Commanders quietly land Marshon Lattimore replacement nobody expected

The Washington Commanders have dealt with several severe injuries this season, which were exacerbated during a disastrous prime-time loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9.

Superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels took the majority of headlines after dislocating his shoulder when he shouldn't have been on the field. But there were other problems for head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters to navigate.

Promising wide receiver Luke McCaffrey, who was well on course for Pro Bowl and All-Pro consideration as a returner, broke his collarbone on the opening kickoff. Veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore hurt his knee, which Quinn later confirmed was a torn ACL that will rule him out for the rest of 2025 and more.

Commanders have moved swiftly to find cornerback help after Marshon Lattimore injury

Lattimore wasn't exactly setting the world alight this season, and there is a good chance he's played his final snap in Washington. However, this depletes an already underperforming secondary, so it's another complication Peters needed to resolve.

Not for the first time this season, Peters acted swiftly. According to Nicki Jhabvala from The Athletic, the Commanders have signed Tre Hawkins to their practice squad. He's dealt with health issues this season as well, but the former Old Dominion standout boasts the size and length — 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds — typically associated with Quinn's defensive preferences.

Hawkins was a sixth-round pick by the New York Giants and managed to earn a spot on the defensive rotation right out of the gate. There were glaring growing pains in Year 1, especially in coverage, and he went to the fringes in Year 2 before being placed on injured reserve.

Although the defensive back got the chance to prove his fitness earlier this summer, he was waived with an injury settlement. Hawkins is now medically cleared, and the Commanders believe he has something to offer. Expecting him to become a focal point immediately is foolish, but Peters doesn't have much of an option.

The Commanders are 3-6 with their playoff hopes gone. They have used all their disposable draft income and are reportedly looking to sell before the 2025 deadline. Scraping the bottom of the barrel is the only viable route left to plug gaps for the second half of 2025, which is the harsh new reality Washington is facing after so much optimism heading into the campaign.

As for Hawkins? He'll look to maximize this second chance to prove himself. There could be an opening with a smooth transition, but fans should anticipate miracles occurring.