It came as no surprise to see the Washington Commanders rule out Marshon Lattimore in Week 18 at the Dallas Cowboys. However, all signs point to the stud cornerback being available for their upcoming wildcard game in the postseason.
Lattimore's time with the Commanders has been littered with frustrations. Big things were expected after his bombshell move via trade from the New Orleans Saints before the deadline. It's been a fleeting contribution so far thanks to a hamstring injury, featuring just twice.
After taking time to recover from the ailment, Lattimore returned to face his former team and thrived at the Saints, locking down one side of the field and not having a target thrown in his direction. His heavyweight clash versus Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown was a mouth-watering one. Unfortunately for the player, he reaggravated the hamstring problem and didn't feature last time out against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Commanders bought some additional time with Lattimore after securing their postseason berth with a dramatic overtime success. They are still striving to lock up the sixth seed, but risking the former first-round pick out of Ohio State wouldn't be smart.
Commanders should have Marshon Lattimore back for the postseason
Lattimore didn't practice much throughout the week. He worked on the side field with various conditioning drills to improve the strength of his hamstring. Although he won't participate at the Cowboys, head coach Dan Quinn provided a promising outlook for the knockout rounds.
Quinn revealed that Lattimore is making good progress and is close. If the Commanders want to make noise in the postseason, they'll need the four-time Pro Bowler on the field and ready to showcase his exceptional credentials.
Quinn on Lattimore: "I love the speed he's working with and he's certainly very close."
— John Keim (@john_keim) January 3, 2025
This latest update is a promising one. The Commanders are a different defense when he's on the field. Quinn's revelations hinted that Lattimore will contribute. How much he can withstand and against what opposition are the biggest unknowns.
Looking at Washington's potential playoff opposition only raises the urgency around Lattimore. The Commanders could up facing the likes of Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Brown, and DeVonta Smith. Lattimore could also renew his bitter rivalry with Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans in a high-stakes environment depending on how things play out.
These are challenges Lattimore lives for. He wants to test himself against the league's best and often excels in the face of elite-level competition. This is exactly why general manager Adam Peters made his boldest move yet to secure his services.
Watching Lattimore's progress throughout next week will provide a better indication of his status. The Commanders have a process in place and the cornerback needs to hit specific targets before confidence increases. If everything checks out, he'll be thrown into the playoff fire.
The Commanders secured playoff football without Lattimore. But if they want to go a little further, his presence on the field is paramount.