Commanders Breakout Star Returned to Familiar Spot at OTAs

The Washington Commanders are making a few subtle tweaks to their secondary for the 2025 NFL season, including moving a breakout star from the last campaign back to a familiar position.

This switch, involving second-year cornerback Mike Sainristil, was obvious at OTAs on Wednesday, May 28. He “was lined up at nickel as opposed to the outside, where he often played last season. That was the position Sainristil was supposed to play as a rookie, so perhaps he will return there now that Trey Amos is part of the secondary,” according to Commanders.com Senior Writer Zach Selby.

The latter’s reference to second-round draft pick Trey Amos is telling. He’s been touted as a potential steal and somebody who can give Washington’s defense a shutdown presence on the perimeter.

If Amos lives up to that billing, he’ll free Sainristil to return to the inside, where he proved a downhill weapon for Michigan’s national championship defense in 2023. Letting Sainristil play the slot will also put arguably the most physical cornerback on the depth chart against some of the most dynamic inside playmakers in the league.

Sainristil is already getting plenty of practice for this demanding assignment by going against a versatile Commanders All-Pro this offseason.

Mike Sainristil Winning Battles in the Slot for Commanders

Learning how to survive the slot wars all over again doesn’t need to be an upward learning curve for Sainristil. Not when he’s going up against Deebo Samuel at OTAs.

There aren’t many tougher or more explosive inside receivers than the former San Francisco 49ers playmaker the Commanders traded for back in March. Samuel put Sainristil through his paces on Wednesday, but ESPN’s John Keim noticed the 24-year-old corner wasn’t intimidated.

Sainristil won his share of battles, with Keim describing how he saw Sainristil “break up a pass inside, in the slant to Samuel.” Keim also noticed Sainristil do a “nice job on the crosser” and applauded the young DB’s “good eyes and good reaction.”

Plays like those witnessed by Keim were common during Sainristil’s days with the Wolverines, when he was the “Highest graded Slot Cornerback,” per PFF College.

Sainristil rarely got to show off his slot skills as a rookie because the Commanders needed an upgrade on the outside. That’s something they’re hoping Amos can provide this year.

Commanders Newcomer Can Expand Mike Sainristil’s Role

General manager Adam Peters took more than a few risks when he took Amos off the board with the 61st overall pick. Peters did so at the expense of addressing an obvious weakness at edge-rusher.

The Commanders also looked beyond a worrying medical problem revealed during the pre-draft process. Amos has made a strong start to proving the back issue won’t impact his play by snatching an interception against former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup at OTAs, per Selby.

A positive first impression from Amos is good news, but the rookie’s arrival is better news for Sainristil. Specifically, for how head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. can use Sainristil’s flexibility in more creative ways.

As Doug Farrar of Athlon Sports pointed out, Sainristil succeeded on the “outside, the slot, and as a hybrid safety” at Michigan, making him the “perfect prospect for the NFL’s more variable coverage concepts.”

Deploying Sainristil at different spots, both pre- and post-snap, will enable the Commanders to disguise their coverage and pressure more often. Speaking of putting heat on the pocket, tapping into Sainristil’s blitz skills can help compensate for the lack of bluechip talent up front.

It’s early days for any of these predictions, but Sainristil getting work in the slot at OTAs hints at a new plan in the secondary. A strategy dependent not only on Amos, but also on four-time Pro Bowler Marson Lattimore getting back to his best.