One former Buffalo Bills starter is seeing his NFL career extended – even if it’s not in the most ideal of situations.
“Sources: Free-agent CB Rasul Douglas is planning to sign a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders worth up to $3.8 million,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Monday morning. “Douglas spent last season with the Dolphins, where he started 13 games. A former Eagles third-round pick in 2017, Douglas now returns to the NFC East.”
The Commanders went 5-12 in 2025 after going 12-5 and advancing to the NFC Championship Game in 2024.
Douglas was an All-Big 12 player at West Virginia before the Eagles drafted him in the third round (No. 99 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. He started 5 games as a rookie and had 2 interceptions on the way to winning a Super Bowl.
Douglas was a part-time starter for 3 seasons in Philadelphia before he was waived in September 2020. Since then, Douglas has played for the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Packers and Buffalo Bills, where he started 15 games in 2024 and had 6 pass deflections.
He played for the Miami Dolphins in 2025 on a 1-year, $1.57 million contract.
Through 9 NFL seasons, Douglas has approximately $26.2 million in career earnings.
Rasul Douglas Predicted to ‘Bounce Back’ in 2025
PFF’s Zolton Buday put Douglas on his list of the top “bounce-back” players in the NFL in 2025 before he signed with the Dolphins.
“His underwhelming 2024 campaign may help explain why he remains unsigned,” Buday wrote in May 2025. “Douglas posted a 53.9 PFF overall grade, 102nd out of 116 qualifying cornerbacks, and his 51.6 coverage grade ranked 103rd … Despite his disappointing 2024 season, Douglas’ recent track record and the fact that he turns just 30 at the start of the season make him a strong bounce-back candidate for any team needing veteran cornerback help.”
Commanders Lacking Star Power in Secondary
One thing the Commanders have been sorely lacking for the better part of the last 2 decades is anything resembling a star at cornerback.
The Commanders haven’t had a cornerback selected to the Pro Bowl since DeAngelo Hall in 2010 and haven’t had a cornerback named NFL All-Pro since Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green in 1991.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox singled out 2nd-year cornerback Trey Amos as the roster’s “Most Promising” building block — and predicts he could turn into the kind of star the franchise has been lacking at the position.
“The Washington Commanders have their young offensive centerpiece in quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was a rookie Pro Bowler in 2024,” Knox wrote on July 5. “They’re still searching for defensive building blocks, and they just might have one in second-year corner Trey Amos. The second-round pick out of Mississippi had an up-and-down rookie campaign (104.6 opposing passer rating) before suffering a fractured fibula. This offseason, Washington made a slew of new additions to a defense that ranked 32nd overall last season. It will feature several new starters, but Amos should soon entrench himself as a star in the secondary.”
The Commanders haven’t indicated a timeline for Amos’ return — he watched from the sidelines during mandatory minicamp as he continues to rehabilitate his damaged leg.
Following the 2025 draft, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski called Amos one of the “Best Value” picks that year.
“This year’s 61st overall draft pick is a physical 6’1″, 195-pound man-press corner who can immediately slot into the starting lineup,” Sobleski wrote. “Plenty of buzz existed prior to the draft that identified Amos as a late first-round possibility … the Commanders should be thrilled he was still on the board.”
Former Bills’ 15-Game Starter Lands With Struggling NFC Team