Tag: Benjamin St-Juste

Commanders go cornerback in way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft

In a way-too-early 2025 mock draft, the Commanders go defense.

The dust has only recently settled on the 2024 NFL draft and we are already looking ahead to 2025. If we know anything about the NFL draft, the hype never stops.

What could the Washington Commanders be looking for in 2025?

That’s tough to say because Washington hasn’t even hit training camp for 2024 yet. However, three positions stick out like a sore thumb: Offensive tackle, edge rusher and cornerback.

Of the three positions, the offensive tackle position appears the most dire. The Commanders believe that third-round pick Brandon Coleman will become their future left tackle.

At cornerback are Emmanuel Forbes, Benjamin St-Juste, Mike Sainristil and a host of veterans. Washington has high hopes for the rookie Sainristil, but this coaching staff did not draft St-Juste and Forbes.

St-Juste is entering the final year of his rookie contract, while Forbes is heading into his second season. If both pan out, this becomes less of a need.

At edge rusher, next year is expected to have a deep class. Washington has a mix of veterans at the position now and could look to add to the group early in next year’s draft.

So, in a new mock draft from James Fragoza of Pro Football Network, the Commanders are selecting eighth overall and choose Michigan cornerback Will Johnson.

The Commanders are in desperate need of a true CB1, and not just because a light breeze could knock Emmanuel Forbes over on any given snap. Will Johnson is the answer, as he could’ve lined up across from NFL WRs last season.

Johnson wasn’t eligible for the 2024 draft, but looked like he could be a No. 1 cornerback in the NFL as a sophomore in 2023 for the national champions. Opponents struggled throwing at Johnson and he has everything NFL teams covet.

There’s a long way to go until 2025 and most Washington fans would tell you an offensive tackle should remain the top priority — even if Coleman pans out.

Former Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore a ‘logical fit’ for Commanders

Should the Commanders sign cornerback Stephon Gilmore?

It’s no secret the Washington Commanders have question marks at cornerback. Will Emmanuel Forbes blossom under the new coaching staff? Can this staff help Benjamin St-Juste reverse his 2023 fortunes?

The Commanders better hope both players can give them something in 2024. Washington allowed its best cornerback, Kendall Fuller, to walk in free agency. Considering Fuller’s age and injury history, general manager Adam Peters made a wise decision.

However, the Commanders didn’t sign a starting-level cornerback outside of Michael Davis. The 29-year-old Davis spent the past seven seasons with the Chargers, where he appeared in 107 games with 74 starts. Davis isn’t a shutdown cornerback, but he is a good, dependable veteran. Outside of Davis, the Commanders added other veterans for depth, who will compete for a roster spot.

Washington selected Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil in the second round of the NFL draft. Sainristil is strictly a slot cornerback, meaning the Commanders could still use another veteran insurance policy on the outside.

There’s a perfect candidate available who has played for head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.

Gilmore will be 34 in September, but last season, he proved he can still play. A two-time first-team All-Pro, five-time Pro Bowler, and former NFL Defensive MVP, Gilmore started all 17 games for the Cowboys last season under Quinn and Whitt. Gilmore recorded 68 tackles, two interceptions, and 13 passes defended.

Teams are clearly staying away from Gilmore due to his age. However, proven veterans like Gilmore often do not sign with a team until training camp or after Week 1, so he could remain an available option or them.

Bleacher Report recently named Gilmore as a “logical fit” for Washington. We agree.

The Washington Commanders would be wise to give him a call as well. They lost Kendall Fuller in free agency, and Gilmore has experience with new head coach Dan Quinn.

Gilmore to Washington makes sense. The Commanders have signed numerous veterans to short-term deals who have connections to the new coaching staff. Why not give Gilmore a call?

Even if Forbes and St-Juste look to be progressing this summer, Gilmore would be a worthy addition to the 2024 roster.

The numbers prove Dan Quinn will make Commanders defense better

The numbers prove Dan Quinn will make Washington’s defense better.

The Washington Commanders have nowhere to go but up. Washington finished 4-13 last season and made sweeping changes this offseason, beginning with new general manager Adam Peters.

Peters’ first mission was to find a head coach. Peters and owner Josh Harris chose Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Next, the Commanders used free agency to flip the roster, signing over 20 outside free agents, followed by nine selections in the 2024 NFL draft and 11 undrafted free agents.

Washington struggled on offense last season under former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Quarterback Sam Howell’s once-promising season went south in the second half of the season. But Washington’s most significant problem was the NFL’s worst defense.

