The Washington Commanders spent the offseason tearing down and rebuilding their defense, and the safety spot is already drawing scrutiny before 2026 even arrives.
That attention has landed on Nick Cross, one of Washington’s biggest secondary additions in free agency. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton recently picked one “bust” for each of the 32 teams heading into the 2026 season, and Cross was his choice for the Commanders.
Cross arrives with a solid résumé and plenty of familiarity with the area. The 6-foot-0, 212-pound DMV native played at the University of Maryland and started every game for the Colts over the last two seasons. Washington gave him a new two-year, $13 million deal, betting that he can help stabilize a defense that needed a serious overhaul after last season’s ugly showing.
Still, Moton pointed to real concerns in coverage. He described Cross as “a proven starter who's versatile but has glaring limitations.”
In four seasons with Indianapolis, Cross lined up at both safety spots and in the slot, but more playing time also exposed some rough edges. Since 2024, he has allowed nine touchdowns and posted passer ratings above 99 in each of the last two seasons.
That matters because Washington is looking for a dependable presence in the back end. The Commanders signed Cross to play alongside Will Harris, who has allowed passer ratings above 105 in five of his seven seasons, but Moton argued that Cross won’t provide the kind of center-field coverage the team needs.
Even so, Washington clearly sees a role for him. Cross is at his best closer to the line of scrimmage, and new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones should have a hand in using him that way. Jones, who was hired after Joe Whitt Jr. was fired in January, was given full autonomy to run the defense, and his approach could resemble what Brian Flores used in Minnesota over the past three seasons.
The Commanders have already poured resources into reshaping the defense. Along with Jones, they added edge rushers Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu, signed linebacker Leo Chenal, and used their first-round pick on Sonny Styles. In the secondary, Washington also brought in cornerback Amik Robertson, another likely starter.
As for Cross, the job isn’t handed to him yet. Harris may not automatically open the season opposite him, and he’ll have to win that spot this summer.
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