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For the first time since 2011, the Washington Commanders are the envy of other NFL teams, thanks to a 3-1 start and an offense that’s setting NFL records just one month into the season.
For those good vibes to continue, the Commanders are going to need more than just offense. They can start improving their defense by upgrading at cornerback, according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder.
He suggested the possibility of signing veteran cornerback Tre Herndon, who is a free agent after spending the first 6 seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“A big part of the problem is the position group is young, so it could use an extra veteran,” Holder wrote in B/R’s weekly story “prioritizing every roster’s biggest weaknesses before Week 5.” “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. Also, the 28-year-old has the versatility to cover the slot or out on the boundary to, at the least, be a valuable player to turn to off the bench.”
Herndon Played Way Onto Jags’ Roster as UDFA
Herndon was a 3-year starter at Vanderbilt and ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash but wasn’t selected in the 2018 NFL draft — he still made the Jaguars 53-man roster that year.
The Jaguars used Herndon as a full-time starter for 2 seasons and he had a career-high 3 interceptions in 2019 and a career-high 62 tackles in 2020. In 6 seasons in Jacksonville, Herndon played in 83 games with 34 starts. He signed a 1-year, $1.1 million free agent contract with the New York Giants in June 2024 but was part of their final roster cuts on August 27.
Commanders Have One of NFL’s Worst Secondaries
Through 4 games, the Commanders have given up more passing touchdowns (10) than any team in the NFL and have no interceptions. They’re also 10th in the NFL in team passing defense and are last in the NFL in opponents’ QB ratings (123.3).
The Commanders have been down 1 cornerback since the season opener, when 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes Jr. tore the UCL on his thumb and underwent surgery on Sept. 13, although Forbes didn’t earn a starting spot in training camp and only played 33 snaps, giving up 3 receptions on 3 targets at 12.7 yards per catch.
While Benjamin St-Juste has been at one of the starting cornerback spots for the entire season, rookie Mike Sainristil has taken over as the starter opposite St-Juste, with opening-day starter and former first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene moving to Sainristil’s spot at nickleback.
Sainristil helped lead Michigan to an undefeated season and College Football Playoff national championship in 2023. The Commanders selected him in the second round (No. 50 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.
Sainristil showed a knack for making big plays in 2023 with 2 forced fumbles and 6 interceptions for 232 return yards, including two returned for touchdowns.
“Reliable and tough with the athleticism and upside to keep getting better as a nickel corner,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “Sainristil is a former receiver who plays with surprising field awareness and attention to detail as a zone defender. He has the twitch and footwork to stay connected with routes in man coverage but needs more experience at the position to operate with better recognition and feel for the routes.”
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