The headline numbers from Sainristil\u2019s sophomore season are rough and there\u2019s no way to spin them otherwise. A 52.7 overall PFF grade ranked 96th among 114 qualified cornerbacks. His coverage grade of 52.1 ranked 98th. He allowed a 109.7 passer rating when targeted and surrendered ten receiving touchdowns \u2014 more than any other cornerback in the league by two. He was statistically the worst perimeter cornerback in the NFL last season.<\/p>\n
He was a slot cornerback at Michigan who posted an 85.0 PFF coverage grade in 2023, playing zone, reading the quarterback\u2019s eyes, and triggering off route patterns rather than mirroring elite receivers on an island at the boundary. John Keim flagged it plainly: the Commanders were deploying their best slot corner prospect in a perimeter-heavy role and watching his slot coverage ability deteriorate as a result. The four interceptions, 12 pass breakups, and 85 combined tackles tell the other side of the story. The playmaking instincts never went away. The ball production was actually up from his rookie year. He just couldn\u2019t cover receivers at the boundary the way a 5-foot-10 cornerback isn\u2019t supposed to have to.<\/p>\n
His rookie year flashed exactly the kind of player Washington thought they were drafting \u2014 a ferocious zone defender with tight coverage and playmaking instincts that show up when the ball is in the air. The most likely role for Sainristil under Jones is a hybrid one \u2014 primarily the slot in nickel packages, with the flexibility to bump outside when Washington goes to base defense alongside Trey Amos and Amik Robertson. That\u2019s the role that lets him play fast rather than careful, trigger downhill on underneath routes, and use his ball-hawking instincts in zone windows rather than chasing vertical routes he isn\u2019t built to cover.<\/p>\n
Washington Commanders Coaches See \u201cBalance\u201d From Two Cornerbacks<\/a><\/p>\n The Washington Commanders have questions in the cornerback room, but two have led the way so far in offseason workouts<\/p>\n Amik Robertson proved to be the first free agent signing<\/a> of the offseason with a chance to bolster the outside rotation while also upgrading the talent among the nickel cornerbacks. Akhello Witherspoon became one of the latest additions where he adds experience to the rotation as he looks to put his injury-ridden 2025 season behind him after playing in only six games.<\/p>\n The duo will be joined by Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos, yet as Amos recovers from the season-ending injury that cut his rookie season short, it\u2019s been Sainristil who has gotten the offseason attention. After a lackluster 2025 season followed an encouraging rookie season, the belief is the shift from more man to zone coverage under Daronte Jones could spark a turnaround season with confidence in the Michigan product.<\/p>\n \u201cI like the balance of what I\u2019ve seen with Amik and [Mike Sainristil] outside. Both of them have similar games in some ways in terms of the competitiveness, the on-the-ball playing, they\u2019ve got football smarts,\u201d head coach Dan Quinn said of the two cornerbacks.<\/p>\n UNSPOKEN ADVANTAGES: Commanders Amik Robertson and Offensive Line Delivering in OTAs<\/p>\n The Commanders players who can benefit the most from scheme changes<\/a><\/p>\n Sainristil has the versatility and instincts that Jones covets in his defensive backs. The third-year corner was drafted to play in the slot, but has played the majority of his snaps the last two seasons (63.6 percent) at outside cornerback.<\/p>\n Sainristil started to find his groove late in his rookie season, but his development seemed to stall as Washington\u2019s defense struggled last year. A new system that capitalizes on his strengths could put him back on track as a staple of the D.<\/p>\n Blough made it clear early on that he believes in having the quarterback mostly under center, where Daniels has spent much of the offseason so far. It has required some adjustment, but the play-action passing game should open up more explosive plays and create more balance with the run game, taking some of the load off Daniels.<\/p>\n Blough\u2019s offense will be an amalgamation of his own football influences, from Kliff Kingsbury to Kevin O\u2019Connell to Ben Johnson, which means Washington could use a heavy dose of multiple tight end sets. Johnson\u2019s Chicago Bears ranked sixth in the NFL last season with 45.4 percent of plays featuring two or more tight ends, and ninth with 27.5 percent of the team\u2019s catches coming from tight ends.