Second-year Commanders CB drawing breakout buzz

The Washington Commanders are hoping to be better on defense in the upcoming season, and in order for that to be possible, young players will have to improve.

Among those players is cornerback Mike Sainristil, who was named to Pro Football Focus writer Bradley Locker's All-Breakout team.

Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil celebrates after defending a pass attempt against the Dallas Cowboys. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Mike Sainristil can break out for Commanders

"The Commanders finished 2024 ranked 30th in both defensive success rate and team PFF coverage grade. While Washington didn’t make many drastic changes to a unit that likely needed them, the Commanders do have a player who’s teeming with talent in Sainristil," Locker wrote.

"While playing out of position at outside cornerback in his rookie season, Sainristil registered a 65.8 overall PFF grade with a 64.5 PFF coverage grade. On top of that, Sainristil’s 14% forced incompletion rate tied for third-best among qualified rookie corners.

"The Commanders took Trey Amos in the second round, which should enable Sainristil to slide back inside — where he thrived at Michigan, notching an 85.0 PFF coverage grade in 2023. Sainristil’s strong on-ball production and tight coverage should only augment with him back in the slot in 2025."

In his rookie season, Sainristil recorded 93 tackles while recording two interceptions in 16 starts.

He showcased the level of play that helped Michigan win a national championship in his senior season, and he brought that to the Commanders in his rookie year.

Now, Sainristil has built expectations for himself, and the Commanders anticipate him being a major part of the team's defense moving forward.

Sainristil and his teammates are participating in the final day of mandatory minicamp before heading on vacation to get one final rest in advance of training camp in late July.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 offseason.

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