Ahkello Witherspoon arrived in Washington with a chance to carve out a real role, but that opportunity is already shrinking fast.
The Commanders signed the veteran cornerback to a one-year deal in free agency, and there was some quiet interest around the move because general manager Adam Peters knows him from their time together with the San Francisco 49ers. On paper, Witherspoon brought the kind of traits teams like: coverage consistency when he’s at his best, physical play, length, and ball skills. But what has happened since then has made his path to the 53-man roster far less secure.
ESPN insider John Keim’s pre-camp roster projection left Witherspoon off the team, and that lines up with how the offseason has gone for him so far. His early work in Washington’s offseason program didn’t do much to build momentum.
It wasn’t a total collapse, but it also didn’t give the staff much reason to feel comfortable about his standing. After that evaluation period, the Commanders clearly felt the need to act.
They did just that by signing Rasul Douglas to a one-year deal that can reach $3.8 million with incentives. Douglas brings size, length, and a track record of forcing turnovers, and he looks like a cleaner fit for Daronte Jones’ system. That move pushed Witherspoon further down the depth chart and made the competition even steeper.
Keim’s projected cornerback group included Trey Amos, Mike Sainristil, Amik Robertson, and Douglas, with the scheme Jones is expected to run also pointing toward plenty of three-safety looks and more Quan Martin in the nickel. In that setup, there simply may not be much room left for Witherspoon unless he makes a strong statement at camp.
That’s the reality now: the gauntlet is down, and Witherspoon has to fight his way back into the picture. He’s experienced enough to understand what’s at stake if he can’t separate himself. And with injury issues having followed him in recent years, the concern is that those problems may already be taking a toll.
At his best, Witherspoon can still help a cornerback room. He has the size, physicality, and ability to read the ball that can make him useful in press coverage, and he’s willing to contribute against the run.
But right now, none of that makes his roster spot feel safe. Anyone who assumed he was a lock should be reconsidering that view.
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