Commanders' Marshon Lattimore trade pushes turnaround – NBC4 Washington

At 7-2 and their best nine-game record in nearly 30 years, the Washington Commanders decided to go all out this season and trade for a star defenseman.

On Tuesday afternoon, news broke that Washington sent a package of draft picks to New Orleans in exchange for four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore, a first-round pick in 2017, was named Defensive Rookie of the Year and has been a cornerstone for the Saints ever since.

Washington's secondary struggled for most of the season and was widely considered their weakest unit on the roster. The move to acquire Lattimore immediately strengthens the group as the corner is equipped to cover the opponent's best receivers.

The only downside for Lattimore is injuries. He has missed significant time each of the last two seasons and games this year with a hamstring injury. However, it is believed that Lattimore's injuries could be miraculously healed this year by simply being traded away from New Orleans.

With a record of 2-7, the Saints' season has fallen apart and the team fired its head coach earlier this week. Many players took to social media to express their displeasure with the situation, and former players appear to be celebrating the move.

On the face of it, Washington paid a heavy price for this move. Officially, Washington sent its 3rd, 4th and 6th round picks to New Orleans in exchange for Lattimore and a 5th round pick.

However, if you look a little closer, the deal is looking good for the Commanders.

General manager Adam Peters received an additional third-round pick earlier this year in exchange for sending Jahan Dotson to the Eagles. Additionally, the 6th round pick that Washington is sending to New Orleans is actually the Saints pick that the Commanders acquired before the season for defensive tackle John Ridgeway.

It's unclear whether Lattimore's move will prove great for Washington. The injuries could continue to be a problem. But the price wasn't all that high for the potential reward. And it's possible that the Lattimore move is just the piece Dan Quinn needed to improve his defense from pretty good to very good.

Certainly, it's clear that the Commanders are taking steps to compete with the best teams in the division, the conference and the entire NFL. Washington is one of the top teams in the league, which makes them real championship contenders.

The trade deadline move for Lattimore is the move a contending team makes. Peters and Quinn believe this team can now compete for titles. Otherwise this step will not take place.