7 Commanders players on the hot seat entering Week 4 at the Cardinals

Bobby Wagner - Commanders LB

Bobby Wagner's position isn't in jeopardy by any stretch. Being on the hot seat can be for differing reasons. In the perennial All-Pro linebacker's case, it's because the Washington Commanders need a phenomenal performance in Week 4 at the Arizona Cardinals.

Wagner and Frankie Luvu will have an integral role to play. They need to make sure their run fits are on point versus a powerful backfield presence like James Conner. The former second-round pick will also act as the quarterback spy in pursuit of keeping star signal-caller Kyler Murray contained and wrap him up immediately when he attempts to gain yards scrambling out of the pocket.

For all Wagner's diminishing qualities in coverage, he still thrives in these areas. The Commanders will be counting on the veteran heavily to lead by example, get everyone in the correct positions pre-snap, and make his tackles count. This will go a long way to enhancing defensive consistency and frustrating the Cardinals for good measure.

This is a different challenge entirely from the threat posed by Joe Burrow in Week 3. Washington can relax safe in the knowledge Wagner has plenty of experience going up against an elusive customer such as Murray during his time in the NFC West with the Seattle Seahawks.

Quan Martin - Commanders S

The Commanders need more from their dynamic safety tandem. Jeremy Chinn took a big step forward in the second half of their Week 3 triumph at the Cincinnati Bengals. Quan Martin also showed signs of life, but one could forgive the coaching staff for demanding increased efforts from the promising duo.

Martin is physically imposing and explosive in equal measure. He's taking time to adjust after switching back to the safety position under the new regime. He spent much of his rookie campaign as a slot cornerback and performed well when called upon. He'll need a big effort this weekend versus the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals can put up points in a hurry once early momentum is generated. Martin needs to be on high alert to prevent running back James Conner from gaining yards on the ground. He also needs to provide Washington's indifferent cornerbacks versus the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr. and the underrated Greg Dortch. There's also the small matter of identifying when Kyler Murray is going to take off and react accordingly.

That's a lot to ask, but it's exactly why the Commanders ignored other critical needs to take him at No. 47 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Martin is due for a big performance. If it arrives in Week 4, the Commanders' defense is going to benefit enormously.