Philadelphia’s top competition in the NFC East just got better.
The Washington Commanders are typically in the position to be sellers at the NFL trade deadline but a 7-2 start this season has them in buying mode.
With an obvious weakness at cornerback, the Commanders decided to improve their roster by sending multiple draft picks to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore. The full trade terms:
COMMANDERS RECEIVE — Marshon Lattimore, Saints’ 2025 fifth-round pick
SAINTS RECEIVE — Commanders’ 2025 third-round pick, Commanders’ 2025 fourth-round pick, Saints’ 2025 sixth-round pick (that New Orleans previously sent to Washington in the John Ridgeway trade)
This development is bad news for the Eagles, who are currently chasing the Commanders for the NFC East lead. Lattimore, 28, is a pretty good player; he’s allowed just a 69.1 passer rating when targeted this season. That’s after allowing a 74.7 passer rating in 2023 and a 67.3 passer rating in 2022.
Another annoying angle for the Eagles is that they unintentionally helped the Commanders make this deal. Philly sent the more favorable of two third-round picks (either theirs or the Miami Dolphins’ selection, so, probably the latter) to Washington in exchange for Jahan Dotson. Although he had a big catch in Week 9, Dotson has mostly been a non-factor for the Eagles with 14 targets for seven receptions, 71 yards, and zero touchdowns. And that’s with both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith missing significant playing time due to injury.
To be clear, the Commanders didn’t actually use the pick that the Eagles gave them (honestly, bad job by the Saints for not pushing harder for that selection) … but Washington having an additional third-round pick likely emboldened them to do this deal.
It’s worth pointing out that, Lattimore hasn’t had the same kind of ball production in recent years that he had earlier in his career. He logged 13 interceptions and five forced fumbles over his first five seasons. Since 2022, Lattimore’s had just two picks and zero punch-outs. Injury issues have also limited him to playing in just 24 out of 43 possible games.
Lattimore is currently signed through 2026 so the Eagles will potentially have to deal with him this year and beyond. The Eagles will face Lattimore (for the second time this season) when they host the Washington Commanders on Thursday night in Week 11.
