Commanders Training Camp 3 to Watch: Cornerbacks

Our second-to-last look at three player to watch when Washington opens camp, next week.

When deciding how to close our three players to watch series for this year’s Washington Commanders training camp, I’ll admit that I struggled a bit.

Originally, this was going to be a defensive backs piece, not just cornerbacks.

As I hold out hope Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates comes to Washington, I decided to split them, and buy myself 24 hours for it to come to fruition.

Good news is, now we get to talk about three corners.

BENJAMIN ST-JUSTE

Perhaps my favorite non-Arizona State player from the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl, I didn’t even go into Mobile, Alabama that year looking to focus on corners. And that’s what made St-Juste stand out even more.

The fact that he drew my attention vs being a guy I planned on watching in the first place is significant.

And when he was drafted by Washington, I was excited to see what the coaching staff would be able to do with his length and ability at the NFL level.

Playing in just nine games his rookie year, St-Juste’s next interception will be his first. Yet, we saw flashes of what made him so intriguing to begin with when he was on the field.

Unfortunately we also saw concussions. Plural.

Now, he’s healthy, has had time to heal, and is being thrust into a role of slot defender; a position in which his coaches are confident he can thrive.

Training camp is where he’ll take his biggest strides towards solidifying that position.

WILLIAM JACKSON III

In his second year with Washington everyone is expecting Jackson to play better than he did in the first.

That includes Jackson.

This off-season the veteran corner talked about being comfortable with his teammates and the scheme this time around, compared to last year when he was the new guy.

That comfortability is allowing him to play faster and with more confidence in early practices, and will provide him a solid platform to build his 2022 campaign on.

Even though he looked out of sorts at times last season, Jackson still came away with a career high two interceptions.

If Washington’s defense wants to become dominant, I think Jackson needs to double that this season. 

CHRISTIAN HOLMES

As a rookie, your firsts are all important. Holmes has his first two camps out of the way. However, his first training camp in the NFL is going to be a whole other experience.

Looking at the depth chart, Holmes has a solid shot at making the initial 53-man roster with a strong camp.

While some veterans like Corn Elder and Danny Johnson look to stand in his way, they’re also giving him chances to improve by providing an example of how to approach the game as a professional cornerback.

Even if he starts on the practice squad, Holmes’ journey towards being an impact member of the Washington Commanders really starts here. 

The rest of it has been a warmup.