The Commanders were terrible against the run and the pass last season and couldn’t force turnovers or get to the quarterback. The previous defensive staff looked over their heads. Remember, Washington’s defense was supposed to be one of the NFL’s best heading into last season.

Not only was the entire defensive unit dreadful, but individual players took steps back. Pro Bowl defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne didn’t have their best seasons. Cornerback Benjamin St-Juste regressed after showing promise in his second season. Rookie Emmanuel Forbes didn’t look like he belonged in the NFL.

Coaching matters.

In Quinn, Washington hired a coach who will instantly make the defense better.

The Cowboys struggled on defense before Quinn took over in 2021. In three seasons in Dallas, Quinn’s defense was ranked in the top five of FTN’s total defensive DVOA each year.

Check out the following tweet from Warren Sharp, where he compares the Dallas defense under Dan Quinn to Washington’s defense in the same time period.

Under new general manager Adam Peters, the Commanders added multiple defenders this offseason, including dramatically upgrading the linebacker corps with the additions of Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu.

Quinn’s defense focuses heavily on sacks and takeaways — areas where the Commanders have struggled. If he doesn’t have a dominant pass rusher, Quinn will find ways to create pressure, such as using Luvu or Jamin Davis more in pass-rushing situations.

Joe Whitt Jr. is Washington’s defensive coordinator. In recent years, Whitt has done wonders with several of Dallas’ young defensive backs. The Commanders hope he can work some of the same magic with Forbes, St-Juste, and others.

Regardless, Washington will be much better defensively in 2024.

Commanders sign former Chargers cornerback Michael Davis

Michael Davis spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Chargers.

Heading into the weekend, the Washington Commanders had signed 14 outside free agents but had to address two critical positions: Cornerback and offensive tackle.

On Sunday, the Commanders signed former Dolphins first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene to a one-year deal. Igbinoghene spent last season with Dan Quinn and the Cowboys. While he’s considered a depth signing, there’s hope that the 24-year-old can still fulfill his potential.

On Monday, Washington general manager Adam Peters continued adding to the cornerback room, signing former Chargers cornerback Michael Davis to a one-year deal.

Davis, 29, is entering his eighth NFL season in 2024, having spent the first seven years with the Chargers. An undrafted free agent out of BYU in 2017, Davis has appeared in 107 career games with 74 starts. The 6-foot-2 cornerback has 349 career tackles, 69 passes defended and eight interceptions.

The signings of Igbinoghene and Davis do not prevent the Commanders from addressing the position in the draft but does give Washington some veteran depth with Kendall Fuller gone. The Commanders’ top two cornerbacks are currently 2021 third-round pick Benjamin St-Juste and 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes.

2 recently released cornerbacks named as possible fits for the Commanders

Two veteran cornerbacks were named as potential fits for the Commanders, including one of the NFL’s best in recent years.

How will the Washington Commanders improve the cornerback position under new head coach Dan Quinn?

Washington spent a first-round pick on cornerback Emmanuel Forbes in the 2023 NFL draft, and he struggled. Third-year cornerback Benjamin St-Juste took a step back in 2023 after a promising second season.

As he had been for the previous three seasons, veteran Kendall Fuller remained the Commanders’ top cornerback.

Now, Fuller is a free agent. He’s also 29, and his knee has some injury concerns. Additionally, Fuller wants a raise from the $10 million he earned annually over the past four seasons, and that raise would be warranted. While the Commanders would love to keep Fuller, he likely makes more sense for a contender on a short-term deal.

Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. come from Dallas, where a Cowboys cornerback led the NFL in interceptions in two of the previous three years. DaRon Bland set an NFL record for most interceptions returned for touchdowns in a single season.

Whitt and secondary coach Tom Donatell’s primary goal is to fix Forbes. In his introductory press conference, Whitt said he liked Forbes coming out in last year’s draft.

Regardless, the Commanders must bring in veteran help. Some options exist depending on how much Washington wants to pay.

CBS Sports named 10 recent salary cap casualties and where they could best fit. Two cornerbacks, including Xavien Howard, were named potential fits for the Commanders.

Cornerback is a premier position in today’s NFL, and Howard has been one of the best for years now. He turns 31 in July, but is a four-time Pro Bowler and led the league in interceptions twice — including a 10-interception campaign in 2020. Howard’s streak of three straight Pro Bowls was snapped this past season, but he still recorded 12 passes defensed and one interception in 13 games played.

