Hogs Haven
The strength of the secondary for the Washington Commanders has been under discussion all offseason, with some expecting the team to stand pat at the position, while others have been calling for reinforcements since before free agency. The signings of Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon helped backfill the secondary following the departure of cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore, Noah Igbinoghene, and Jonathan Jones, but many also expected Adam Peters to add additional help in the draft. The Commanders GM stuck with his best player available strategy, and much like the edge position last offseason, the 2026 NFL draft ended without a player drafted at the position of need.
Still a free agent, Rasul Douglas was often linked to the Commanders following the draft and into the start of organized team activities. Adam Peters finally worked out a deal to bring Douglas into the fold this week. The majority of fans were happy to bring added talent to a secondary that ranked 28th in pass defense last season. The big question remaining is what role will Rasul play in Daronte Jones’ secondary this season? In order to answer, we need to know more about how Douglas fits within the Commanders proposed scheme.
A third-round selection of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017 NFL draft, Douglas has plus size at 6’2”, 209 pounds, and good athleticism with a 6.94 RAS. His lack of speed and stiffness in his lower body prevents him from being a true cover corner. Douglas struggled to find a starting role in Philadelphia, and the team eventually released him at final roster cuts in 2020, which would start a carousel of appearances on NFL rosters. He was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Panthers and then spent time with the Raiders, Texans, and Arizona Cardinals between 2019 and 2021. He would eventually be signed off the Cardinals practice squad by the Green Bay Packers, where he would find a starting role. Green Bay ultimately traded him to Buffalo, where he was once again named a starter. Douglas played through multiple injuries in 2023-2024 before being allowed to leave in free agency. Rasul would wait for the right opportunity, ultimately signing with the Miami Dolphins in the aftermath of injuries to Artie Burns and Kader Kohou. It proved to be a wise decision for the career journeyman.
Per Sharp Football Analysis, Miami relied heavily on zone coverage in 2025, utilizing it on 71.7% of the team’s total defensive snaps. In a zone scheme, Douglas shows good route awareness, with the ability to close quickly when he is allowed to play with his eyes on the quarterback. The Dolphins defensive coordinator last season was Anthony Weaver, who, like Daronte Jones, loves to play zone, disguise coverages, and utilize versatile defensive fronts. In this All-22 film breakdown from Ryan McConville, you can see just exactly how Rasul Douglas fits within the Dolphins scheme, and by extension, the one expected to be utilized by Daronte Jones.
Douglas excels in Cover 2, Quarters, and Palms...
