2026 Position Review: Safety
July 17, 2026
By Noonefromtampa
Background
This group did not play well in the defensive scheme last year, which featured blown coverages, missed assignments, bad angles and poor tackling. Daronte Jones mentioned several players from this group during his introductory press conference and interviews including Quan Martin, Jeremy Reaves and Will Harris. Jones is looking for versatile players who can play multiple roles in the disguised coverage schemes he used in Minnesota. While many fans were down on players like Martin, it appears they will get a second chance with the new defensive coordinator.
Washington did not select a safety in the 2026 draft.
Returning Players
Quan Martin, 2022 2nd round pick
Will Harris, 2025 free agent
Jeremy Reaves, 2018 free agent
Percy Butler, 2022 4th round pick
Tyler Owens, 2024 undrafted free agent
Rob McDaniel, [reserve/futures contract]
Players Lost
Free Agents Signed
Nick Cross, 2 years for $13 million
Draft Picks
None
Undrafted Free Agents
Malik Spencer, Michigan State
Roster Details
| Player | # | HT | WT | Age | Exp | College |
| Percy Butler | 35 | 6-1 | 190 | 25 | 5 | Louisiana |
| Nick Cross | 25 | 6-1 | 212 | 24 | 5 | Maryland |
| Will Harris | 3 | 6-1 | 206 | 30 | 8 | Boston College |
| Quan Martin | 20 | 6-1 | 195 | 26 | 4 | Illinois |
| Robert McDaniel | 47 | 6-2 | 207 | 25 | 1 | Jackson State University |
| Tyler Owens | 18 | 6-2 | 213 | 24 | 3 | Texas Tech |
| Jeremy Reaves | 39 | 5-11 | 200 | 29 | 7 | South Alabama |
| Malik Spencer | 6-0 | 197 | 22 | R | Michigan State |
Thoughts
Quan Martin did not look like the player we saw during the playoff run in 2024. He looked out of place many times and missed too many tackles. The secondary fell apart after the injuries decimated the pass rush and it was also impacted by the injury to Will Harris. The injury to Harris, who missed a significant part of the season, seemed to greatly impact the communication between players on the back end.
Nick Cross was brought in to elevate the run defense and provide another option in blitzing. He is a very athletic player with excellent speed. This allows his to be explosive when plugging gaps and is a sure tackler. He does not always excel in pass coverage.
With the addition of Cross and the returning players, this unit has the possibility of being one of the better position groups on the team. The key will be their ability to play in the new scheme that Jones will be installing. Jones wants athletic, versatile players who can single cover, fill gaps in the run defense and match cover on underneath and crossing routes. This group fits that bill.
My view on the defensive scheme at this point in time is that Harris will be the deep safety, Cross the box safety and Martin will play a slot cover/dime backer role he exceled at in 2024. I think we will see a lot of 3-safety sets with these three players on the field.
2025 Stats
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | INT | PD | TFL | FF/FR |
| Cross | 1,111 (96%) | 72 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1/0 |
| Martin | 927 (81%) | 99 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1/0 |
| Harris | 560 (49%) | 38 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1/0 |
| Reaves | 708 (62%) | 91 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0/0 |
| Owens | 66 (6%) | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Butler | 20 (2%) | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
Projection
Starters: Cross, Harris
Reserves: Martin, Butler, Reaves, Owen
Practice Squad or Released: McDaniel, Spencer