The Washington Commanders acquired cornerback Marshon Lattimore via trade in the middle of the 2024 season. Adam Peters sent three draft picks to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for the veteran cornerback. He spent most of the season battling a hamstring injury, appearing in just two games for the Commanders. He is the projected starting cornerback alongside Mike Sainristil, and Pro Football Focus says he is the Commanders’ X-factor in 2025.
X-factor for 2025: CB Marshon Lattimore
The Commanders acquired Lattimore before last season’s trade deadline to improve a mightily struggling cornerback unit. Unfortunately, he battled a hamstring injury down the stretch and played in only the team’s final five games, including the postseason. A return to health and a full season of production closer to his career averages would vastly improve a cornerback unit that ranked dead last in PFF coverage grade last season.
The former Defensive Rookie of the Year had his best season in 2021, when he recorded 68 tackles, three interceptions, and 19 passes defensed. Since then, he hasn’t completed a full season due to various injuries.
The Commanders haven’t gotten to see much of what he will do for them, but if Lattimore can stay healthy in 2025, he definitely has the ability to be an x-factor that no one sees coming. However, out of the last 68 games (four seasons) he could have played in, Lattimore missed 42 of them. And as he’s getting older, he’s more likely to keep getting injured.
Still, again, if he can stay healthy, Lattimore is one of the top cornerbacks in the league. We haven’t heard his name much because he’s been off the field, but he will certainly do his best to remind us why he’s a four-time Pro Bowler.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Who is the Commanders’ X-Factor for the 2025 season?
