Marshon

Lattimore

Lattimore was taken into custody by Lakewood Police, located just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. More details on the issue have not yet been shared. Lattimore has one year remaining on his contract with the Commanders, though the team can save all $18.5 million that he is scheduled to make in 2026 by releasing him this offseason.

It was reported early on Monday that the Commanders believed Lattimore tore his ACL in Sunday’s defeat, but the worst has now been confirmed. The veteran corner, who is likely to be released at the end of this season, has had a mostly disappointing stint since the Commanders acquired him from the Saints last season. Once known for his abilities as a shutdown corner, Lattimore has struggled to keep pace with opposing receivers over the last two seasons and is among the most penalized corners in the league. He will be 30 at the start of next season and should still have plenty of suitors once he’s healed up from this setback.

The hits keep coming. After possibly losing Jayden Daniels (elbow) and Luke McCaffrey (collarbone) for the season, the Commanders may now be looking at another season-ending injury. Lattimore will undergo an MRI to confirm, but it sounds like the veteran corner is shaping up to miss the remainder of the season with his injury. Lattimore has struggled since arriving in Washington, consistently getting beaten in coverage while also being among the most penalized cornerbacks in the league. The Commanders traded a third-round pick to the Saints last season to acquire him ahead of the deadline. He remains under contract through 2026 but can be cut for a cap savings of $18.5 million, per OverTheCap.com.

Lattimore has totaled two tackles and one pass breakup in this one. The veteran corner exited midway through the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion, but he could be a long shot to return even if cleared, given the three-possession lead the Commanders have over the Raiders.

After saying earlier in the week that Lattimore “hit all the markers” the team needed to see to clear him, Quinn confirmed Lattimore’s availability for Sunday night’s game against the Buccaneers. It will be the latest installment of the Marshon Lattimore vs. Mike Evans saga, as Lattimore expected to see plenty of his former division rival in the tilt. How healthy Lattimore is remains a mystery, as the veteran corner has dealt with this nagging hamstring injury for most of the season, but he’s well-enough to take the field for the Commanders in what will be just his third game with the team.

He added that he expects that to continue throughout the week. Lattimore missed the final two weeks of the regular season with the lingering hamstring issue, but it sounds like he is on track to return for Washington’s Wild Card Round matchup with the Bucs. Quinn told reporters every player on the roster is practicing in some capacity save for a handful of rest days and the official injury report later confirmed Lattimore was a full participant on Wednesday. Thursday’s session, a full-speed workout, will be more revealing for Lattimore’s status.

Lattimore has been a DNP in practice all week and will now miss his 27th regular season game dating back to 2022. Speaking on Friday, head coach Dan Quinn said of Lattimore, “I love the speed he’s working with, and he’s certainly very close (to returning).” After clinching a playoff berth last week with a win over the Falcons, the Commanders have bigger things to worry about than Week 18’s game against the Cowboys. Lattimore being healthy come the NFC Wild Card round is undoubtedly the team’s top priority.

Andrew Wylie and Marshon Lattimore are the two big names on this list, both now consistent producers on either side of the ball. The Commanders currently occupy the No. 7 seed out of the NFC but have a better conference record than the Packers, meaning they could leapfrog Green Bay in the NFC standings this week should the Packers lose.

Repeated hamstring strains continue to plague the elite cornerback. It is an unfortunate outcome in a week where two tentatively playoff-bound teams square off. Hopefully, Lattimore can get right for a potential playoff run.

Lattimore will make his Commanders debut against his former team after being traded to Washington at this year’s trade deadline. The veteran corner has been dealing with a hamstring injury that has sidelined him since Week 9 but is hoping to provide a boost to a Commanders secondary that lacks a true CB1. Lattimore should see a solid snap count after logging full practices throughout the week.