Howard seems like a long shot for Washington. He will probably earn more than the Commanders are willing to pay. General manager Adam Peters and Quinn will likely target a cheaper veteran and use the draft to add another corner as high as the second round. 

The other potential target was Darious Williams, recently released by the Jaguars.

One of the more underrated cap casualties so far. Williams was set to enter the final season of a three-year, $30 million contract with the Jags. He didn’t have any guaranteed money left on his deal, and his release saves Jacksonville $11.5 million against the cap. While Williams turns 31 this month, he tied for the team lead in interceptions this past season with four. He will absolutely have a market.

Williams is absolutely the type of player Washington could target on a one- or two-year deal with the Commanders.

Washington will be active in free agency, but don’t expect the Commanders to go big-game hunting, instead focusing on team fits and familiarity.

Could the Commanders be interested in a pair of recently released cornerbacks?

Two veteran cornerbacks were released on Friday. Could either help the Commanders in 2024?

Christmas came early for all 32 NFL teams Friday when the league revealed the 2024 salary cap would be $255.4 million — an increase of $30 million from 2023.

Not only does the higher cap give teams more cash to spend in free agency next month, but it also helps some of those teams needing to create cap space ahead of the new league year.

Some of those teams needing to clear began releasing players this week in preparation for free agency. One of the NFL’s top cornerbacks, Xavien Howard, was released by the Miami Dolphins Friday.

Howard, who will turn 31 in July, was slated to count over $25 million against Miami’s salary cap in 2024. He spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Dolphins, is a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, and has led the NFL in interceptions twice.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Howard can still play. He will receive significant interest from around the NFL. Howard played in 13 games last season but scored the lowest grade of his career, according to Pro Football Focus (55.1).

The Washington Commanders need help at cornerback. Kendall Fuller is a free agent, and Emmanuel Forbes and Benjamin St-Juste struggled in 2023.

Does Howard make sense for Washington?

No, for multiple reasons. First, his age. While a different player than Fuller, Howard is almost two years older than Fuller. Also, he doesn’t offer the versatility that Fuller does. Fuller can play outside, in the slot, or at safety. The Commanders could bring Fuller back for what Howard would cost.

But there was another recently released cornerback who could help Washington.

The San Francisco 49ers released cornerback Isaiah Oliver on Friday. Oliver, 27, spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons before spending the 2023 season in San Francisco. New Washington head coach Dan Quinn in Atlanta drafted him. Oliver played for Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. in 2020.

The 6-foot-0, 210-pound Oliver isn’t Howard, but he could provide much-needed veteran depth and stability to the cornerback room. In addition to Quinn and Whitt, Commanders GM Adam Peters was San Francisco’s assistant GM last season. Also, new defensive line coach Darryl Tapp was with the 49ers last season, too.

Oliver would be a cheap addition to the secondary and wouldn’t make a dent in Washington’s NFL-leading salary cap space. Per PFF, he received a 67.6 grade in 2023.

The good news is there are enough voices in the organization to know if Oliver would be a worthwhile addition for 2024.

The Commanders will add to the cornerback room, likely through free agency and the draft. St-Juste and Forbes remain an integral part of Washington’s plans, but after last season, the Commanders shouldn’t count on either.

Jamin Davis, Benjamin St-Juste are named in wrongful death lawsuit

Davis and St-Juste, along with former Washington safety Deshazor Everett were named in a wrongful death lawsuit from a 2021 fatal car crash.

Washington Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste were named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed on Dec. 22 in the Loudoun County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Kathleen Peters filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against Davis, St-Juste, former Washington safety Deshazor Everett and another friend, Shadidul Islam, alleging the football players were racing their cars in an accident that killed Peters’ daughter, Olivia, on Dec. 23, 2021. Olivia Peters was the fiance of Everett, who played for Washington from 2015-21.

Everett was charged with involuntary manslaughter in Feb. 2022 and released by Washington afterward. Everett pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving and was sentenced to three months of house arrest. Davis and St-Juste weren’t charged in the accident.

Here are more details from the suit, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

The lawsuit alleges that Everett, St-Juste and Davis, who were all on Washington’s roster at the time, planned that evening “to ‘show off’ and race their cars on the public roads.” According to the lawsuit, Everett’s car was equipped with nitrous oxide, which can boost a car’s horsepower and is illegal in Virginia, along with racing tires and a roll cage. Davis drove a McLaren, and St-Juste drove a customized Audi A6.

