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Former agent fuels Commanders' dream scenario with Marshon Lattimore
Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Marshon Lattimore is entering a crossroads campaign. The Washington Commanders are expecting him to deliver after a frustrating start to life in D.C., and one former agent turned NFL pundit believes he can return to something like his old self.

Big things were expected of Lattimore when the Commanders made a daring trade for the Pro Bowl cornerback before the 2024 deadline. A hamstring injury restricted him from being anything close to 100 percent. He deserves credit for trying to help, but his performances were nowhere near the required standard.

Things look a lot more promising now. Lattimore got a full offseason to heal. He looked explosive, fluid, and sharp over offseason workouts. Even though he didn't feature much in the preseason, the signs were immensely encouraging at training camp to further increase optimism.

Former agent believes Marshon Lattimore can bounce back with Commanders in 2025

Lattimore's heard all the criticism and is striving to silence his doubters. Joel Corry from CBS Sports believes the Ohio State product can bounce back, but anything less will see the Commanders regret their decision to bring him on board.

A hamstring injury sidelined [Marshon] Lattimore for the first four games after the trade. Lattimore, who was still bothered by his hamstring, had rough outings against A.J. Brown and Mike Evans in the playoffs when the Commanders faced the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The expectation is for a healthy Lattimore to regain the form that led to four Pro Bowl berths in eight NFL seasons. If that doesn't happen, the Commanders could start regretting the trade.Joel Corry

Staying healthy is absolutely crucial from Lattimore's standpoint. If he cannot put a consistent run of games together, it's hard to envisage a scenario where enough momentum could be generated. If his injury issues become a thing of the past, the chance to reaffirm his status among the league's premier shutdown presences increases exponentially.

Lattimore is experienced enough to know what comes next if he cannot raise performance levels. The Commanders could trade him next offseason if a willing suitor comes forward. They could even release him with cap savings of $18 million and no dead money ramifications before the final year of his deal.

That makes it a high-stakes situation for Lattimore with no margin for error. He's not one to back down from a challenge, so if he can thrive while also forming a dynamic tandem with second-round rookie Trey Amos, that could be enough for general manager Adam Peters to give him an extension ahead of time.

And with New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers first up in Week 1, it's the perfect chance for Lattimore to make a statement.

More Commanders news and analysis


This article first appeared on Riggo's Rag and was syndicated with permission.

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