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Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
While it’s impossible to tell the future, it’s also not very hard to envision the trade the Washington Commanders made for cornerback Marshon Lattimore in November 2024 not going down as one of the worst deals in franchise history.
For Lattimore, the Commanders gave up their 2025 3rd round pick, 2025 4th round pick and 2025 6th round pick. In return, Lattimore played in 11 out of 25 possible regular-season games with just 1 interception and was paid approximately $18.6 million.
That’s pretty good work if you can get it. Now, all signs point to the Commanders being ready to cut off the cash faucet, with Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman putting Lattimore on his list of the league’s most likely salary cap casualties.
Lattimore, 29 years old, suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 9 against the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
“Lattimore, 29, has been injured and ineffective since Washington gave up third- and fourth-round picks to get him from the Saints at the 2024 trade deadline,” Auman wrote. “He’s due to make $18 million and there’s zero dead money in cutting him, and he ranked 95th among corners by Pro Football Focus last season. The Commanders need a full makeover on defense and he’ll be part of it. Where does he land? Would the Bears and Dennis Allen take him for depth if they lost Nahshon Wright in free agency?”
Dealing With Fallout From January Arrest
Lattimore’s offseason started with an arrest on January 7, in Lakewood, Ohio, on weapons charges.
“He was arrested last night outside of Cleveland on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle,” 7 News DC’s Scott Abraham wrote on his official X account along with a picture of Lattimore’s mug shot. ” … According to the Lakewood police department, Marshon was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for expired plates and other traffic violations. During the stop, Marshon did not tell the officer that there was a firearm in the vehicle when asked.”
It’s not the first time Lattimore has been arrested on gun charges. In March 2021, Lattimore was arrested in Ohio on felony charges of being in possession of a gun which had been reported stolen.
Lattimore eventually pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to inform police he was in possession of a concealed handgun and fined $1,000 after it was later discovered Lattimore had a concealed weapon permit.
The Commanders issued a statement following Lattimore’s arrest: “We have been made aware of the arrest and are gathering more information. We have informed the NFL League Office and have no further comment at this time.”
Lattimore Trade Became Albatross for Defense
ESPN’s Seth Walder singled the Lattimore trade out as the worst for the Commanders over the last 2 years.
“The Commanders can get out of Marshon Lattimore’s deal without dead money,” 106.7 The Fan’s Grant Paulsen wrote on X following his arrest. “I’m team ‘innocent until proven guilty,’ but already thought there was no reason to continue on with Lattimore. This won’t help his chances of staying on the team at $18.5 against the cap this season.”
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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