The suit claims the three met at an auto shop in Loudoun County owned by fellow defendant Shahidul Islam, then went driving. Everett had a GoPro Camera attached to his car, recording the events. According to the suit, the defendants “drove at high rates of speed well in excess of the posted speed limits,” “changed lanes erratically and without signaling,” “crossed over double yellow lines and drove in the opposite lane of traffic” and “raced each other on multiple occasions.”

Olivia Peters, 29, was from Rockville, Md., and worked as an occupational therapist.

Davis was charged with reckless driving just days before the crash in a separate incident. Three months later, Davis was again charged with reckless driving after allegedly going 114 mph in a 45 mph zone. He was initially convicted and sentenced to 30 days in jail but appealed and is awaiting another hearing which is scheduled for March.

Davis and St-Juste are both in their third NFL season and were a part of Washington’s 2021 NFL draft class.

Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste leaves game vs. Jets with concussion

St-Juste departed Washington’s game against the Jets with a concussion.

Washington Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste battled injuries during his first two NFL seasons. A third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, he missed a total of 13 games in his first two seasons.

In 2023, St-Juste has yet to miss a game, remaining healthy all season in what has been an up-and-down year for him. St-Juste is often targeted by opposing quarterbacks, and while that has led to several pass breakups, he has given up his share of big plays all season.

In Washington’s Week 16 game against the New York Jets, St-Juste was often matched up with Jets star wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The pair went back and forth, with St-Juste called for two penalties, but in the second half, the third-year cornerback was injured and left the game.

It was revealed that St-Juste was being checked for a concussion. Shortly afterward, St-Juste was confirmed out for the game.

The Commanders have two games remaining in the 2023 season, and St-Juste will enter the NFL’s concussion protocol.

 

What was with Emmanuel Forbes’ usage in Week 15 game vs. Rams?

Forbes played just six snaps after missing the last two games. And he was healthy.

After missing two games with an elbow injury, Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes returned to action in Week 15 vs. the Los Angeles Rams. Washington had a bye in Week 14, giving Forbes another week of rest before returning.

In preparation for Forbes’ return, Washington made a move at cornerback, releasing reliable veteran Danny Johnson last week and claiming 2023 draft pick Kyu Blu Kelly off waivers.

Ultimately, this move meant nothing for Forbes, as the Commanders saw an opportunity to claim a talented cornerback off waivers. When Washington released its inactive list against the Rams, Forbes was one of five cornerbacks active, joining Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste, Quan Martin and Tariq Castro-Fields.

However, in Sunday’s game, a fully healthy Forbes played just six snaps. Fuller, St-Juste and fellow rookie Martin played every snap.

Why the lack of playing time for Forbes?

Head coach Ron Rivera offered the following explanation after the game.

“That was a lot more about what Quan was doing and really what we had as a matchup going into this game,” Rivera said. 

So, was Rivera saying the Commanders chose to play Martin (the 2023 second-round pick) over Forbes (the 2023 first-round pick)?

Washington is a bad football team with a terrible defense. Both of the young defensive backs should be on the field for close to 100% of the snaps. The way Rivera has handled Forbes this season is puzzling. After passing on every other cornerback but one, Washington chose Forbes, and released an in-house video regarding its excitement over the move.

It hasn’t worked out. That doesn’t mean Forbes will not be a good player, but he hasn’t received much help from Washington’s coaches this season.

 

 

Studs and duds from Commanders’ 28-20 loss to Rams

The good and mostly bad from another Commanders’ loss.

The Washington Commanders lost their fifth consecutive Sunday, falling 28-20 to the Los Angeles Rams. It’s also Washington’s seventh loss in its last eight games and 10 of its last 12.

Everyone knows head coach Ron Rivera will be fired at the end of the season. Rivera himself is reportedly at peace with his future. Sunday’s loss dropped his record as Washington’s coach to 26-37-1.

New owner Josh Harris has made it clear Rivera will remain Washington’s coach until the season of the season. But when you are performing as poorly as Washington is, continued losses with a coaching staff that will be gone make it difficult to evaluate the current roster. The current staff wants to win games, while management wants to evaluate young players.

That’s the case again after Sunday’s loss to the Rams. Some players stood out, others struggled. Which ones?

We do our best to find some positives from Sunday’s loss to the Rams. Here are the studs and duds from Week 15. We could do a longer list of duds, but we’ll keep it shorter.