5 bold Washington Commanders predictions for the 2024 season

Mike Sainristil wins Defensive Rookie of the Year

All the hype has centered on quarterback Jayden Daniels. That's expected considering the position he plays and where he was drafted. However, the Washington Commanders have another rookie who could potentially take the league by storm.

The Commanders believe they got a steal with Mike Sainristil at No. 50 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. His productive college career at Michigan gained widespread plaudits. The gifted prospect brought this through to the pros, making an immediate impression and looking like the team's best cornerback heading into Year 1 of his professional career.

Sainristil doesn't carry himself like a rookie. He's determined, composed beyond his years, and has a natural playmaking ability that's hard not to love. If he takes this into a competitive setting, the Commanders have a potential franchise cornerstone piece on their hands.

Cornerbacks tend to go through more growing pains than most. The pace is quicker and the margins are finer, so taking the rough with the smooth is crucial. At the same time, Sainristil's maturity and outstanding start throughout the summer could make him an intriguing candidate to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year if the same trend continues.

Commanders become a top 10 defense

One of the biggest disappointments during a campaign to forget in 2023 centered on Washington's defense. Many thought the personnel available would propel them into the upper echelons of the NFL. It turned out to be anything but.

A lack of motivation and questionable schematic concepts saw Jack Del Rio lose his job. The Commanders also traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young, which negated any pass rush they had and the unit went through more turmoil. Ron Rivera couldn't turn things around and he also paid the price.

Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. are here to change all that. They've implemented an innovative defensive system and brought in players who can fit into this new way of thinking effectively. Asking them to become the league's best is pushing things, but there's nothing to suggest they cannot become a top 10 unit if everyone gets a clear run of luck on the health front.

Some questions at certain position groups could hold them back. But the talent and enhanced coaching should make them more competitive and give Washington's offense a fighting chance.