope is that Joe Whitt Jr., Jason Simmons, and Tommy Donatell can get more out of recent high-value draft picks Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes than the previous coaching staff was able to achieve. But they could all benefit from a veteran presence.

Despite being somewhat undersized at 5-foot-9 and 187 pounds, Williams worked his way up with the Los Angeles Rams to become a valuable member of the secondary. He parlayed that into a nice contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Williams played very well for the Jaguars last season. He was credited with 19 pass breakups and four interceptions, both of which would have led the Commanders in 2023. Like Byard, he could be an immediate plug-and-play defensive back who can play in a variety of roles and schemes.

The veteran defensive back has been linked to the cornerback-hungry Detroit Lions in some recent media reports. As of now, he remains available. If Fuller departs, Williams could be an ideal bridge to the next crop of young secondary players the Commanders will be looking to develop.