Adam Peters doesn't need to be told that things are not going well for the Washington Commanders in 2025. They were expected to go deep into the playoffs again after an aggressive offseason, but things are unraveling quicker than any fan thought possible.
The jubilation and optimism are evaporating. Washington is dealing with some demoralizing injury problems, with quarterback Jayden Daniels now set for another spell on the sidelines with a low-grade hamstring strain suffered against the Dallas Cowboys. Some of the team's high-profile acquisitions are also not living up to their billing.
One of the most glaring will come as no surprise. And the Commanders' move to acquire veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore via trade from the New Orleans Saints before the 2024 deadline was blasted by an NFL analyst almost a year after the transaction became official.
Commanders get brutal reality from NFL analyst over Marshon Lattimore trade
Bill Barnwell from ESPN thought the trade would be a win-win for both parties at the time. However, due to the cornerback's regressing influence, which has made him a weak link more often than not, the respected expert thinks this deal is now pretty one-sided.
"At age 29, it's safe to say the Commanders have not gotten -- and are unlikely to get -- the peak Lattimore they hoped for when they made the deal. The cost was substantial, too. Based on our draft pick valuations, the Commanders traded the equivalent of a late second-round pick. At the time of the trade, I commended the aggression and still think the thought process was correct -- there's no sense waiting when a contention window opens. And the 2024 Commanders were great evidence of why that's a good strategy, going on a deeper run than most expected. But Lattimore didn't solve the cornerback woes they had at the time, and they paid a decent amount for that miss."
Bill Barnwell
After initially giving the Commanders a B+ for the trade, the new mark stands at D+. This is a damning indictment of how things are unfolding, and Barnwell is right to wonder whether the Commanders will ever get a return on their substantial investment.
Lattimore isn't the only one failing to meet expectations, but he's also a four-time Pro Bowler who was expected to set the tone. The Commanders were anticipating him to become the lockdown corner that this team was desperately lacking. A hamstring injury slowed his early momentum, and he just hasn't been able to regain it.
A significant effort is needed from Lattimore. The Commanders are playing more zone coverage to help mask his failings, but opposing offenses are still finding ways to exploit his vulnerability. That's a big problem, and if the same trend continues, Peters could cut this experiment short during the 2026 offseason.
Or maybe even before that, in all honesty.