ASHBURN, VA (WTKR)- One of Lake Taylor's former stars is coming closer to home.
The Commanders announced Wednesday that they've signed former Titan Jalyn Holmes. Holmes was released by the New York Jets on Monday.
Holmes appeared in three games with the Jets this season, tallying four total tackles. He'll help provide depth for a banged-up Washington defensive line. The team placed Jonathan Allen and Javontae Jean-Baptiste on the injured list Wednesday. Head coach Dan Quinn announced Monday that Allen would undergo surgery for a torn pectoral and will miss the remainder of the season.
The former Lake Taylor star was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Vikings out of Ohio State. After three years in Minnesota, he saw stints with the Saints, Giants and Bears before landing with the Jets in 2023. His most productive season came in 2020 with the Vikings, seeing time in 14 games, including nine starts, and tallying a career-best 36 total tackles.
Holmes was back in Norfolk this past June hosting his youth camp at his alma mater. He discussed how a veteran teammate in Minnesota gave him some key advice on handling the ups and downs of an NFL career.
"He was saying 'imagine telling a little kid, going back in time and telling yourself when you were in fifth grade that you're going to be an NFL player, how hype he would be,'" he recalled. "In those moments when it's tough in practice or it's hard, my body's sore and I may not want to go to practice, I've got to remind myself this is my nine-to-five. How lucky am I?"
The Commanders host the Carolina Panthers this Sunday at 4:05 PM.
