The overall performance of Washington’s defense in 2025 ranked in the lower third of the league, necessitating the firing of Joe Whitt Jr. at the end of last season. Daronte Jones was brought in to correct the issues with the defense, and Dan Quinn has asserted the new defensive coordinator will have full control of the defense and implement his own scheme. Previously, we looked at several coverage schemes that Jones might utilize to disguise his secondary and keep the offense on their heels. Today,
we break down how the personnel on the current roster fit what Jones wants to do in coverage. Originally planned to cover the entire secondary, today’s edition will focus on the cornerback group exclusively.
Mike Sainristil
Forgoing the addition of a cornerback in the draft indicates that Mike Sainristil is considered a starter in Daronte Jones’ new defense. Most analysts and fans agree that Mike is more comfortable in a zone scheme where he can keep his eyes on the quarterback and make plays in front of him. A film breakdown by analyst Mark Bullock detailing Sainristil’s performance at the end of last season aligns with this thinking, as does the cornerback’s play from 2024.
Traditional Cover-4 and Cover-2 schemes where Mike would primarily read the quarterback would fit him well, but as discussed in the first installment, Jones will likely use a man-match variation of those coverage types. This will require Sainristil to read the wide receivers first and also play some man-to-man coverage based on the route type, but the defined rules of the system should be to his benefit.
Sainristil’s inside-outside versatility is a nice fit, and he compares well to current Vikings cornerback Isiah Rodgers, who measures out at 5’10” and 180 pounds. Sainristil’s tackling on the outside has always been a plus aspect of his game, and while Mike’s struggles versus bigger backs on the inside have been highlighted in the past, those duties are frequently given to the safeties in Flores’ defense.
A high-IQ football player, Sainristil’s communication and awareness have been lacking at times, which is a possible concern. However, this is likely due to multiple position and scheme changes in his first two years in the NFL. The fact he converted to cornerback halfway through his college career also works against him. Mike’s ability to learn coverage and work ethic are not in question, but his role needs to be established early. One of the reasons Sainristil warranted a second-round grade was his elite instincts; those have been dulled by the position and scheme changes as well. Mike will never be a shutdown corner, but if he can be set up for success, his ball skills can make up for it. Sainristil’s fit in Jones’ system should be such that he has the best season of his NFL career in 2026. Will that be enough to get the job done for the Commanders? It looks like we are going to find out.
Trey Amos
Part of Amos’ allure as a draft prospect was a scheme-versatile profile. Per Lance Zeirlein:
He has twitchy feet to close and sees the action clearly from zone but can be hampered by indecisiveness, despite favorable instincts. Amos uses physicality and length to shrink the 50/50 odds in his favor. He can play in multiple coverage but is most consistent in zone. Amos needs to ramp up his run support and trust his eyes in space, but he has the goods to become a solid starting outside corner.
Amos spent a year in Nick Saban’s Cover 7 scheme, which is essentially a hybrid man-match Quarters coverage, and looked very comfortable in a zone scheme during his rookie season.
Amos’s man coverage ability will also be highly useful, especially when facing Trips formations, as Jones can have Trey play different versions of man-to-man coverage, including MOD (man on demand) or in what is known as a “Gilligan” concept. In this concept, the backside safety cheats or “poaches” to the Trips side, leaving the backside corner isolated on an island versus the lone receiver on the boundary side.
The biggest issue with Jones’s scheme, as seen for Trey, is that he was quietly inconsistent as a tackler in his rookie season. Pro Football Reference credited him with 5 missed tackles in 10 games for a 13.5% missed tackle rate. There were concerns over his tackling during the pre-draft process, so it is something to watch going forward.
Amik Robertson
I needed to watch more tape on Robertson and found it on Pride of Detroit. The SB Nation site provided two options from the 2024 season, an All-22 film review and a shorter film breakdown from Week 4. The review improved my opinion of Robertson, as 2024 was one of his best seasons, and it showed. The Week 4 matchup came versus the Seahawks, and Robertson received a heavy dose of Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Overall, Robertson held up well, staying with JSN in coverage and tackling Kenneth Walker III in the open field. Robertson is lined up at the right slot in both segments.
The first clip demonstrates Amik’s ability and understanding of zone coverage. He carries JSN off the line on the crosser before handing him off and dropping into the hole in the post to prevent the throw to the middle. His sound communication is highlighted in the all-22 review as well. The second is a nice exhibit of Robertson’s tackling. He drops into hook coverage but surges forward on the checkdown to Kenneth Walker III and brings the big back down quickly. Communication and tackling are there, but Robertson also has the versatility Jones desires. This clip shows the Lions in a single high look, but it is a pre-snap disguise, and Amik backs off from the slot and drops into two-deep coverage as part of a zone blitz.
Overall, Robertson is a great fit as a slot in Daronte Jones’ proposed defense but has historically been limited to around 60% of the defensive snaps for teams. He compares to Byron Murphy in the Vikings defense, but while Murphy plays in the slot out of necessity and is better on the outside, Robertson is better in the slot and played on the outside due to necessity in 2025. Amik’s size will always be an issue, but ideally he would man the slot for the Commanders in 2026. In a less desirable scenario, Robertson could also move outside to replace Sainristil if needed.
Ahkello Witherspoon
Drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft, Witherspoon joined the Niners at the same time Adam Peters was brought on board as the Vice President of Player Personnel. Witherspoon spent four years with the Niners under Robert Saleh and another year in Seattle under Pete Carroll, so he is very familiar with zone-heavy schemes. Ahkello also spent two years with the Steelers, where he proved to be adept at man coverage. Witherspoon is a fine fit for Jones’ scheme, but age and injuries are a valid concern. I see him as a rotational player and direct backup for Trey Amos.
Best of the Rest
Car’lin Vigers has a lot of buzz heading into his second offseason and has some experience at both cornerback and safety but is an inconsistent tackler and better suited for a man-heavy scheme. Fans that are looking for a bottom-of-the-roster player to step up might be better served to pin their hopes on Darius Rush instead. Rush signed to the Commanders’ practice squad at the start of the 2025 season and was elevated in Week 17. Darius has plus measurables and is a good fit for a zone-heavy scheme. At least one Hogs Haven writer has agreed in the past, and you can read Rush’s draft profile here.
I think the Commanders will go through mini-camp and OTAs before looking to sign a free agent before camp. Unfortunately for the fan base, I don’t think this player will be viewed as a potential starter. Maintaining the communication and route assignments will be a priority, so if a veteran familiar with the scheme is available, that would be preferable. Under that lens, free agent Shaq Griffin makes a lot of sense if still available in the offseason. He played for Flores and Jones in 2024 and was surprisingly effective, appearing in 17 games, starting three with 2 INTs, 6 pass deflections, and a 75.8 allowed passer rating on 57 targets.
Bottom Line
Second-round selections Sainristil and Amos would both seem to fit Jones’ system, with Mike standing to benefit the most from the change. Robertson is an ideal fit and should play a healthy number of snaps for the defense. Witherspoon has the necessary scheme versatility to be a quality backup and rotational player for the group. The biggest gamble is banking on Mike Sainristil to not only return to form but also take a big step forward in 2026. In his introductory presser, Daronte Jones leaned into his teaching background and the ability to maximize what a player does well and minimize what they do not, and when it comes to Mike Sainristil and the Commanders’ cornerback room, Daronte Jones seems willing to bet on himself.
