Commanders just made their stance on underperforming veteran crystal clear

The time for half-measures was over for the Washington Commanders in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Dan Quinn's squad couldn't afford to lose any more momentum. There was no room for passengers, so the decisions made by the head coach would tell fans plenty about some players who've failed to meet expectations thus far.

Quinn found the right formula. The Commanders recovered from a slow start to completely overwhelm the Chargers, scoring 27 unanswered points to come away with a comfortable victory on the road.

This was a massive confidence boost when the team needed it most. But for one underperforming veteran, the outlook wasn't nearly as positive.

Noah Igbinoghene is quickly becoming a Commanders afterthought

The Commanders made their stance on cornerback Noah Igbinoghene crystal clear. The former Auburn standout showed signs of life last season, his first in Washington. He got another deal from the Commanders and made the 53-man roster. However, this hasn't been accompanied by the required consistency in a competitive environment.

Igbinoghene's influence has waned. The 2020 first-round selection looks lost in coverage and is a liability against the run. That's a dangerous combination, and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. has seen enough.

Washington allocated just one defensive snap to the player in Week 5 at SoFi Stadium. He saw the field for just two special teams snaps. Igbinoghene is rapidly descending into an afterthought, and it could be a long road back for the player.

Quinn and Whitt know Igbinoghene well. This is their third season working with the defensive back, the first of which was with the Dallas Cowboys. He's always had the athleticism and length to be more impactful, but putting it all together remains a problem he hasn't solved effectively enough.

If the Commanders want to meet raised expectations and go deep into the playoffs again, they don't have time to wait around. Igbinoghene might figure it out; he might not, but until he regains the trust of his coaches, he'll remain on the fringes.

Igbinoghene has overcome adversity before. But unless the Commanders suffer more injury problems in their secondary, it's hard to envisage a scenario where the corner ends up seeing the field in a starting capacity right now.

Should the Commanders keep winning, nobody will care. Even so, it isn't easy to see any promising future for Igbinoghene in Washington based on how things have unfolded so far in 2025.