Jeremy Reaves Pushing For Commanders Starting Job

A first-team All-Pro special-teamer in 2022, Reaves signed a one-year extension to stay with the Commanders this offseason. He is now under contract through the 2027 season, albeit at a rate commensurate with his primary work as a third-phase standout. However, the Commanders are giving consideration to making Reaves a late-career starter.

Washington’s first unofficial depth chart has Reaves in the starting free safety spot alongside free agent pickup Nick Cross, and while an “or” — an August NFL staple — is present here to denote Quan Martin‘s status in this competition, the fact that it is a competition at all is certainly noteworthy. Dan Quinn said recently (via ESPN.com’s John Keim) Reaves is firmly in the mix to start.

Arriving as a 2023 second-round pick, Martin has made 37 starts in three seasons. That includes 16 last season. Reaves made eight starts, as Will Harris spent a chunk of the season on IR after suffering a fractured fibula.

Reaves, 30 this month, has made 19 career starts but has never been viewed as a first-stringer without an injury moving him to that level. Zero Week 1 starts are on Reaves’ resume, though he has six seasons with at least a 55% ST snap share. Should a Cross-Reaves safety setup be the way Quinn proceeds, it would make for one of the more interesting depth chart decisions around the NFL this year.

Pro Football Focus assigned Reaves a No. 50 overall placement among qualified safeties last season. He made 91 tackles (five for loss) — runaway career-high marks in both categories — and notched his second career interception last season. The advanced metrics site has not viewed Martin, chosen 47th overall by the Ron Rivera regime, as a top-50 option at the position. Last season, PFF ranked Martin as the league’s sixth-worst safety regular.

Reaves winning this job would give Washington interesting depth as well. The team still rosters Harris (62 career starts) on a two-year, $8MM deal. The eighth-year DB does not have any guaranteed money for 2026, though; as a vested vet, Harris would see his 2026 compensation lock in shortly before Week 1. Washington’s unofficial depth chart lists Harris as Cross’ strong safety backup.

One season remains on Martin’s rookie contract. Not earning the job alongside Cross — or having to split time with Reaves — would be a blow to Martin’s 2027 free agency stock, as he played 94% of the Commanders’ defensive snaps in their 2024 NFC championship game season before logging an 81% snap share in 2025.