Commanders Training Camp 3 to Watch: Safeties
With the countdown now showing days instead of weeks before the Washington Commanders begin their 2022 training camp, we take one last look at three players to keep an eye on.
This time, from the safety group.
DARRICK FORREST
My favorite to be the team's Buffalo nickel, Forrest will essentially be looked at as the replacement for free agent safety Landon Collins.
Collins spent three seasons with Washington before being let go this offseason in a cap saving move.
While he rejected the idea of being labeled a linebacker, the veteran played plenty in the middle of the defense last season, and looked good doing it.
While Collins was appearing on 675 defensive snaps in 2021, Forrest was on the field for just 26 as a rookie while playing more than 150 on special teams.
In year two, I look for Forrest's defensive contributions to spike significantly, as he continues to cement his role on the team in training camp and the preseason.
PERCY BUTLER
From a second-year fifth-round pick to a rookie fourth, Butler has created plenty of excitement about what he may be able to accomplish in his first NFL season.
That being said, it's important to temper expectations, because Bobby McCain appears to be firmly in control of his starting spot.
This may not be the position battle some hoped might be coming at the end of last season, but Butler is a prospect who could become a vital part of the special teams equation and contribute to the defense in specific packages and situations.
For evaluators, the biggest concern about Butler entering the league is his ability to tackle. This is something we haven't been able to see yet because of the non-contact rules in the early phases of the offseason training programs, but as the preseason approaches, we'll finally get a look at this facet of his game.
If Butler proves to be an improved tackler, then he may be on the field more often than previously expected.
JESSIE BATES
No, you didn't miss any breaking news. While Jessie Bates remains with the Cincinnati Bengals at the time of this writing, he hasn't publicly waivered off his stance he won't report to training camp under the franchise tag.
Well, the deadline to extend tagged players has passed, and Bates and the Bengals weren't even close to agreeing on a deal according to many around the league.
Bates is worth watching because if he stands firm to his holdout then Cincinnati may not have a choice but to deal him.
Granted, the later they do it the less likely he'll find immediate success with his new team, so this isn't necessarily something that has to be rectified in the next week.
But if Bates doesn't report, then something worth watching becomes a trade to anticipate.
Could the Commanders be in the mix?
The team currently has around $12 million in cap space, and Bates' tag year will cost just under $13 million.
So yes, yes they could. And should.
