The Washington Commanders
’ secondary has a lot of problems. If you watched Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys, you saw multiple wide-open receivers all game. Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb dominated Washington. Quarterback Dak Prescott looked like he was playing a scrimmage against an FCS college team. Tight end Jake Ferguson caught two touchdowns, showing that the Commanders still can’t cover a tight end.Cornerback Mike Sainristil has been the poster child for Washington’s defensive issues, specifically in the secondary. After last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, head coach Dan Quinn publicly said Sainristil’s lack of focus was “completely not acceptable.” That kind of public criticism is rare for Quinn, who is known for being protective
of his players.
In Sunday’s loss at Dallas, Sainristil struggled again. Through two weeks of play, Pro Football Focus gave Sainristil a grade of 31.2. 31.2. Sainristil’s impressive rookie season seems so long ago, even though it was only in 2024.
Sainristil isn't the only one struggling in Washington’s defensive backfield.
So, on Tuesday, a day off for every team in the NFL, the Commanders tried out three players. All were defensive backs. That’s normal on a Tuesday. But while Washington was trying out some defensive backs for depth, the Eagles added yet another Pro Bowler, signing former Indianapolis Colts DB Kenny Moore to their practice squad.
Moore, 31, was released after the 2026 NFL Draft and has been a popular free-agent name throughout the summer. It was only a matter of time before someone signed him. Now, the Eagles add him to a secondary that features Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Tariq Woolen.
If Moore is good enough for Philadelphia, which already has a talented secondary, why wasn’t he good enough for the Commanders?
That’s a question for general manager Adam Peters.
Washington signed veteran Rasul Douglas in July. Douglas has played a lot over the past two weeks. Amik Robertson has been the Commanders’ top cornerback. Washington is still waiting for its 2024 second-round pick, Trey Amos, to return.
In nine seasons with the Colts, Moore appeared in 132 games and made 111 starts. He has 649 career tackles, including 39.5 for loss, 11.5 sacks and 21 interceptions. He can play slot cornerback or safety.
If Washington didn’t want to sign Moore because he’s another undersized corner who profiles best in the slot, that makes sense. That also describes Sainristil and Robertson. But if the goal is to get better, why not add a player like Moore for cheap? Are you saying Moore couldn’t help Washington at safety for the remainder of the season?
Maybe the Commanders think Moore is done. Maybe he is. But why not bring him in at least? Instead of searching for depth guys, Washington needs players who can play immediately. “We like what we have” is almost a foolish excuse right now. You can like what you have and acknowledge it’s not good enough.
The 0-3 Commanders will play their home opener this Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Washington will be without franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels and perhaps much more.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders watch as Eagles sign former Pro Bowl defensive back
