How Washington Commanders Secondary Rookies Are Impressing Team Analyst Logan Paulsen

After just a few practices Washington Commanders rookies Mike Sainristil and Dominique Hampton are impressing a fellow NFL player turned analyst.

Washington Commanders rookie safety Dominique Hampton. / Photo By: Washington Commanders

Last year the Washington Commanders rolled out a secondary that included veterans like cornerback Kendall Fuller, young potential in guys like safeties Darrick Forrest and Kamren Curl, and two top draft picks with cornerback Emmanuel Forbes brought in on Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft and defensive back Quan Martin secured witht the team's first pick of Day 2.

You'd think with that blend of experience, potential, and youthful energy the Commanders secondary would have been pretty solid. Instead, the unit finished 31st in yards per pass allowed and interception rate, last in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game, surrendered more than 30 completions of 20 air yards or more and came in second-to-last in interceptions.

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So this year, it's no surprise the secondary itself is seeing a massive overhaul as part of the rebuild in Washington. Cornerback Benjamin St-Juste is one of the few returning starters and is in line to play alongside Forbes or veteran free agent Michael Davis, depending on who wins that job, though many project the more experienced corner to grab that spot.

Meanwhile, Fuller is now with the Miami Dolphins, Curl with the Los Angeles Rams, and newcomers like safety Jeremy Chinn have come in to replace them. Martin, who bounced from the slot to free safety in his rookie season, appears to have been locked in mostly as a back-end defender as cornerback Mike Sainristil was selected in the second round of this year's draft to fill the other position.

Washington Commanders rookie safety Dominique Hampton. / Photo By: Washington Commanders

"He's just such a big person for a safety and he can run well, he's a tremendous athlete."

- Logan Paulsen on Dominique Hampton

"Mike Sainristil I think did a great job (in rookie camp and the early OTA practices)," Washington team analyst Logan Paulsen said recently on the Locked On Commanders podcast. "Just for a young guy to be communicating the way he's communicating I think is great. Obviously, that star position, that dime position, are both positions that are really predicated on - when the pads come on - how you play and how you perform."

The Commanders spending another premium pick to improve their secondary group shouldn't be a surprise given the unit rankings outlined above. But the addition of another young player only adds pressure to Forbes and Martin, though most eyes are on the first round pick for obvious reasons.

Additionally, Martin showed more growth last year, especially as he settled into a more full-time safety role similar to the one he'll play under defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and head coach Dan Quinn.

However, Chinn wasn't the only new face brought into the safety room, as the team also spent draft capital on a prospect out of Washington who has also shown the ability to impress Paulsen early on.

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"Dominique Hampton is a guy that sticks out to me quite a bit just in terms of how they're using him, kind of as that dime (or) star linebacker matching up with tight ends. He's just such a big person for a safety and he can run well, he's a tremendous athlete. When you watch his college film, he's perfect for this Whitt defense, for this Dan Quinn defense, and I think that is something really exciting and he's such a unique body type. Long arms, fast, rangy, that can kind of fill that kind of tweener roll."

This time last year a lot of people were impressed with Forbes and Martin as well, and the outcome didn't develop quite the way everyone hoped it would. So while early excitement is good, there's plenty left to be done, and a long way before the first year of this new secondary is put into the history books.

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Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.