One of the biggest questions facing the Washington Commanders defense in 2026 is finding out who will step into the role of shutdown cornerback — the answer might already be on the roster.
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 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.
“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.
PFF Called CB Trey Amos ‘Next Great Player
Pro Football Focus NFL reporter Bradley Locker gave Amos a spot on his NFL All-Breakout Team for 2026 after he started 8 out of 10 games for the Commanders as a rookie — Amos fractured his fibula in a Week 10 loss to the Detroit Lions.
“Last year’s second-round selection didn’t enjoy the kind of rookie showcase he desired, concluding with a 55.8 overall PFF grade with a 58.8 PFF coverage mark,” Locker wrote. “While Amos was certainly victimized at times, he reflected his talent by earning at least a 68.5 coverage grade in five of his 10 contests, and his 51.43% lockdown rate was 26th among all cornerbacks. Further, Amos broke up an eye-catching 17.6% of his targets. Washington’s defense should be considerably better at all three levels in 2026 after the team’s offseason overhaul. With new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones specializing in the secondary, that marks another boost for Amos.”
Commanders Got ‘Best Value’ With Trey Amos
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.”
In college, Amos played for 3 teams in 5 seasons. He started his college career with 3 seasons outside the Power Four at the University of Louisiana before spending one season at Alabama in 2023 and his final season at Ole Miss, where he was an All-SEC selection with 50 tackles, 13 pass deflections, 4 tackles for loss, and 3 interceptions.
Amos only solidified his draft stock at the NFL scouting combine, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds. One thing he also has that NFL teams value is experience, as he played in a whopping 61 games over those 5 seasons.
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