Commanders coach just sent hype around resurgent Pro Bowler through the roof

Adam Peters is relying heavily on his experienced players to keep the momentum high for the Washington Commanders in 2025. And some will have more responsibilities on their shoulders than others.

For Marshon Lattimore, the upcoming campaign represents a crossroads. But the signs emerging from Washington's preparations suggest a potential bounce-back year isn't entirely out of the question.

The Commanders announced themselves as a legitimate contender when they traded for Lattimore before the 2024 deadline. His accomplished shutdown capabilities were supposed to be the missing piece of Washington's defensive puzzle. Unfortunately, he never came close to meeting his billing.

Commanders believe Marshon Lattimore is displaying bounce-back signs at training camp

Lattimore was dealing with a hamstring issue. The cornerback fought valiantly to play through the pain, but the explosiveness and consistency were sorely lacking.

Now, he's back at full health, and it shows. Lattimore looks dynamic, refocused, and ready to silence his doubters. There have been no more health issues around the former first-round pick out of Ohio State, which left defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. feeling bullish about the player's outlook in 2025.

Well, he's out there, that's the first thing. Last year, he went and fought his a-- off, and he didn't practice very often. That's hard on a player, but he's a competitor, so he was willing to go do that and not be afraid of the results. He just wanted to go out there and compete and help us win. I think people lose that sometimes when the play might not be what you desire it to be. He's a really good press player; that's who we want to be. Nice feet. He can still hold the vertical control, and he's very, very competitive. So I've been pleased with where he is.Joe Whitt Jr.

If Lattimore can get back to his Pro Bowl-caliber performance levels, it'll be a game-changer in no uncertain terms. The Commanders have high hopes for their cornerback unit this season. For these to be met, they need the Glenville High School graduate to be fit and firing on all cylinders from the moment he steps onto the field in Week 1.

Nothing else will do.

This could also make Lattimore a ton of money along the way. He's not out of contract until 2026, but if the defensive back returns to his previous high standards and manages to stay healthy, that might be enough for Peters to offer him a lucrative contract extension ahead of time.

It's a fine line. But having a motivated, fresh, and hungry Lattimore leading the charge within the secondary has the scope to shift the landscape considerably.

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