The Washington Commanders released veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore on Monday, signaling a decisive move after their disappointing 2025 season. This decision comes as the team prepares for an aggressive offseason overhaul under head coach Dan Quinn, aiming to address key roster gaps and cap space concerns.
Lattimore Poised to Draw Significant Free Agency Attention
Selected 11th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Marshon Lattimore launched his career with impressive performances, earning four Pro Bowl appearances within his first five seasons as well as the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2017. However, the last few years have been marked by setbacks, largely due to recurring injuries that limited his playing time.
Lattimore was traded to the Commanders from the New Orleans Saints in 2024, in hopes of reviving his impact as a shutdown cornerback. Unfortunately, a torn ACL during the 2025 season sidelined him, and he participated in only 11 games in total with Washington. Despite these struggles, insiders believe Lattimore remains determined to continue his career, with multiple teams expected to pursue him once he hits the open market.
League source expresses confidence Commanders CB Marshon Lattimore will land with another team after Washington informs of intent to release,
NFL insider Josina Anderson reported in a post on X.
I’m told Commanders CB Marshon Lattimore is ‘going to keep playing,’ while a league source added ‘there are so many teams who need corners.’
Commanders End Experiment, Free Up Valuable Cap Space
Washington invested significant draft capital to acquire Lattimore, giving up third-, fourth-, and sixth-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. The hope was that he would stabilize the secondary, but frequent injuries and inconsistent play hindered those plans, contributing to the team’s poor performance last season.
By releasing Lattimore, the Commanders expect to save approximately $18.5 million in salary cap space, providing much-needed financial flexibility. While parting ways with a player of Lattimore’s pedigree is disappointing, the move reflects the team’s urgency to rebuild a strong defensive backfield, a critical position of need heading into the offseason.
The Commanders will now focus their efforts on acquiring fresh talent to strengthen the cornerback position and support Dan Quinn’s revamped coaching staff, as they aim to reverse last season’s struggles.
More on the #Commanders decision to release Marshon Lattimore, including no immediate plans for the 29 year old CB to retire. Lattimore's birthday is May 20th. pic.twitter.com/IGfk2jqHem
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 2, 2026
