GOOD NEWS FOR THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS:DAN QUINN ANNOUNCED HIS RETURN FINALLY….

GOOD NEWS FOR THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS:DAN QUINN ANNOUNCED HIS RETURN FINALLY….

The Washington Commanders’ trade for Marshon Lattimore wasn’t the result of general manager Adam Peters picking up the phone the day of the trade deadline and making an offer to the New Orleans Saints. It was a moment months in the making with several departments, from pro scouting to research and development, canvassing the league to see which players might be the right fit for the team’s culture.

 

They determined that Lattimore did indeed match the Commanders’ preferred qualities, but all that research doesn’t matter if the in-person interaction doesn’t match it. Lattimore quickly confirmed Peters’ belief that what they had given up acquiring the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback was worth it.

“He’s what we thought he was as a person, as a competitor,” Peters told the media.

 

There weren’t many outside of the Commanders’ building who believed they had a chance of making noise in 2024, but that’s exactly what happened with them starting 7-2 for the first time since 1996. Building for the future remains the priority, but it’s clear Washington has the chance to make a push for the playoffs and beyond now. The Commanders believe acquiring Lattimore allows them to do both.

 

“We’re really, really excited to get one of the best corners in the entire league,” Peters said.

It wasn’t always a sure thing that Lattimore would be available at the trade deadline, especially at the beginning of the season. The Saints, who started the season 2-0, were certainly not interested in moving one of the best cornerbacks over the last eight years. But the Saints’ situation changed dramatically after their Week 2 blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys. They went on to lose their next seven games, and head coach Dennis Allen was fired following their 23-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

 

Even though the Peters and the Commanders weren’t always sure Lattimore would be available, they did their research just in case to make sure they were ready to make an offer. Peters’ staff had to check off a number of qualifications when it came to vetting Lattimore, from scheme fit to whether he could gel with the rest of the roster.