Commanders Love Rookie DB Quan Martin's 'Flexibility' in Secondary
Washington Commanders defensive back Quan Martin provides the team a versatility in their secondary that every team covets in today's NFL, and it's just one of the reasons general manager Martin Mayhew was confident in taking him in the second round of the NFL Draft.
"Very flexible guy," Mayhew said following the selection. "He can play free safety. He can play nickel...probably play a little bit outside corner...I spent some time with him when he came for a 30 visit as well...I'm excited to have him join us. Another guy that's gonna fit in really well in that room too."
As Mayhew mentioned, Martin isn't the only new defensive back joining the group.
The second of two pass defenders drafted to start the weekend for Washington the selection surprised many but it provides the team with two valuable defensive additions it felt it needed coming out of 2022.
First, the team wanted more production out of its perimeter defenders, inspiring the selection of Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes who owns the NCAA Football record for pick-sixes in a career.
Then, the Commanders wanted more position flex in the group and that's where Martin, listed as a safety, comes into the picture.
"He did end up having to play corner," Mayhew said. "So the guy's shown that he can do all those things and he has more than just a safety skillset. He can come down and play corner for you or the nickel for you."
The nickel position is where most are eyeing his ability to make an immediate impact on the roster.
By the end of last season, safety Bobby McCain was taking most of the reps in the slot for defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio's unit.
Released in the offseason, however, Washington needed to find a replacement on the roster or add a new one.
Martin figures to compete with veteran Danny Johnson for reps there while questions about the future of cornerback Kendall Fuller remain following the selection of Forbes who appears to clearly translate as an outside defender along with third-year man Benjamin St-Juste.
Fuller had arguably his best NFL seasons defending the slot and could be looked at as a possible candidate to move back inside this year.
Flexibility equates to having options, and the Commanders certainly have some.
The hope is it will lead to the best four, five, or even six defensive backs being on the field at the same time, with their exact spots up for debate until Washington's coaching staff has time to sort it out.
And that process begins this weekend with the team's annual rookie minicamp taking place in Ashburn, Virginia.
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