<\/p>\n PUZZLE PIECES: Commanders Scheme Coming More to Light While | Chig Okonkwo and Nick Cross Weaponized<\/p>\n Bullock\u2019s Film Room (subscription)<\/p>\n The Merits of Under Center vs Shotgun<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019m going to skip over the passing game for this piece because most teams work out of the shotgun for their quick game and drop back passing game. But there are very different philosophies around the run game and play-action game when it comes to under center vs shotgun. So let\u2019s dive into those differences and explore why teams might favor one or the other in different situations.<\/p>\n There are advantages and downsides to both types of runs, but the most obvious difference is the position of the running back. When the quarterback is under center, the running back lines up directly behind him, meaning prior to the snap, the ball could realistically be run in either direction. That means the defense doesn\u2019t know which way the ball is going to be run. Whereas, when the quarterback is in the shotgun, the running back has to align to one side of him, which gives the defense a pretty strong indicator of which way the run is going. When you compare that to a typical under center run, it\u2019s easy to see why teams prefer running from under center from a predictability standpoint.<\/p>\n [T]here [are] plenty of other factors at play here. Under center runs give the running back a wider field of view. They line up deeper with the quarterback under center and can see a wider range of the defense from the middle of it, rather than aligned to one side of the quarterback with different viewing angles. It\u2019s cleaner for the running back in that regard.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also cleaner from a blocking perspective. Gun runs see the ball snapped to the quarterback and handed off to the running back a lot quicker, which means defenders are quicker to read the run and fill their gaps, giving offensive lineman less time to get to their landmarks. When the quarterback is under center, it takes him longer to take the snap and drop back to the mesh point and hand off the ball to the running back. That gives lineman more time to reach their spots and make their blocks. It also allows the back more time to read out runs in rhythm instead of having to hit it straight away from the gun.<\/p>\n The read-option element is something that\u2019s essentially exclusive to shotgun runs and never really seen from under center. Now the flip side of that coin is that by leaning so much on the quarterback run game, the Commanders are potentially exposing their franchise quarterback to more hits than is necessary, but you could also argue not making use of that ability is wasting some of his talent and not making the most of what is an extremely effective scheme. The Commanders likely won\u2019t have anywhere near as many read-option runs in 2026 as they line up under center more, but they\u2019d be silly not to include any, which means they\u2019ll have to run from the gun at least occasionally too.<\/p>\n One of the biggest differences between shotgun and under center, and perhaps the most relevant to the Commanders, is the use of play-action. Put simply, play-action passes are far more effective when executed from under center compared to when the quarterback is in the shotgun. Let me show you why.<\/p>\n QB questions for all 32 NFL teams: Contracts, injuries, more<\/a><\/p>\n Have they done enough to take the pressure off Jayden Daniels?<\/p>\n Daniels was a revelation as a rookie in 2024, leading the Commanders all the way to the NFC Championship Game, but his second season was a letdown. He played in only seven games due to various injuries. The defense fell off a cliff completely, and the offense sputtered with wide receiver Terry McLaurin also in and out of the lineup all year.<\/p>\n Major changes followed to the coaching staff, giving Daniels a new offensive coordinator in David Blough, who was Washington\u2019s assistant quarterbacks coach the past two seasons. Stylistically, the Commanders expect the offense to look more like what Ben Johnson ran in Detroit and is now running in Chicago. The hope is those changes and their offseason additions reduce the need for Daniels to make as many hero plays as he had to make during their 2024 run.<\/p>\n One problem is that the Commanders didn\u2019t make any major additions to the WR group, which means they\u2019re counting on McLaurin staying healthy, as well as big contributions from journeyman Treylon Burks and third-round rookie Antonio Williams. They added free agent running back Rachaad White to play the role Austin Ekeler was supposed to play last season before his Achilles injury. The major changes were on defense, where Washington projects to have as many as seven new starters — led by first-round rookie linebacker Sonny Styles. The Commanders hope the improvements on that side of the ball will help ease the pressure on Daniels as he works to return to his rookie-year form.