The Washington Commanders have added a free agent to a key position of need, but it's not the one many anticipated.
However, the addition of cornerback Rasul Douglas brings much more than just on-field benefits.
While wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is busy burning every bridge, the Commanders addressed their glaring lack of cornerback depth. They are set to roll out Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos as full-time starters with Amik Robertson in the slot, but aside from them, oft-injured Ahkello Witherspoon was the only other NFL-caliber corner on the roster.
Now, Washington has added Douglas to the mix. And this could help Daronte Jones' defense in more ways than one.
Rasul Douglas can use his own experience to help Commanders' young cornerbacks thrive
Douglas is an NFL journeyman who has endured a fascinating career. The West Virginia product struggled to find a consistent role with the Philadelphia Eagles as a third-round pick in 2017 and was released after his third season. He then spent a year with the Carolina Panthers but wasn't retained there either, and was chewed up and spit out by three different teams the ensuing summer.
His time in the league appeared to be all but over when the Green Bay Packers threw him a lifeline in 2021 after injuries decimated their defensive backfield. Douglas then experienced an improbable resurgence, recording 10 interceptions over the ensuing three seasons and four more upon being traded to the Buffalo Bills in 2023.
Douglas' best days appear to be behind him now at 30, but he was still an adequate starter with the Miami Dolphins a season ago. He'll likely be a backup in Washington, with a chance to provide quality depth and situational production with his ball-hawking skills.
More importantly, Douglas can serve as a mentor to Sainristil and Amos as they enter the primes of their careers.
He was once in their position as a Day 2 draft pick, with his team relying on him as a core piece of its future. It never went quite as planned, but despite all of his twists and turns, Douglas has made it to Year 10 in the NFL.
For a cornerback, that's no small feat.
The Commanders' young duo has taken its lumps thus far, in Amos' case due to injury, while Sainristil's struggle has been on-field inconsistency. They'll need somebody with experience in their shoes to learn from, and Douglas provides exactly what the doctor ordered.
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