NFC East secondaries ranked from worst to best in 2023
• Philly has a mix of veteran leadership and potential
• The Cowboys have two potential No. 1 cornerbacks
By Randy Gurzi
3. Washington Commanders
CB: Emmanuel Forbes, Kendall Fuller, Jartavius Martin
S: Darrick Forrest, Kamren Curl
Give the Washington Commanders some credit — they knew they were weak in the secondary. That's why their top two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft were both used to add cornerbacks to the roster. At pick No. 16, they took Emmanuel Forbes out of Mississippi State, and then at No. 47, they brought in Jartavius Martin from Illinois.
The Forbes pick was seen by some as a reach but Washington had to get a guy capable of running with the elite wideouts in the NFC East and he can do that with his 4.35 speed. Martin is more versatile having spent time at corner and safety but should be a starter across from Forbes before long.
Kendall Fuller is the veteran of the group and was 15th in the NFL last season according to PFF. He's going to be incredibly valuable to the younger players as they learn the speed of the pro game.
At safety, Kamren Curl was a breakout star and finished second in the position according to PFF. He lifts them some and Darrick Forrest is a capable starter. Overall, there's a good mix of veteran leadership and youth on this roster. They'll be better in 2023 than they were in 2022 but they can't surpass Dallas or Philly yet.