Kam Curl is the ultimate chess piece for Commanders' defense originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
ASHBURN, Va. — When praise is given to the Washington Commanders’ defense, it usually starts by mentioning the Burgundy and Gold’s defensive line.
It’s understandable. All four of Washington’s starters on the defensive front are first-round picks, headlined by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and Chase Young, the 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Daron Payne and Montez Sweat have also proven to be in the upper tier at their respective positions.
The potential of Washington’s defensive line remains quite high, despite last year’s underwhelming performance overall. Those four players are some of the main reasons people believe the defense can return to the top-five unit it was in 2020.
Yet, for as good as the Commanders’ defensive front is capable of being, that group alone can’t turn around the entire defense. The backend of the defense must do its part, too. A lot of that responsibility weights on the shoulders of Kamren Curl, Washington’s rising third-year safety that is the ultimate chess piece in Jack Del Rio’s defense.
Head coach Ron Rivera and his staff have prioritized positional versatility since arriving in Washington three years ago. No player on Washington’s roster, offense or defense, embodies that more than Curl.
A seventh-round pick from Arkansas in 2020, Curl began his college career as a cornerback before switching to strong safety. Washington drafted Curl as a safety, but the defensive back has lined up all over the field in the two years since.
“I just play wherever it’s best for the defense,” Curl told NBC Sports Washington. “I just like being on the field, for real, just being on the field and helping my team. That’s what I want to do.”
In 2021, Curl played 878 defensive snaps: 297 snaps at free safety, 244 at slot cornerback, 240 in the box, 63 along the defensive line, and 34 as an outside cornerback.
Talk about versatility.
“Him as a player, he’s just really fast,” linebacker Jamin Davis said. “He’s one of those guys that’s not afraid to come downhill in the box and make some plays. So, it’s always beneficial having a guy like 31 behind you.”
Curl has not only been able to play multiple positions but has been effective at each one, too. According to Pro Football Focus, Curl has graded out in the top third of safeties in the NFL. PFF categorizes its player grades for safeties into three categories: run defense, pass rush and coverage. Curl was in the top third of safeties in all of these individual categories as well.
While Curl might not be exceptional in one specific area, he’s one of the most rounded safeties in the league.
“Kam was a guy that came in and already had a good sense of what it took to be a good player,” Rivera said Saturday. “Last year we saw his development and we saw how he was learning the nuances of the game. You see him be a pro in how he handles his preparation, the way he takes care of himself, and the way he practices. He’s become such a solid football player, and there’s room for growth for him to be even better.”
Curl is far from the only player in Washington’s secondary with positional flex. Safety Bobby McCain has experience playing all five positions on the backend. Kendall Fuller has played both inside and outside cornerback in his career and even lined up at safety during his time in Kansas City.
Now, though, both Fuller and McCain each have one position they almost exclusively play, while Curl continues to play all over the field.
“It’s a common theme in our room,” Curl said. “We call ourselves ‘D-backs.’ Just to have that versatility, that’s what we want in our room. We’ve got a lot of guys who can play more than one position.”
Benjamin St-Juste, a third-round pick by Washington in 2021, is another player the Commanders hope can have Curl-esque versatility. After starting his career on the outside, Washington moved St-Juste to nickel cornerback this offseason. St-Juste said earlier this week he looks at Curl’s game as one he can model his own after.
“Kam Curl is a great example to follow, especially at my position,” St-Juste said. “I saw him move to the Buffalo [nickel], he plays a little bit at Nickel, plays safety, and he has great coverage skills.
“He’s kind of a little bit like a 2.0 version of what I’m doing with this defense,” St-Juste continued. “So just by looking at him on film, seeing how he plays, his style of play, his reads, and all that stuff, that’s another player that I can mold my game around.”
Curl has grown significantly as a player during his first two seasons in Washington, but his teammates have also seen a vast improvement in his communication as well.
“His communication jumped to a second-level nature,” Davis said.
The safety specifically pointed out pre-snap communication as something he’s worked hard on this offseason. Part of Curl’s role is telling his teammates on the fly what he sees based on certain offensive formations. He’s proud of the strides he’s made in that aspect but knows there’s room for even more improvement.
Even though Curl only has two professional seasons under his belt, the 23-year-old is quickly emerging as one of Washington’s defensive leaders. Rivera said earlier this offseason that Curl is starting to find his voice. Curl concurs.
“I knew at some point I’d have to step up and be that leader, that vocal leader,” Curl said. “That’s what I’ve been working on [from] the spring and now. I feel like it’s my time to do that, for sure.”