It's been a long time coming, but Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore could finally make his debut this weekend against the New Orleans Saints.
Lattimore was acquired in a bombshell trade from the Saints before the deadline. He was dealing with a hamstring injury and the Commanders have taken every possible precaution during his rehabilitation. However, all signs point to the four-time Pro Bowler playing a part versus the team that deemed him expendable a few short weeks ago.
Much will depend on how Lattimore comes through this week. He's not played a competitive down since Week 8 and has yet to participate fully in practice since joining the Commanders. Even if the former first-round pick does get the green light, he might not be ready for a full workload just yet.
Dan Quinn provided the most bullish update so far on Lattimore's status. The head coach revealed that he passed every test and hit every marker before the bye week. The Commanders will ramp things up in the coming days, but the signs are extremely positive.
"Hitting all the markers as we’re moving along. He was able to participate in the work that we did today. And as we’re getting into practice, we’re looking forward to getting him regular work with the practice, with the guys and then we’ll take that all the way through the week. But we were very encouraged about all the work that he and the medical team have put in. So, we’ve put him through a lot of tests, all the strength, all the speed to go. And so, he’s hit all the markers up until now. And so, that process that we have is a strict one for that reason, to keep the players safe and healthy. And so, he’s done a really good job of making sure he could hit them."
- Dan Quinn
Lattimore won't want to miss this game. It carries special significance versus the team that drafted him and turned him into one of the league's most prolific shutdown coverage presences on the boundary. He'll also be eager to make them pay for their lack of faith.
Getting Lattimore into the mix for Washington's stretch run represents the biggest positive imaginable. The Commanders have a good chance to make the playoffs but nothing is guaranteed as yet. Having a genuinely elite cornerback to depend on is something this team hasn't had for years — something that should make everyone better if he gets a clear run of luck on the health front.
The Commanders didn't acquire Lattimore as a short-term rental. He's 28 years old with two years remaining on his deal after this one. That's why it was worth the investment.
General manager Adam Peters thought this opportunity was too good to turn down, especially considering the Commanders were ahead of schedule in Year 1 of this comprehensive rebuild. If rookie second-rounder Mike Sanristil continues his impressive development, this has the makings of an outstanding cornerback tandem with long-term upside attached.
Having Lattimore suit up for the first time will be a major lift for everybody. His teammates will also know how much this game is going to mean for the player. They'll be doing everything in their power to achieve another road triumph and bolster Washington's postseason hopes along the way.
Monitoring Lattimore's progress in the coming days is crucial. If there are no setbacks, his first game in a Washington uniform won't be too far behind.
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