Commanders acquire Marshon Lattimore in blockbuster trade with Saints

The Washington Commanders reportedly are acquiring cornerback Marshon Lattimore from the New Orleans Saints, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Commanders are getting Marshon Lattimore on a minimum contract for the remainder of this season due to the Saints’ previous restructuring of his deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

As far as compensation goes, the Commanders are sending the Saints a third-round pick, a fourth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick from the John Ridgeway trade, according to Schefter. New Orleans is sending Lattimore and a fifth-round pick.

This is a significant move for a Washington team that has been the surprise story in the NFL at 7-2, backed by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Due to the surprising record, the Commanders were in a position to buy, and cornerback was arguably the biggest weakness on the roster. Lattimore will bolster that position a ton.

The addition of Lattimore will immediately give the Commanders a top corner to match up with the top wide receivers on opposing teams. It will move someone like Benjamin St-Juste or Emmanuel Forbes down, asking less of them, potentially creating more limited roles for them to thrive in. On paper, Mike Sainristil, is the second cornerback, despite being billed as more of a slot corner as a prospect. The depth of the position is still questionable, but Lattimore helps the Commanders as they fight for the NFC East title, especially as the team has to deal with players like AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith and CeeDee Lamb in divisional matchups with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

Commanders’ path to NFC East title after Marshon Lattimore trade

The Commanders sit atop the NFC East at 7-2, but the Eagles are just a half game back at 6-2, and they have been playing a lot better as of late after struggling early on. It makes sense for Washington to make the move for Lattimore, given that the divisional race is as tight as it is.

As mentioned before, Lattimore will help the Commanders deal with top wideouts in the divisional matchups. The games against the New York Giants are done, and Washington won both games. However, both games against the Eagles and Cowboys remain on the schedule. The Eagles are the obvious threat to win the division title, but the Cowboys have talent to threaten some of the weaknesses Washington had, specifically with Lamb. Lattimore does not eliminate the secondary concerns, but it greatly helps that cause.

There are other key matchups remaining on the Commanders’ schedule, but the divisional games will tell the story, and could make the difference between a division title and a Wild Card trip.