Hogs Haven
A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders
It’s another indication of how impossibly different things are with this franchise now. This wasn’t Dan Snyder gassing up his private jet and pulling out his checkbook to buy the prettiest, shiniest ornament, no matter whether it made sense on his tree. (Albert Haynesworth, with Mike Shanahan? What could go wrong?) This was a calculated risk — and there is a risk — with Washington sending three picks to New Orleans for the 28-year-old Lattimore, who’s battled injuries, mostly hamstrings, the last few years. But Lattimore was the best corner available by far, for a team desperate for improvement from its secondary.
Bringing in someone of Lattimore’s caliber also signals to the locker room that their work surrounding Daniels and helping him lift the franchise has been noticed. In year one, the front office is willing to mortgage some of the future to further bolster the present.
Lattimore did not practice Wednesday because of a hamstring injury that sidelined him for New Orleans’ loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. It’s uncertain when he’ll practice, let alone whether he’ll play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2).
But the Commanders will be cautious with Lattimore, wanting him to be healthy for the remainder of the season.
Lattimore provides Washington with a true No. 1 corner, something it has lacked for years. The organization’s last Pro Bowl corner was DeAngelo Hall in 2010. Its last corner with multiple Pro Bowl appearances was Champ Bailey from 2000 to 2003.
Washington can now mix and match its other corners. The Commanders have Benjamin St-Juste, who adds length at 6-foot-3; Mike Sainristil, drafted as a slot corner but moved outside out of necessity; and Noah Igbinoghene.
“He fits into any defense,” Peters said. “So, whatever we’re playing — zone or man — he’s going to be able to do all that. He’s a really, really smart player. He is a really instinctive player. He’s physical, and those are things we’re looking for.”
When the Commanders’ circumstances changed, Adam Peters met the moment and made his roster better.
Rebuilds from 4-13 organizational disasters to 7-2 starts that feel transformative don’t happen in the NFL, particularly with all the necessary adjustments that come with regime change and roster overhaul.
They are ahead of schedule because of Peters, whose next lousy move as a first-time GM will be his first. That’s not just seen through the prism of selecting Jayden Daniels and declaring a generations-old quarterback problem solved. That’s looking at the entirety of the situation, addressing weaknesses honestly and shrewdly, and being unafraid...
