Ahkello Witherspoon Reunites With Adam Peters After Signing With Commanders

The Washington Commanders have been active since Day 1 of free agency, but things have slowed considerably since then, with NFL Pro Days currently being held as we barrel towards the NFL Draft.

The Commanders paid close attention to their defense, including their league-worst 2025 secondary, signing Nick Cross and Amik Robertson. However, while good signings, the Commanders still lacked an outside corner with size and length to rotate with Robertson, Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos.

They have now found exactly that missing puzzle piece. After bringing in veteran corner Ahkello Witherspoon for a visit, the Commanders quickly jumped at the opportunity to keep him in the building, signing him to a one-year deal.

The #Commanders are signing veteran CB Ahkello Witherspoon following his visit to the team today, sources say. After three seasons with the #Rams, Witherspoon heads to Washington, rejoining GM Adam Peters, who was with the #49ers when the team drafted Witherspoon. pic.twitter.com/7axtyQSREj
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 26, 2026

Depth, Size & Length

Witherspoon's signing reunites him with Adam Peters from their time together with the San Francisco 49ers, and should be a key ingredient in how the Commanders plan on turning their defense around.

With Marshon Lattimore being released and Robertson locked into the nickel/slot role, the Commanders desperately needed a veteran who could play the boundary. Witherspoon fits this mold with his 6-foot-2 frame.

Witherspoon has spent the majority of his career as a rotational corner in the league, but started all 17 games for the Los Angeles Rams during a breakout season in 2023.

Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Things were looking up for Witherspoon, but the train came to a screeching halt after he suffered a shoulder injury that caused him to miss the majority of the 2025 season before becoming a free agent.

It will be intriguing to see how Witherspoon's rehab from the injury has gone, and how ready he will be for offseason programs and the upcoming season. But if Peters and the staff were willing to sign him, all signs point towards him being ready to go with no limitations.

It's a low-risk contract for the Commanders as they look for Witherspoon to "prove it" on the field and earn a future contract with the team. Even with Witherspoon's signing, it doesn't take the Commanders out of possibly drafting a cornerback seventh overall in the upcoming NFL Draft to keep up their recent momentum of getting younger across the board.

While they still could take a corner seventh overall, the addition of Witherspoon likely means they will value another position in the first round before using their later draft capital on a cornerback.