The Washington Commanders have reportedly signed cornerback Rasul Douglas to a one-year deal worth up to $3.8 million. This is a big boost to the depth options available, and he's got the credentials to force his way onto the rotation with a strong training camp this summer.
Unfortunately, that pushes others down the pecking order a little further. Specifically, one veteran struggled to make the desired impression over Washington's offseason program.
Ahkello Witherspoon joined the Commanders on a one-year deal in free agency. Like Douglas, he's got some encouraging production at previous stops to call upon, but staying healthy has been a massive problem for the player in recent years. Even so, general manager Adam Peters wanted to see if his luck could change in a different environment.
Commanders signing Rasul Douglas could spell bad news for Ahkello Witherspoon
The initial signs were not especially encouraging.
Witherspoon had an up-and-down mandatory minicamp, which is concerning given he was going up against second- and third-string players, many of whom won't be on the team by the time Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles rolls around. There is still training camp and the preseason to tip the scales in his favor, but Peters was not going to leave anything to chance.
He decided more was required, and Douglas was their guy.
The former West Virginia standout had a solid campaign with the Miami Dolphins last season. Douglas has been a top-level performer for the Eagles, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, and Green Bay Packers over the years. While this may be nothing more than a short-term solution, it gives the Commanders some much-needed breathing space on the cornerback depth chart.
What that means for Witherspoon's place on the roster remains to be seen.
Before Douglas' arrival, one could have tentatively put Witherspoon as the CB4 behind Mike Sainristil, Trey Amos, and free-agent signing Amik Robertson. Now, he's probably fifth, and if the Commanders are intent on having the likes of Quan Martin and Tyler Owens spend more time in the nickel, the 2017 third-round pick out of Colorado is firmly on the fringes.
Peters wanted to raise competition across the board this offseason. He decided that a small shake-up in the cornerback room could make a big difference, and the onus is now on Witherspoon to stay part of the squad when the real action arrives. The stakes are high, and the margin for any more underperformance has gone.
Douglas' arrival so late in the process confirms it.
It's a cold business. But if Peters had any doubts whatsoever about the capabilities of Witherspoon or others on the cornerback unit, he made the right call.
Now, it's time to see what Witherspoon is really made of.
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