Washington Commanders News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Power Rankings

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Commanders rookie can get Marshon Lattimore back to his Pro Bowl form by helping him fix one his most volatile traits

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Evan Winter | Last updated May 11, 2025 11:23 AM ET

Sure, great players have their own methods and measures that got them to where they are when it comes to being labeled as such.

However, said measures and methods can hurt their teammates if they aren't compartmentalized in the right way.

That's the case with Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore. He's earned four Pro Bowl nods over the course of his eight-year career, but he's also earned a reputation as a guy who gets heated on the field at the times. The final outcome usually arrives in the form of a penalty on Lattimore, which obviously takes a toll on those around him.

It even happened as recently as the NFC Championship Game, when Lattimore was flagged for getting into a scuffle with A.J. Brown. The Eagles wideout definitely played a role in antagonizing Lattimore, but the veteran cornerback still responded and he also know his reputation precedes him at this point in his career.

He has to keep his cool, plain and simple. Even if his aggressive and physical nature is what's allowed to him to have so much success over the course of his career.

That's where rookie second-rounder Trey Amos can come in. While Amos is going to soak up as much as he can from his veteran counterpart, maybe Lattimore can take a thing or two away from the calm, yet aggressive, on-field demeanor Amos has played with over the course of his own career.

"Really, I don't bring much energy, but I keep everything relaxed and calm," Amos told reporters Saturday. "Everything's chill. And you know, once I'm on the field, helmet on, everything's just like, zones out, and I'm just worried about my assignment. I'm just going out there like [it's] backyard football. Everything just, you know, disappears when I'm on the field."

LIVE: Trey Amos speaks to the media during rookie minicamp https://t.co/T4N0g0dpXJ
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 10, 2025

Amos is as aggressive as they come on the field, but he rarely allows it to impact him or his teammates in a negative way. He committed just 12 penalties over the course of his five-year college career, including just three in 2024; showcasing that there's a formula where corners can be physical and in-your-face without crossing the line.

That's a very good balance for the Commanders secondary. Including playoffs, Lattimore committed six total penalties over the course of just 277 defensive snaps. He had more penalties than pass break-ups (4) and opposing signal-callers averaged a QB rating of 123.6 when throwing his way. Three of those six penalties also directly led to 20 points for the opposition.

Again, you don't want to take away the "spark" that defines a player, so to speak, and Lattimore's play style is the backbone of his DNA. However, there is certainly a world where he can channel that aggressiveness and demeanor in a more positive way that impacts his play and the outcome in a beneficial manner instead of a detrimental one.

Amos can certainly be the guy who helps him in that regard, as well. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but in the game of football, it's adapt or die. Lattimore has the pelts on his wall, but he'll have the opportunity to earn even more if he takes a page or two from Amos' playbook.

And the Commanders secondary will be all the better for it in the long run.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: