The Washington Commanders aren’t totally dead in the water, but a Week 5 loss to the first-place New York Giants — which would drop them to 1-4 — could be one of the final nails in the coffin.
It’s not hard to imagine the Commanders becoming sellers ahead of the November 10 NFL trade deadline and having some unexpected teams come calling about their starters.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put Commanders cornerback Amik Robertson—one of the few defensive players playing at an elite level—at the top of his list of players the suddenly relevant Cleveland Browns might target in a trade.
“The Browns are playing a ton of man coverage, and Denzel Ward is doing it at a high level,” Ballentine wrote on October 9. “The rest of the corners have been suspect. Tyson Campbell is giving up a passer rating of 116.7 when targeted. Myles Harden has been inconsistent in the slot. Amik Robertson can’t play press-man on the outside, but he’s the kind of physical veteran slot who could push Harden. The Commanders are also 1-3, so they could be looking to offload veterans at the deadline.”
Amik Robertson Playing on Pro Bowl Level
Robertson is playing cornerback as well as almost anyone in the NFL right now — his 84.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus ranks him 4th out of 103 eligible players at his position.
He’s also leading the NFL with 7 pass breakups after signing a 2-year, $15.02 million free-agent contract with the Commanders on March 9.
He’s not the only cornerback playing at an elite level for the Commanders — Rasul Douglas leads the NFL with a 92.2 coverage grade from PFF.
“Douglas has played well,” Commanders reporter Grant Paulsen wrote on his official X account. “He and Amik Robertson have both exceeded expectations.”
Commanders Watching One CB Hit Rock Bottom
While Douglas and Robertson have been plus additions for the Commanders, another valuable secondary player has watched his career fall apart over the first month of the regular season.
Third-year cornerback Mike Sainristil, who seemed like a legitimate star in the making during his rookie year in 2024 and the Commanders’ run to the NFC Championship Game, has been relegated to the bench after several early losses exposed him.
That continued a pattern from 2025, when Sainristil struggled mightily down the stretch.
“WORST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE NFL?” Polymarket Football wrote on its official X account after the Commanders started the season 0-2. “Commanders CB Mike Sainristil is DEAD LAST among 96 qualified cornerbacks per PFF. PFF grade: 31.2.”
Commanders Trade Pitch Sends $15 Million Cornerback to Browns