The Commanders didn’t wait around after Ahkello Witherspoon’s sudden retirement. They moved quickly, and the answer was a familiar one: Fabian Moreau is back in Washington on a one-year deal, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.
It’s the kind of roster move that says plenty about how the front office is operating. General manager Adam Peters had already brought in Rasul Douglas before training camp, but Washington still wanted more in the cornerback room. With Trey Amos still sidelined and Witherspoon landing on the reserve/retired list, the Commanders chose to add another veteran body rather than sit tight.
Moreau’s return carries a personal side, too. He spent the first four years of his career in Washington after the team selected him in the third round in 2017, and he also has history with new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. The two worked together for two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and built a relationship that now continues in Washington.
That familiarity should help Moreau settle in fast, because the clock is already ticking. Peters, Jones, and head coach Dan Quinn have been watching camp unfold through the first week and into the opening padded practice of Week 2, and they clearly felt more was needed after Witherspoon stepped away from football.
This is still a depth move, but it’s not an empty one. Moreau knows the scheme and understands what Jones wants, which gives him a leg up even if he is far from a lock to carve out a major role. He had some solid moments in his career, but his time in Minnesota was uneven enough that no one was exactly lining up to sign him.
Even so, Jones sees something worth betting on. Moreau did work his way into the Vikings’ CB3 spot late last season, and Washington may be the best place for him to squeeze a little more out of his career. The Commanders, meanwhile, are making it clear they will keep adjusting until the cornerback group looks the way they want it to look.
Peters has shown all offseason that he’s willing to make the hard call, and this is another one. Moreau will need to learn fast and prove he belongs, because there’s no room for a slow start. If things break right, the former UCLA standout could end up on the 53-man roster.
Who he replaces is still to be determined. But after the way this summer has unfolded, Washington clearly wasn’t content to leave the room as it was.
In Other News...
Commanders Homecoming Trend Comes With Pressure Fans Can Already Feel
Playing close to home can sound like a dream, but for NFL players with local roots, it comes with a different kind of pressure. Around the Commanders, that reality has shown up in the conversations around players such as Nick Cross and Stefon Diggs, both of whom have ties to the Washington area and understand what it means to perform in front of familiar faces, old friends and the same communities that watched them grow up.
Chase Youngs experience offered another reminder that a hometown fit is never simple. The comfort of being near family and friends can be real, but so can the expectations that come with it, both on the field and off it. For players weighing personal and professional factors, the Commanders homecoming appeal can feel like a major selling point, even as the local spotlight makes every step a little heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Amos Just Raised The Stakes For Washingtons Cornerback Battle
Trey Amos has been one of the more closely watched pieces of Washingtons cornerback picture this summer, even while he has stayed off the field. The Commanders are still working him back from the fibula fracture he suffered last season, and the team has been cautious about bringing him along too quickly as training camp gets rolling.
Head coach Dan Quinn is set to check on Amoss progress soon, with that evaluation expected to help determine how much longer the rookie-style wait might last before he can get back to football work. Amos has sounded confident about his return, but Washingtons approach suggests it is willing to let the recovery timeline play out the right way before adding him back into a competition that already has real stakes. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Could Still Make Jayden Daniels A Lot More Dangerous
A veteran receiver with a proven track record is still sitting on the market, and the Commanders have at least done their homework. ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reported Washington has had contact with free agent Stefon Diggs, which keeps the idea alive that the team could add another established target for Jayden Daniels as it looks to make the second-year quarterback even tougher to defend.
Diggs, who turns 33 in November, is reportedly looking for a one-year deal and has made it known he would like to land in Washington. For now, though, the interest appears to be more exploratory than urgent, with no sign of intensified negotiations yet, leaving the Commanders with a potentially enticing option still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]