The Washington Commanders signed Rasul Douglas relatively late in the summer. He got almost a full training camp to adjust, but there were concerns about how much he could contribute.
It's still early days, but Douglas has eased those doubts and more.
The Commanders needed more from Douglas than they originally anticipated. Trey Amos spent the first four games on injured reserve and missed five contests before returning on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. Mike Sainristil's freefall has seen him become an afterthought, which was the only sensible call left.
Rasul Douglas has been a significant addition to the Commanders this season
That meant Douglas had to step up.
And he's coped with the challenge superbly.
Douglas has been a tremendous addition. His coverage is an outstanding feature of his production, giving Washington the assurance it desperately needed.
The 2017 third-round pick out of West Virginia is giving up just 54.5 percent of targets thrown in his direction. Douglas has five pass breakups and one interception. He is also allowing a measly 63.8 passer rating when targeted, which fairly reflects his outstanding consistency.
That's not all. Douglas is also making a considerable impression against the run.
His physicality closer to the line of scrimmage goes overlooked, but it's nonetheless impressive. Douglas has been credited with eight run stops through six games. And even with the Commanders' defense struggling to maintain high performance for four quarters, almost nobody is gaining big yards on the ground.
Other factors are in play. However, Douglas is one reason for this turnaround.
Rasul Douglas has earned the right for a strong role after Commanders' bye week
Amos is now back, but it'll take time to truly get into his groove after a year out. Amik Robertson has been exceptional to begin the season, quickly emerging as the team's No. 1 option. That won't be enough, so Douglas will remain an important piece of the defensive puzzle for the rest of 2026.
What comes after that is less clear.
Douglas only signed a one-year deal. He's still performing at a high level, but he also recently turned 31. That's not ancient, but it is the stage where corners tend to regress.
General manager Adam Peters will take this into account. Still, if he's basing new deals on rewarding strong on-field effort, Douglas is doing more than enough for an extended stay.
That won't be Douglas' concern. He's focused on the now, which involves helping the Commanders get out of their slump. The corner might be the third option behind Robertson and Aamos, but he should still get plenty of reps to keep his positive momentum going.
Just why Douglas spent so long on the proverbial free-agent scrap heap is anyone's guess. Being on the Miami Dolphins last season didn't help, though he was a real shining light for them amid the chaos. Some experts wanted him to be re-signed, but the AFC East club opted for a youth movement instead.
Douglas eventually found a home in Washington. And considering he joined on a one-year, $1.8 million deal with a $250,000 signing bonus and $580,000 guaranteed, this already looks like a steal of epic proportions.
The Commanders have a lot of problems. But in Douglas, they struck gold at the perfect time.
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