March 17, 2026, 9:57 p.m. ET
During the flurry of activity early in the free agency period, the Washington Commanders signed safety Nick Cross. Cross played his first four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and became a free agent when his rookie contract expired this year. Joining the Commanders brings Cross back home, as he’s from Hyattsville, Maryland, a mere stone’s throw away from where the Commanders play in Landover.
Cross didn’t just grow up in Maryland; he attended the University of Maryland, remaining close to home, and he grew up as a fan of the Commanders. After signing with the Commanders, Cross went on “Good Morning Football” to discuss his signing.
“I would say it’s surreal,” Cross said. “I’ve always rooted for them when I was younger, a lot of the fans have pulled up my tweets, whether it’s disgruntledness or it’s my happiness with what went on in Washington when I was younger. But, it’s very surreal to be able to come back home and play for the hometown team, and for a team that I grew up rooting for.”
It’s not very often that a player gets to play for the team they grew up watching and cheering on, so when it happens, the players often respond in the same way Cross did this morning.
Over his four seasons with the Colts, Cross recorded 322 tackles (194 solo), 3.5 sacks (2.5 in 2025), two forced fumbles, five interceptions, 12 passes defensed, and 17 stuffs. He joins a Commanders’ safety room that houses Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler, Quan Martin, and Will Harris.
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The Commanders still need to add a couple of cornerbacks for depth, but otherwise, the secondary is shaping up nicely so far.