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Mike Sainristil started training with Amik Robertson before they were Commanders teammates. Washington’s 2024 second-round pick was impressed by the veteran’s technique and savvy and willingness to put in work.
Given that sentiment, Sainristil was thrilled when Washington signed Robertson to a two-year, $15 million contract this spring.
Sainristil sent Robertson a simple question after the signing.
“Ready to work?”
After previously training with Robertson, Sainstril already knew the answer. An unqualified yes.
“I was super excited to bring in a guy who,” Sainristil said in a press conference after Wednesday’s OTA practice, “just for me learning over the last month and a half who Amik is — we’re very similar in terms of how we go about things.”
Robertson hadn’t worked with head coach Dan Quinn or defensive coordinator Daronte Jones in the past, yet felt comfortable signing in Washington because of the Commanders like Sainristil he already knew.
“There was young energy here,” Robertson said in an exclusive interview with Westwood One radio host Lynell Willingham. “Love the coach. Dan Quinn has his own swag, his own tenacity and he passes that down to his own players. I knew that I would be able to fit in well here. I knew that I liked Mikey, (cornerback Trey Amos) and guys like that, I knew I was going to be able to fit in with. Overall, it has been a great experience.”
The locker room fit has been excellent, adding an experienced veteran presence to a starting cornerback group without tons of NFL snaps.
“He’s someone who came in and challenged me from the jump,” Sainristil said. “Every day we’re out here doing extra reps after practice. Having someone who is going to help sharpen me and I’m going to help sharpen him — he’s bringing that challenge to the whole room. …When you add someone like him to the room, who has that presence and that experience, for us as younger guys, I love learning from people like him. It has been cool to have him as part of our room.”
Sainristil and Robertson might be considered slot cornerbacks by trade but have experience on the outside. It’s assumed that Robertson will play inside, though that hasn’t been formalized and won’t be for some time.
Jones prizes versatility, and these two have it. That’s why Robertson believes he can thrive in Washington.
“Coming from a system (in Detroit) that did a couple of things we don’t do here too much, overall, I think I can fit well within the system,” Robertson told Willingham. “I can be aggressive. A lot of guys can be aggressive with a lot of eyes on the ball. See ball, get ball. That’s my style. I think I fit in very well, playing multiple positions.”
Sainristil agrees with that point. While some are down on Sainristil after a disappointing 2025 campaign, our Mark Tyler explains well why Washington should have faith in Sainristil in this story below:
“Whether it’s inside or whether it’s outside, it doesn’t matter to me,” Sainristil said. “I’ve always been a sponge, I’ve always been one that, no matter where you put me, I’m going to do my job. Whatever you’ve got me doing, I’m going to get it done.”
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