<\/p>\n Ranking the NFL\u2019s Best Defensive Triplets from 32\u20131 for 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 22. Washington Commanders<\/p>\n Triplets: Odafe Oweh, Sonny Styles, Nick Cross<\/p>\n These are just three of the many new players the Commanders added to their defense this offseason. Oweh is expected to give Washington a reliable No. 1 edge rusher for the first time in a long time. But the team is rolling the dice on a player who didn\u2019t find his stride until the Ravens traded him to the Chargers for the final two months of last season.<\/p>\n If Oweh can become a consistent player, the Commanders likely won\u2019t have any issues after signing him to a four-year, $96 million deal. Styles could be a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate<\/a> after landing in an ideal situation with coach Dan Quinn, who knows how to develop hybrid players.<\/p>\n OTA notebook | TEs show promise as pass-catchers in Commanders\u2019 offense<\/a><\/p>\n — The running backs and tight ends got a lot of work during early team drills. Chig Okonkwo, Ben Sinnott and John Bates all got to show off their route running ability, and each player had some impressive catches in the middle of the field. Daniels likes to develop strong bonds with his tight ends, and if that can continue into the season, perhaps we could see more multiple tight end sets in David Blough\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n — Treylon Burks continues to make plays in Blough\u2019s offense. He had another pair of catches during practice today, and while the Commanders aren\u2019t in a rush to name a No. 2 wideout, Burks has made his case that he should be the player going forward. Burks\u2019 biggest issue is his health; he dealt with multiple injuries during his time with the Tennessee Titans, which impacted his use during gamedays. Burks has always shown first-round talent, but if he can stay on the field, it would solve several problems in the Commanders\u2019 receiver room.<\/p>\n — It looks like new running back Rachaad White is going to be really helpful in the passing game. He\u2019s a natural route runner with good hands, both of which have helped him catch 51.3% of his targets for 1,450 yards and 11 touchdowns. Quarterback Jayden Daniels already had a good connection with White before Washington signed him, and their chemistry has been clear throughout OTAs.<\/p>\n Commanders might finally get what they always wanted from Dyami Brown<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s been seen before, but it might also be different this time<\/p>\n [Note from Bill-in-Bangkok: Cowboys fans get to say the line every offseason (\u201cThis could be our year!\u201d); For the moment, Commanders fans still get to enjoy the annual tradition of predicting Dyami Brown\u2019s NFL breakout season]<\/p>\n Some are excelling more than others. And for one former Commanders star, there is something different about Dyami Brown<\/a> this time around.<\/p>\n Brown has found his groove quickly<\/a>.<\/p>\n Brown returned for a second stint<\/a> in Washington over free agency. He spent one season away from the team, cashing in on his playoff production by signing a lucrative one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. It didn\u2019t go well, and now he\u2019s back. More importantly, lessons have been learned.<\/p>\n Everyone knows the athletic intangibles he has. Everyone knows that his physicality and ability after the catch should be much more influential than they have been for the most part. This is why the Jaguars paid him, and it\u2019s also why the Commanders were willing to give him one last shot at redemption.<\/p>\n Hitting The Practice Fields! Commanders OTA Field Pass | NFL<\/p>\n Daronte Jones MAKES MASSIVE CHANGE to Commanders Defense! Quan Martin STARTING SLOT CORNER!<\/p>\n Giants GM Joe Schoen on WR Malik Nabers\u2019 recovery: \u2018I still think he\u2019ll be fine Week 1\u2019 vs. Cowboys<\/a><\/p>\n Joe Schoen told Jori Epstein of Yahoo! Sports<\/a> that he remains optimistic about Nabers\u2019 timeline, planning for the star wideout to be on the field Sept. 13 against the Dallas Cowboys.<\/p>\n \u201cI still think he\u2019ll be fine Week 1,\u201d Schoen told Epstein on Monday. \u201cSo we\u2019ll see. He\u2019s trending in the right direction. Again, these things take time, so it\u2019s not instant. Every patient is different.\u201d<\/p>\n Nabers suffered an ACL tear in late September and underwent a second cleanup surgery<\/a> to remove scar tissue earlier this offseason. News of the second surgery throttled down the questions about Nabers\u2019 timeline during June workouts.