With a 3-1 start and an offence that’s already smashing NFL records only one month into the season, the Washington Commanders are, for the first time in a long time, the talk of the NFL.
In order for the positive energy to persist, the Commanders will require more than just offensive production. Prior to Washington’s Week 5 matchup against the Cleveland Browns on October 6, Matt Holder of Bleacher Report ranked cornerback as the team’s weakest position. Holder also mentioned the possibility of signing veteran Tre Herndon, a free agent who spent the first six seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, at cornerback.
Holder noted, “The position group could use an extra veteran because youth is a big part of the problem.” “There aren’t any game-changing options available at this stage, but Herndon could be a solid pickup seeing as he posted a 73.1 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus last season. The 28-year-old is also a crucial player to have off the bench because of his versatility in covering the slot or out on the boundary.
Despite not being chosen in the 2018 NFL draft, Herndon, a three-year starter at Vanderbilt who also had a 4.47-second 40-yard sprint, was added to the 53-man roster of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Herndon was a full-time starter for the Jaguars for two seasons; in 2019 and 2020, he recorded career highs of three interceptions and sixty-six tackles. Herndon started 34 of the 83 games he participated in during his six seasons with Jacksonville. In June 2024, he inked a one-year, $1.1 million free-agent contract with the New York Giants, but on August 27, he was included in their final roster cuts.
While rookie Mike Sainristil has taken over as the starting cornerback opposite Benjamin St.-Juste, who has started every game as a first-round pick, Noah Igbinoghene, a previous first-round choice, has moved to Sainristil’s slot at nickelback.
In 2023, Sainristil assisted Michigan in going undefeated and winning the national title in the College Football Playoffs. In the NFL draft of 2024, the Commanders picked him with the 50th overall pick in the second round. With two forced fumbles and six interceptions for 232 return yards, including two touchdown returns, Sainristil demonstrated his flair for big play production in 2023.
“Tough and dependable with the potential to improve as a nickel corner,” according to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein’s pre-draft assessment. As a zone defender, Sainristil, a former receiver, plays with unexpected field awareness and attention to detail. Although he has the reflexes and feet to follow routes in man coverage, he lacks the expertise in the role to operate with more route awareness and feel.
