Three free agent cornerbacks the Washington Commanders could target in 2026
Spotrac Projection: 3 years, $37,423,638
Jaylen Watson is one of the premier cornerbacks in this year’s free agency cycle for good reason, the 7th-round draft pick exploded in a full time role with the Chiefs after missing a good portion of 2024 due to injury. He did not allow a touchdown on 478 coverage snaps and 64 targets and also picked off two passes while allowing a passer rating of just 79.0 to opposing quarterbacks. The 27-year old has plus size and length while being considered a scheme-versatile, disciplined player with more than 2,000 snaps played at outside corner. Boasting a 9.21 RAS score, he has plenty of athleticism and experience in Steve Spagnoulo’s system which utilizes an aggressive style with plenty of disguised looks.
While his production in the turnover category might be lacking, he would provide a steady, consistent presence on the outside that would minimize big plays. As an added bonus, Watson recorded 64 tackles last year, 42 solo, with a 1.5 missed tackle rate so he is also strong in that area as well:
While Spotrac predicts a very reasonable $12.5m AAV, I believe there will be several suitors for Watson’s services, and he may end up more in the $15-16m AAV range. If Jaylen is able to repeat his production from last season over the full length of his contract, he would be well worth it.
| Def Interceptions | Fumbles | Tackles | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | Pos | G | GS | Int | Yds | IntTD | Lng | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | FRTD | Sk | Comb | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sfty | AV | Awards |
| 2022 | 24 | PHI | NFL | CB | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 25 | PHI | NFL | CB | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 26 | SEA | NFL | CB | 10 | 6 | 1 | 33 | 0 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 37 | 29 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 27 | SEA | NFL | CB | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 54 | 41 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |
| 4 Yrs | 54 | 24 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 33 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 114 | 90 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | |||||
| 17 Game Avg | 17 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 36 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |||||
| PHI (2 Yrs) | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||
| SEA (2 Yrs) | 26 | 21 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 33 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 91 | 70 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | |||||
Spotrac Projection: 3 years, $29,221,872,
While somewhat lesser known than his counterpart Tariq Woolen, Josh Jobe enjoyed an impressive showing in the Super Bowl, including a great pass breakup on third down versus Kayshon Boutte:
Don’t base your evaluation on the Super Bowl alone, as Jobe played well all season. He made 16 appearances (15 starts) in the regular season, giving up just 45 catches on 91 targets (49.5 completion percentage) for 517 yards. While he did give up four touchdowns, opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of just 77.0 when targeting him, and he held his opposition to 11.5 yards per reception, the lowest mark of his career.
The downside is Jobe doesn’t have the size and length defensive coordinators covet, and his production and playing time were limited until this season. Those items will cost him on the free agent market although his performance in postseason is reflected in his projected price tag. It makes Jobe a nice mid-level target in free agency as a young, ascending player that can handle Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme and a likely fit for Daronte Jones as well.
Fabian Moreau, 31, Vikings
| Def Interceptions | Fumbles | Tackles | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | Pos | G | GS | Int | Yds | IntTD | Lng | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | FRTD | Sk | Comb | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sfty | AV | Awards |
| 2017 | 23 | WAS | NFL | DB | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 24 | WAS | NFL | LCB | 16 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 58 | 37 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 25 | WAS | NFL | DB | 12 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 44 | 33 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 26 | WAS | NFL | DB | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 27 | ATL | NFL | RCB | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 61 | 44 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 28 | NYG | NFL | RCB | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 66 | 50 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 29 | DEN | NFL | CB | 16 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 46 | 33 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2024 | 30 | MIN | NFL | CB | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 31 | MIN | NFL | CB | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 9 Yrs | 124 | 56 | 7 | 41 | 0 | 16 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 322 | 230 | 92 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 24 | |||||
| 17 Game Avg | 17 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 44 | 32 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||||
| WAS (4 Yrs) | 60 | 18 | 6 | 32 | 0 | 16 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 125 | 84 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | |||||
| MIN (2 Yrs) | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| ATL (1 Yr) | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 61 | 44 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |||||
| DEN (1 Yr) | 16 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 46 | 33 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |||||
| NYG (1 Yr) | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 66 | 50 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |||||
Spotrac Projection:1 years, $1,125,645
Fans should be very familiar with this final name on our list. Fabian Moreau was drafted by Washington in the third round and played for the Burgundy & Gold from 2017 to 2020. Jeff Okudah is a popular depth signing to associate with the Commanders in free agency, but it was actually Fabian Moreau who played more snaps for Daronte Jones last season. After Okudah was sidelined with concussions, Fabian played 198 snaps and allowed a 54.2 passer rating on 20 targets. While his age would seem to make him the less attractive of the two options, Moreau has spent the last two years in Minnesota, and provides more familiarity with Jones. A return to D.C. on a low-cost, one-year deal to compete for a roster spot while helping to install Jones’ scheme could make a lot of sense, even if he ultimately ends up on the practice squad as emergency depth.
Adam Peters needs to roll Marshon Lattimore’s salary($18.5m) into another viable starter on the boundary to pair with Amos, whether it be Watson or another top free agent.
Expect at least one low-cost, versatile depth signing while possibly retaining Igbinoghene, who carries a projected contract of one year, $2.4 million.
It will be interesting to see which direction Jones goes with Sainristil and how UDFA Car’lin Vigers looks in a new scheme, but multiple additions in free agency will be required.
First Appeared on
Source link