<\/p>\n A.J. Brown\u2019s parting words for the Eagles were dripping in arrogance<\/a><\/p>\n The new Patriots receiver didn\u2019t just sign his name, however, according to Mike Garafolo<\/a>, Brown also included a message:<\/p>\n \u201cThe best to ever play here. – Always Open\u201d<\/p>\n Best wide receiver to play here? Maybe. Best to ever play for the Eagles? No. Not even close.<\/p>\n Brown finished his career in Philadelphia as the 9th-most receiving yards (5,034) in franchise history, just 15 yards above DeVonta Smith, who will assuredly take over at No. 9 within a game or two in 2026, and could even finish the season all the way up at No. 6 on the list behind Zach Ertz.<\/p>\n [I]nstead of being known as the best to ever play here, the WR will end up a footnote from one of the Eagles more dominant eras, whose career in Philly ended with a lack of effort and respect for the city.<\/p>\n Why disguise and confusion is no problem for Cowboys Dak Prescott<\/a><\/p>\n Elite pre-snap processing\/blitz recognition<\/p>\n Prescott is an experienced quarterback who is very good at diagnosing what\u2019s coming from pre-snap alignments. He recognizes unblocked defenders, changes protection, and gets the offense in the right play, limiting his chances of being caught off guard.<\/p>\n Exceptional pocket poise and footwork<\/p>\n Even when he was more youthful, Dak\u2019s never been an elusive runner. Instead, he relies on his internal clock, keeping his eyes downfield and using subtle footwork to step aside and make the throw. While his legs aren\u2019t very threatening, he will scramble and use his mobility to extend the play, and that extra second can lead to big things.<\/p>\n Decisive and rapid release<\/p>\n Another reason he avoids sacks is that once he makes up his mind, he gets rid of the ball. Prescott holds the ball close to his chest and has a quick, over-the-shoulder release, minimizing his delivery time. His throwing motion ends with a sharp flick of the wrist, allowing him to make accurate throws even when he doesn\u2019t have a lot of room.<\/p>\n \u2018Clock is ticking\u2019 as NY Giants QB Jaxson Dart, receivers look for rhythm<\/a><\/p>\n The passing attack didn\u2019t exactly light up the defense during Monday\u2019s practice<\/p>\n In general, though, the passing attack might be described as uninspiring.<\/p>\n Dart threw a bad interception. He broke the pocket to his right and launched a ball for Darnell Mooney down the middle. The ball was late, short, and easily picked off by Paulson Adebo.<\/p>\n Dart also missed several deeper throws, resulting, of course, in the ball landing on the ground. Where Harbaugh says it shouldn\u2019t be very often in these practices.<\/p>\n It is clear that the Giants, with a new head coach in Harbaugh and offensive coordinator in Matt Nagy, are asking Dart to do some different things.<\/p>\n Harbaugh said, \u201cIt\u2019s a work in progress all the time. It\u2019s still fairly early. But the clock is ticking. In the team meeting, we started with \u201cSeptember\u201d by Earth, Wind & Fire. September is right around the corner. So that\u2019s what we\u2019re preparing for.\u201c<\/p>\n Is Dart missing Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, and even Gunner Olszewski as he gains familiarity with the new group of wide receivers he is surrounded by?<\/p>\n With parole window approaching, Could Henry Ruggs return to the NFL?<\/a><\/p>\n Separately from the parole question, Ruggs, 27, has also expressed interest in returning to football. He told a Hope For Prisoners group<\/a> gathering in Las Vegas last year that he wanted to return to the NFL when released from prison. Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, a former teammate at Alabama and with the Raiders, said last year that Ruggs was training in prison and that he had talked to other NFL teams<\/a> on Ruggs\u2019 behalf, adding \u201ca couple teams\u201d seemed \u201cwilling to give him a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n A first-round pick by the Raiders in 2020, Ruggs had 24 catches for 469 yards and two touchdowns in seven games in 2021 before the Raiders released him<\/a> hours after he was charged in the death of Tintor.<\/p>\n Ruggs is a free agent and could sign with any team.<\/p>\n Brandon Aiyuk appears to aim more harsh comments toward 49ers<\/a><\/p>\n On Tuesday, Aiyuk again posted a video to Instagram<\/a>. This time, it was a 30-second video in which Aiyuk appears to call the 49ers \u201cstupid\u201d and \u201cdumb.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou wanna know why they really mad though?