Jeremy Reaves coming downhill to make some great tackles. Hate the call on the second one. Not sure what he’s supposed to do when the receiver lowers his head pic.twitter.com/QJsgA2YwBa

— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) August 10, 2025

Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt was more than willing to name one Washington Commander who is earning more playing time in 2025.

Entering his second season as the Washington Commanders‘ defensive coordinator, Whitt knows better than anyone that his defense must play much better than in 2024. Thus, Whitt is pleased to see one of his safeties really embracing his system and seemingly playing a step faster in this year’s training camp.

When Whitt was asked about safety, Jeremy Reaves, he didn’t hesitate, “Yeah, he’s earned the right now to be that third safety type of player where you’ll see him in there more. He’s such a special-teams ace that it’s hard to just play him full-time on defense because he’s so important to special teams. But he just keeps making plays, making plays. So, we’re going to find plays for him on defense, and he’s earned that. He’s always around the ball, his physicality is unmatched. And so, I’ve been very pleased with what he’s done this camp.”

Here are two really nice, aggressive, and decisive plays by Reaves during last week’s preseason opener in New England:

Whitt wants the 2025 defense to be aggressive, mostly in press-man coverage as much as possible. When asked about how his defense might play differently in 2025, Whitt spoke of having a basic philosophy and wanting to remain with that as his core defense.

“That’s just how we’ve always, or the schemes that I’ve been a part of, have been able to get up and press and cover on the outside, tight coverage. So, that’s more what I’m used to. I’m not accustomed to really zoning-type coverages, and so it’s not necessarily giving me more flexibility to add variety. I guess that’s what your question is, is it gives us the ability to, to really run the defense that we want to run without having to plug holes in different places.”

Whitt would love to have some new blood, new chemistry on the defense this year. Though the coaches no doubt want to have Reaves continue as a special teams leader, it sounds like they will be willing to provide him with some more action in certain defensive packages this season.