Quarterbacks have been avoiding Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Will the Commanders take their chances?

When Quinyon Mitchell played the Washington Commanders for the first time in 2024, the then-rookie cornerback officially put himself on the map.

In that 26-18 Eagles win over the Commanders last Nov. 14, wide receiver Terry McLaurin might as well have been wearing Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. On the 20 routes McLaurin ran when matched up against Mitchell, the two-time Pro Bowl receiver was never targeted, according to Next Gen Stats.

Mitchell’s 2025 season to date has been one long continuation of that contest. Whether he’s traveling with opponents’ top receivers or lining up on the boundary (the short side of the field that tends to garner less safety help), Mitchell has managed to lock down his side. That accomplishment doesn’t come as a surprise to Vic Fangio.

“He’s a guy that works very, very hard at it, hasn’t deviated from his process, still goes through the same extra meetings that he did as a rookie,” Fangio said. “Still doing them now. That’s why he is a good player.”

The numbers back up the eye test when it comes to Mitchell’s success in Year 2. He has allowed a 42.7% completion rate on his targets, which is the lowest among cornerbacks with at least 400 coverage snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

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Targeting Mitchell is bad business for most quarterbacks. They have a 56.3 quarterback rating when throwing the ball his way, which is the second-worst among that same group of cornerbacks.

But Mitchell, the 22nd-overall pick out of Toledo last year, hasn’t been cocky about his success. When asked to assess his own play this season, Mitchell responded unassumingly.

“I think it’s going smooth,” he said. “I could be better. So each and every week, I’m just trying to harp on the small details. Just trying to get better with my technique.”

How can a cornerback improve when quarterbacks aren’t throwing the ball his way? In the last two games, Mitchell has been targeted just four times, conceding one catch for seven yards.

“I’ve just got to stay ready,” Mitchell said. “I always expect every play, every down, that the ball’s going to come my way. So just staying ready and staying locked in.”

McLaurin is Mitchell’s next challenge. It has been an unprecedented season for the 30-year-old receiver, who has missed seven games this season due to a quadriceps injury. Prior to this year, McLaurin had missed just three games in six seasons.

Still, McLaurin has been the Commanders’ top target, averaging a team-high 58.4 receiving yards per game. That clip is a career low, a reflection of the struggles the Commanders offense has had this season with quarterback Jayden Daniels missing time due to various injuries.

The impending games against the Commanders this year, beginning with Saturday’s contest, won’t have the same drama as last season. The 4-10 Commanders are out of the playoffs and down key players on offense such as Daniels, tight end Zach Ertz and left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

With a chance to clinch the NFC East on the line, Mitchell isn’t taking the matchup lightly, nor should he. Quarterback Marcus Mariota is capable of extending plays with his legs and hitting his receivers deep. Last week against the New York Giants, Mariota connected with McLaurin on a 51-yard touchdown pass down the seam that helped seal the Commanders’ first win in more than two months.

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“We feel like they’re going to come out and play their game,” Mitchell said. “They have a very good football team. So we expect them to come out and be aggressive and be physical.”

Just like he has been all season, Mitchell will be aggressive and physical, too. The Eagles will play their third game in 13 days on Saturday, a circumstance Mitchell is used to. He played on plenty of short weeks given the number of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday games in the Mid-American Conference.

While Mitchell has improved on the field in his second season, he says his mindset remains the same. This time last year, he wasn’t thinking about his chances at winning the league’s defensive rookie of the year award. Now, he isn’t thinking about his chances of being voted to the Pro Bowl.

He won’t entertain questions of whether he’s the best cornerback in the league, either.

“That’s up to y’all to decide,” Mitchell said. “I know how I feel, but I’ll keep it to myself.”

The Eagles ruled out Lane Johnson (foot) and Jalen Carter (shoulders) for Saturday’s game against the Commanders. Neither player practiced all week.

Tight end Cam Latu (stinger) and offensive tackle Cameron Williams (shoulder; injured reserve) are listed as questionable to play.