It’s been a slow start to the 2025 season for Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil. One of the NFL’s top defensive rookies one year ago, Sainristil looked to be a long-term building block for the Commanders for years to come.
However, through four games, Sainristil has an overall grade of 49.6 from Pro Football Focus. Furthermore, Sainristil has a coverage grade of 46.4, which is significantly lower than his coverage grade in his rookie season. Sainristil’s tackling is what raises his grade. PFF’s date has Sainristil being targeted 21 times, with opposing quarterbacks completing 17 of those attempts, an 81% clip, for 166 yards and a touchdown.
Sainristil’s early struggles make you wonder if this is a coaching issue. Safety Quan Martin also seems to have taken a step back, too. Sainristil has also played exclusively in the slot after moving outside during his rookie season and excelling. When selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft from the University of Michigan, many NFL scouts believed he’d be a long-term Pro Bowler in the slot. But Sainristil proved last season he was more than just a slot cornerback.
With Marshon Lattimore also struggling, some believe head coach Dan Quinn should move Sainristil back outside and have Noah Igbinoghene take over in the slot, where he played well last season.
One former NFL cornerback thinks everyone needs to relax on Sainristil.
“I think he’s progressing, you just said it, man, when you playing inside corner, that mean they got two options, three options, four options, all kinds of ways to beat you,” former Washington cornerback Fred Smoot said Monday in an appearance on Team 980 in Washington, D.C.
“You are the high-volume corner. You are the corner that’s gonna see the most throws on third down. We don’t look at it not as close-minded, but we don’t look at it as absolute as y’all do. Because when you’re giving up plays inside, they’re usually first downs. Because you’re being attacked on third down. Now, the one thing I think he’s been great at, I think he’s been more sticky than people give him credit for in coverage. I think he’s been right in the pocket. I think he’s been in perfect places. The one thing I think he’s learning is taking on the run inside of there.”
Smoot is overall pleased with Sainristil’s performance up to this point and says he’s dealing with a little bit of a “learning curve inside” right now.
Smoot also said that Sainristil has that “Ronde Barber type mindset and skill,” because he’s great at taking the ball away.
Washington has had two horrific defensive performances in the last three weeks. That’s led fans, analysts and others to point fingers. When a player is beaten, he automatically is the problem. That’s never the actual case, as it’s far more nuanced than that. Overall, the Commanders’ secondary is not performing well at the moment. In the two losses, the pass rush is not providing them with any help either.
If you’re betting on a player to turn things around, Sainristil is a smart bet. Smoot provided some excellent analysis on what he sees from the second-year defensive back and why he’ll figure it out.