The Commanders as I have stated numerous times previously have an electric coach + QB combination that ranks among the best in the NFL in my estimation. The roster has been their undoing thus far in the Jayden Daniels + Dan Quinn era and it will need to be better heading into next season if the team plans on contending to win a Super Bowl. From a defensive standpoint I have gone over the front seven personnel that the team has and here I will go into detail regarding the secondary personnel of the team heading into the 2026 season.
Set to start at the first of the two primary cornerback spots is 2025 2nd rounder Trey Amos who had a respectable rookie season that he is in line to build off of going forward. Amos was a remarkable college player garnering first team All-SEC honors during his final season in college which is noteworthy considering the SEC is likely the toughest conference in the country. Amos suffered a season ending injury as a rookie and looked decent in totality before going down. Amos, given his elite collegiate play, high draft selection, and decent rookie season, will be in line to break out as a star during the 2026 campaign.
Set to start at strong safety is 2022 3rd rounder Nick Cross who is talented but has had his ups and downs. Cross struggled as a rookie in limited snaps as one would expect but then looked very strong in limited snaps in year 2 in 2023. During the 2024 season, which was his first full season starting, he graded in nearly the top 25% among players at his position according to Pro Football Focus. However, he then graded in the bottom 25% in that same department taking starter snaps during the 2025 campaign. However, Dan Quinn’s defense and many of his defensive players struggled in totality during 2025, and Cross could very well rebound and have a strong year next season like the previous two he had.
Set to start at the free safety spot is 2023 2nd rounder Quan Martin who has mostly underwhelmed in the NFL thus far although showing some promise. Martin looked strong as a rookie in limited snaps but then looked below average taking starter snaps for the first time during the 2024 season. However, the Commanders were still optimistic on Martin’s prospects as a starter in the NFL but then he looked poor taking starter snaps during the 2025 season. Martin has consistently regressed as such a high draft pick who had a strong rookie season. However, he obviously still has talent and maybe 2026 season can be the season where he puts it all together and lives up to his high draft billing and builds off of his solid rookie season. Martin as of now remains a weak link in Washington’s starting front seven and is a prime candidate to move to a reserve role.
2024 2nd rounder Mike Sainristil had a very strong rookie season grading above average among players at his position which is very difficult for a rookie to do. He however nosedived during the 2025 season as many of the defenders for Washington did as he had a sophomore slump type of season. Perhaps he can build off of his strong rookie season in year 3 and start to live up to his high draft billing going forward.
Finally, Amik Robertson rounds out the Washington starting secondary and is likely better suited as a backup in the NFL. Robertson in six NFL seasons has graded in the below average range among players at his position in five of the six years while ranking only slightly above average in the remaining year. Robertson will be a prime candidate to move to a reserve role at some point during the 2026 season, but he is far from awful.
From a reserve standpoint in the secondary the Commanders have several notable names that could loom very large as they could potentially transition to the starting lineup given all the question marks/holes that Washington currently has in their starting secondary. Corner Tre Hawkins III struggled as a rookie in 2023 but then played at an elite level in very limited snaps during the 2024 season. Safety Jeremy Reaves has shown a very high ceiling in the NFL although lacking consistency, while the same can be said for cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon. While cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr has consistently played at a solid level with regularity in the NFL thus far.
Just like the front seven of the team, Washington has a lot of talent and a lot of depth in their secondary, but far too many question marks, too many unproven players, and their starting secondary lineup as presently constructed is amongst the worst in the NFL. The Washington secondary could eventually end up being very good, however. A breakdown of Washington’s secondary personnel can be found below.
Projected 2026 Washington Commanders’ Starting Secondary
LCB – Trey Amos – C as rookie, 2025 2nd rounder
SS – Nick Cross – C+ to B-, very strong before down year in 2025
FS – Quan Martin – C to C- so far, 2023 2nd rounder, solid rookie season, has consistently regressed and played poorly at times since
RCB – Mike Sainristil – 2024 2nd rounder, very strong rookie season, nosedived in 2025 in sophomore slump year, could rebound in year 3
NB – Amik Robertson – C to C+, likely better suited as reserve
Notable 2026 Washington Commanders’ Reserve Secondary Players
CB – Tre Hawkins – B-, elite in very limited snaps outside of rookie season
S – Jeremy Reaves – C+ to B-, very high ceiling, far too inconsistent
CB – Ahkello Witherspoon – C+ to B-, very high ceiling, very inconsistent
CB – Antonio Hamilton Sr – C+ to B-, consistently solid
