Things have gotten uncomfortable for Washington Commanders fans trying to watch cornerback Mike Sainristil muddle through NFL games.
Sainristil is bad; he keeps getting worse, and the Commanders keep putting him on the field.
Pardon My Take’s Eric “PFT Commenter” Sollenberg — a long-suffering Commanders fan — called what other teams do “Mikey Hunting” after the New York Giants seemed to target Sainristil in the second half of a 27-27 tie in Week 5.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell took it a step further, putting Sainristil atop his NFL “Hot Seat” rankings ahead of a primetime Week 6 road game against the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.
“A second-round pick who was expected to be a high-end slot cornerback, Sainristil quickly emerged as an option on the outside for the Commanders, finishing ninth in Defensive Rookie of the Year balloting,” Barnwell wrote on October 15. “He then picked off two passes in the postseason, leading to hope that Sainristil could be a young cornerstone for the Commanders. Instead, he has gone backward. He was one of the many Commanders who struggled last season, allowing a passer rating north of 100 despite intercepting four passes. This year, Sainristil looked even worse in the Week 1 defeat against the Eagles, losing a deep ball in the air to Dontayvion Wicks for Philadelphia’s biggest play of the day. He has allowed a 147.6 passer rating in coverage.”
Sainristil Benched Following Week 2 Struggles
The writing might already be on the wall for Sainristil, who was benched after a Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and replaced by Rasul Douglas, who has played at a high level in his place.
“WORST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE NFL?” Polymarket Football wrote on its official X account after the Cowboys loss. “Commanders CB Mike Sainristil is DEAD LAST among 96 qualified cornerbacks per PFF. PFF grade: 31.2.”
With 2025 2nd-round pick Trey Amos expected to return soon from a fractured fibula that ended his rookie season, Sainristil’s chances of seeing the field will be even slimmer in the near future.
Mike Sainristil Called ‘Unplayable’ After Week 1 Loss
Sainristil seemed like the worst player on the field in a 24-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, as Philly wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks cooked Him for several big plays, including a touchdown, in which Sainristil appeared to play zone defense while the rest of his team played man coverage.
To put it mildly, Sainristil’s play raised red flags for many people.
“Tay Wicks had Mike Sainristil in HELL,” The Philly Pod’s Victor Williams wrote on his official X account.
“Mike Sainristil is a liability,” Taylor wrote on his official X account. “Two biggest plays of the game have been right at him. He’s reaching unplayable status. Bring in Terrell Smith ASAP.”
“The Mike Sainristil experiment should be complete,” Commanders Wire wrote on X. “He is not good. Go ahead and block us, Mikey. Truth hurts.”
Struggling Commanders CB Tops NFL ‘Hot Seat’ Rankings