Defense wins championships, but the Washington Commanders struggled on defense last year. To address last season’s problems, the Commanders overhauled their entire defense this offseason. One of the most overlooked players Washington signed was cornerback Rasul Douglas, whom it didn’t sign until July. Now, he has been named one of the top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL by Pro Football Network.
PFN uses a numerical model to rank the best corners in the NFL, quantifying a player’s coverage performance, playmaking ability, and overall score. At No. 10 on the list is Douglas, who received an overall score of 83.5 for his performance with the Miami Dolphins last season. He was also No. 9 in coverage but No. 19 in playmaking.
Miami was the fifth team Douglas
started for in his NFL career. He began his NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles as a third-round draft pick in 2017. His tenure with the Eagles ended during roster cuts for the 2020 season, but he was ultimately picked up by the Carolina Panthers a day later. After a year in Carolina, he played for the Green Bay Packers for two and a half seasons before the Bills traded for him during the 2023 season. When Buffalo released him at the end of the 2024 season, Miami picked him up for the 2025 season.
His year with the Dolphins served as somewhat of a rebound year for him. After not recording an interception in 2024, he had two picks in 2025, a forced fumble and a sack. Now, he comes to the Commanders, hoping to bring that production to Washington.
Washington will certainly need it throughout the season, especially in their regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sun. Sept. 13 (4:25 p.m. / FOX), who have an impressive wide receiver duo in De’Vonta Smith and rookie Makai Lemon.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: New Commanders CB ranked among NFL's best based on 2025 production