\u201d Aiyuk said in the video. \u201cThey mad \u2018cause they stupid. They dumb. They mad that they paid me $50 million in eight months and then voided my guarantees for 2027. And I\u2019m about to be on a new team in 2027. They mad at theyselves for real. N\u2010\u2010\u2010as acting like they mad at me, but they stupid ass mad at theyself.\u201d<\/p>\n [T]he 49ers have no deadline to release Aiyuk because he remains on the reserve\/left squad list, which means he is not being paid and does not count against their 90-man roster.<\/p>\n The \u201cconsumer-driven\u201d list is of the NFL\u2019s top retail performers<\/a><\/p>\n The list accounts for the league\u2019s top retail performers based on sales of officially licensed products during the league year from March 1, 2025 to Feb. 28, 2026. The rankings encompass jersey sales, t-shirts, bobbleheads, backpacks, and figurines, among other items, and differ from the $17.7 million Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders banked in group licensing income<\/a>. Sanders was No. 31 on the top-50 list.<\/p>\n Running back Antonio Gibson is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in early October. Like a few other players on this list, his health remains a bit of an unknown as training camps approach.<\/p>\n However, Gibson has been a capable starter in the past and was a quality rotational back over the past couple of seasons when healthy. He has averaged 4.2 yards per carry over the course of his career and topped 1,000 rushing yards as a 14-game starter with the Washington Commanders in 2021.<\/p>\n Gibson logged 538 rushing yards and 744 scrimmage yards as a part-time player with the New England Patriots in 2024. With 3,287 rushing yards and 197 receptions on his six-year resume, the 2020 third-round pick out of Memphis should draw significant interest if healthy in the summer.<\/p>\n As a former starter with three-down ability, Gibson would be a great addition for a team in need of a reliable No. 2 back or a receiving specialist. A return to Washington would make sense.<\/p>\n Logical Landing Spots: Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders<\/p>\n [Note from Bill-in-Bangkok: This article lists the Eagles as a top landing spot for 4 of the ten players discussed, indicating that the Philly roster has a lot more holes in it than Roseman\u2019s \u2018genius\u2019 status among Eagles fans would lead you to expect]<\/p>\n Trevon Diggs must be viewed as a bit of a boom-or-bust free agent at this point in his career. The former Dallas Cowboys standout suffered a torn ACL in 2023 and hasn\u2019t performed at a high level since that injury.<\/p>\n Diggs also missed time with a concussion in 2025 before he was released by the Cowboys and spent a very brief stint with the Green Bay Packers.<\/p>\n And before the injury, when Diggs was playing well, he was still a feast-or-famine cover man. In 2021, for example, Diggs led the league with 11 interceptions and was named a first-team All-Pro. However, he also surrendered 907 yards<\/a> in coverage.<\/p>\n Still, Diggs is a former All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowler at a premium position. He\u2019ll only turn 28 in September, and if he can stay healthy, he can again become a reliable long-term starter and an impact defender.<\/p>\n Diggs should interest most teams looking for cornerback help, but given his risk-reward play style, he\u2019d make the most sense in a familiar system.<\/p>\n Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is now the head coach in Washington, while former Cowboys secondary coach Al Harris holds the same position with the Chicago Bears. Interestingly, both teams could use additional depth at corner.<\/p>\n Logical Landing Spots: Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders<\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s entry into the \u201cbest remaining free agents\u201d discussion<\/a>:<\/p>\n 2025 team: Washington Commanders | Age entering 2026 season: 30<\/p>\n What he brings: Samuel caught 72 passes and scored five touchdowns in his one season<\/a> with the Commanders, with 63.7% of his receiving totals coming after the catch. A power strider, he would benefit from a system that allows him to get loose on catch-and-run targets.<\/p>\n 2025 team: Washington Commanders | Age entering 2026 season: 36<\/p>\n What he brings: Wagner\u2019s 9.5 tackles per game ranked sixth overall in 2025, showing he can still key quickly and rack up run stops. He does have limitations in coverage at this stage of his career, but he would add a veteran voice and early-down production to any NFL defense.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/temp-top-50-merch-sales.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>NFL Free Agency 2026: Ranking the 10 Best Unsigned Players Under 30<\/a><\/p>\n