Commanders Expected to Release Marshon Lattimore

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The Washington Commanders are reportedly expected to release cornerback Marshon Lattimore ahead of free agency. Lattimore was acquired by the Commanders in a midseason trade with the New Orleans Saints in 2024 and helped lead the team to the NFC Championship Game that year, but was unable to replicate his Pro Bowl-level production in Washington. The release will save the Commanders some money, but it also opens up a significant hole in their defensive backfield that the team will need to address either through free agency or the draft.

Why it matters

Lattimore was a key member of the Commanders' defensive backfield, and his release creates a major need that the team will have to fill in the offseason. This move could have significant implications for the Commanders' defensive strategy and roster construction going forward.

The details

Lattimore was sent to the Commanders from the New Orleans Saints midway through the 2024 season in a blockbuster trade. Although he had some solid moments during his stint in Washington, Lattimore was largely unable to replicate the Pro Bowl-level production he had sustained in New Orleans, which made a divorce feel more or less inevitable at some point this offseason. The release will save the Commanders some money in the short term, but it also opens up a gaping hole in their defensive backfield, one that the team will have to work to fill either in free agency or the draft.

• The NFL free agency period is set to open up on March 11.
• The 2026 NFL draft will take place in late April.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Commanders will need to address the hole in their defensive backfield left by Lattimore's release, either through free agency or the upcoming draft.