If the opening game of the 2024 regular season proved anything about the Washington Commanders, it’s that their secondary needs almost a complete overhaul.
Washington’s defensive backs managed to make Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield look like one of the NFL’s elite passers as he diced up the Commanders for 289 passing yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions on 24-of30 passing in a 37-20 win.
“More concerning is that Washington’s defense now has new leaders in head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., yet exhibited many familiar struggles,” wrote The Athletic’s Mike Jones. “The defense failed to get stops on third down and had just one sack and no takeaways while also playing poorly in pass coverage.”
Help might not be on the way until 2025, but when it finally arrives it could represent a culture shift on Washington’s defense.
CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso projected the Commanders to ake All-American Michigan cornerback Will Johnson at No. 4 overall in the 2025 NFL draft in a mock draft released on Sept. 11.
“Johnson looks the part of a top-five cornerback,” Trapasso wrote. “He has length, fluidity, plus instincts, physicality and speed. He’s precisely the type most teams need, and the Commanders especially need.”
Johnson Could Be Generational Talent at CB
Johnson’s father, Deon Johnson, was a defensive back at Michigan in the early 1990s. Will Johnson was the No. 1 player in Michigan for the Class of 2022 and a Top 20 national recruit, according to 247Sports.
Johnson became a starter as a true freshman at Michigan and was named Freshman All-American with 27 tackles and 3 interceptions.
In 2023, Johnson was named All-Big Ten and All-American despite missing 3 games due to injury. He capped the year by being named Defensive MVP of the College Football Playoff National Championship after Michigan’s 34-13 win over Washington.
In 323 pass snaps in 2023, Johnson allowed 17 receptions, no touchdowns and had 4 interceptions. Facing a pair of Top 10 picks in the 2024 NFL draft in Washington’s Rome Odunze and Ohio State’s Marvin Harison Jr., he allowed 3 receptions and had 1 interceptions, according to PFF.
In Michigan’s 2024 season opener on Aug. 31, he returned an interception 86 yards for a touchdown against Fresno State.
Commanders Took Big Swing at CB in ’23 NFL Draft
The fact the Commanders don’t have a game-changing player at cornerback isn’t for lack of trying.
Washington took a big swing in the 2023 NFL draft when they selected Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. with the No. 16 overall pick. Forbes set the FBS record with 6 career interception returns for touchdowns, critics pointed out that his 6-foot-1, 166-pound frame wouldn’t likely fare well against NFL wide receivers.
As a rookie, Forbes graded out as one of the NFL’s worst cornerbacks, according to PFF. He was also benched twice and had a “Welcome to the NFL” moment when Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown torched Forbes for 9 receptions, 175 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 4.
That dismantling got bad enough that Brown landed a $10,927 fine for taunting Forbes after a touchdown. Forbes started the 2024 season as a backup to Benjamin St.-Juste and allowed 3 receptions on 3 targets in the loss to the Buccaneers at an average of 12.7 yards per catch.
