Commanders Part Ways With Special Teams Standout

Getty Washington Commanders cornerback Christian Holmes.

The Washington Commanders need value plus at every position across the board — which means if you can’t do one thing great you need to be able to do a lot of things really well.

In this case, cornerback and special teams standout Christian Holmes didn’t make the cut and was waived by the Commanders on Aug. 4.

Holmes was best known for making what turned out to be a game-winning play on special teams against the Chicago Bears as a rookie in 2022, when he recovered a muffed punt at the Bears’ 6-yard line to set up the game-winning touchdown in a 12-7 victory.

It wasn’t the only move the Commanders made on Aug. 4, signing veteran defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth after they cut Holmes. Stallworth made the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina in 2018 and has played for eight teams over the last seven seasons.

Holmes Drafted by Commanders in 2022

Holmes played the first four seasons of college at Missouri and last two at Oklahoma State, saving his best performance for his final season. In 2021, Holmes was named All-Big 12 after helping lead the Cowboys to the Big 12 Championship Game.

Holmes played his way into being a draft pick, with the Commanders taking him in the seventh round (No. 240 overall) in the 2022 NFL draft.

While Holmes showed a knack for making big plays on special teams as a rookie, when the Commanders got a look at what he could do at cornerback the returns weren’t as good.

Holmes started two games at cornerback as a rookie in 2022 and struggled mightily — he was targeted 8 times for 7 receptions which resulted in 106 receiving yards and 1 touchdown.

Commanders Addressing Issues at Cornerback

The Commanders have a new coaching staff that probably doesn’t have much patience for a player like Holmes — one who could fill a role on special teams but wouldn’t be a suitable replacement at their given position.

To that end, Washington seems to have went out and found replacements for Holmes in the draft and otherwise.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine singled out Commanders rookie cornerback Chigozie Anusiem as the one undrafted player he thinks could crack the 53-man roster to start the season. The Commanders also drafted another cornerback in the second round in Michigan star Mike Sainristil.

The Commanders signed Anusiem to a three-year, $2.8 million contract with $350,000 guaranteed money — the biggest contract signed by any UDFA in the NFL in 2024. Sainristil is already projected as Washington’s starting nickelback as a rookie after he led the Wolverines to a College Football Playoff national championship as a senior in 2023.

“It’s not hard to see why Anusiem was worth the investment for Washington,” Ballentine wrote. “He has a great build for the position (6’1″, 200 pounds) and is a physical presence with the long speed to contribute on special teams. Add in the fact that the Commanders cornerback room still has questionable depth, and Anusiem has a good shot at making the roster.”