Commanders expose the ruthless wake-up call behind Quan Martin’s rise

Quan Martin went from a criticized draft pick to one of the team's most important defenders. Previous head coach Ron Rivera didn't get many choices from the college ranks correct throughout his four-year stint at the helm. This was arguably his biggest triumph.

The Washington Commanders are expecting bigger things from Martin in 2025. His resilience and improved production last season made a considerable impact, forming a dynamic tandem on the backend with free-agent signing Jeremy Chinn. With the Southern Illinois product no longer around, the third-year pro gets the chance to firmly establish himself as a defensive alpha.

Commanders' risky strategy gave Quan Martin a severe wake-up call last season

Martin's performances last season were made all the more remarkable by playing through two separated shoulders. This must have been excruciating, but he navigated it exceptionally well. Now he's fully healthy, and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. is holding him to a much higher standard.

Whitt was glowing in his praise of Martin. The straight-talking coach thought he could be one of the league's best safeties and is treating him as such every day. He also revealed the key component that lit a fire under the former second-round pick out of Illinois last season.

When standards were slipping and mistakes were being made earlier in the campaign, Whitt sent Martin to work with the second team. It was a risky strategy, but it gave the defensive back the wake-up call he needed to refocus and keep complications to a minimum moving forward.

The results spoke for themselves. Martin was a revelation almost from start to finish last season. Whitt is a believer, and head coach Dan Quinn is also expecting another surge forward from the player with improved options around him in the secondary.

Martin isn't taking anything for granted. He knows expectations are higher for himself and the Commanders next time around. He's avoiding complacency and working tirelessly to fine-tune his talent enough to increase his hopes of a legitimate breakout campaign in 2025.

That's the best-case scenario for Washington, especially after they let Chinn walk for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. Martin's gone relatively under the radar around the league despite displaying encouraging growth. That won't be the case for much longer if Whitt's bold projection becomes reality.

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Kiều Linh - 06/06/2025

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