The Washington Commanders were dreadful on defense in 2023. It was a surprise, as many believed Washington’s defense was a team strength after coming off a consensus top-10 finish in 2022.
While the defense had problems throughout, Washington’s biggest problem was its inability to stop the big play. There were breakdowns in coverage and younger players regressed after secondary coach Chris Harris departed.
Part of the issue was coaching. The Commanders used the buddy system to replace Harris, promoting Brent Vieselmeyer to secondary coach. To say that didn’t work would be an understatement.
The two best players in Washington’s secondary last year were Kendall Fuller and Kam Curl. The Commanders let them both walk. Among the newcomers in Washington’s secondary are safety Jeremy Chinn, cornerback Michael Davis and rookie corner Mike Sainristil.
Washington’s most significant addition to the defense this offseason was the coaching staff. Head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. have a history of getting the most out of defensive backs. Check out their history with the Dallas secondary over the past three seasons.
Regardless, Pro Football Focus isn’t too impressed with the Commanders secondary ahead of the 2024 season, ranking them 30th in the latest positional rankings.
The Commanders’ highest-graded returning coverage player from 2023 is cornerback Jartavius Martin, who produced a 58.8 grade. The team lost safety Kamren Curl and cornerback Kendall Fuller and hopes that new head coach Dan Quinn can coach up a secondary that does not look great on paper. They selected cornerback Mike Sainristil out of Michigan, and Michael Davis arrives from Los Angeles, but it’ll take great coaching to elevate this group.
It’s easy to understand the pessimism surrounding this group. There is some talent, though. Emmanuel Forbes and Benjamin St-Juste each had their struggles last season, but this staff believes new voices could be exactly what they need. If you looked at how multiple Dallas defensive backs progressed in recent seasons, you can almost guarantee that the Commanders will be a much better secondary in 2024.