The Washington Commanders injected their defense with a heavy dose of multiplicity this offseason. There's more of a focus on creating better matchups -- a significant departure from the past two years -- so players having defined roles is more of a concept as opposed to a hard-and-fast rule.

But players like Mike Sainristil aren't concerned about where they are on the field as long as they're out there.

"I've always been a sponge," he said after Wednesday's OTA practice. "No matter where you put me at, I'm going to do my best [to] make sure whatever you got me doing, I'm going to get the job done."

Sainristil is used to being moved around by now. Injuries in Washington's secondary have forced him to play both in the slot, where he played in college, and on the outside. Sainristil's strengths at both spots have created some speculation about how he fits in defensive coordinator Daronte Jones' system -- a question even Sainristil doesn't have an answer to at this point. Rather than worry about it, Sainristil's approach has been to learn as much as possible and let the situation sort itself out.

Sainristil, a 2024 second-round pick, started his professional career with high expectations that he could be the Commanders' long-term slot cornerback. Aside from his performance on the field -- 102 total tackles with 13 pass breakups and seven interceptions in his final two seasons at Michigan -- he received a ringing endorsement from former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who said Sainristil might be "the best football player, pound-for-pound" in his draft class.

"He's instinctive; he's physical; and I know he's not very big, but I'm going to tell you what, this guy makes plays," Saban said. "He can cover; he can tackle; he's tough; a fast reactor. I just love the way this guy plays. I mean, I just love it."

But the Commanders also needed help on the outside, and that became more apparent as the season wore on and injuries started to pile up. They were forced to bump Sainristil to the outside, and despite his 5-10, 182-pound frame, his competitiveness and knowledge of the scheme helped him hold his own against some of the division's best receivers like A.J. Brown and CeeDee Lamb. Sainristil finished the year with 93 tackles, 14 pass breakups and two interceptions, and there was a case to be made that Sainristil should remain on the outside rather than return to the slot.

Instead, the Commanders chose to stick with their original plan of playing Sainristil in the slot. Marshon Lattimore, who they acquired from the New Orleans Saints, was expected to be more comfortable in the system with a full offseason of experience under him, and they drafted Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos in the second round. What's more, Sainristil's quickness, intelligence and ability to make plays still made him an ideal fit for the slot.

Injuries once again became an issue, as both Lattimore and Amos went on season-ending Injured Reserve, and Sainristil was moved back outside to cover the losses. Sainristil's performance was more uneven in 2025 -- he gave up more catches, yards and touchdowns compared to 2024 -- but his ball skills and knack for creating turnovers didn't take a dip. He led the team with four interceptions and only had two fewer pass breakups.

Sainristil's track record thus far makes him a fit for both inside and outside, which ironically could make him a fit for Jones' scheme, which will adopt much of Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' philosophies on using multiple fronts to create confusion for offenses. Jones has a similar belief, saying during his introductory press conference that good defense is more about putting players in position to make plays as opposed to having them line up in specific spots on the field.

That's why Jones is having his players learn the defense in a general sense as opposed to specific positions.

"He [Jones] tells everybody in the room, whether you're a lineman, a linebacker, a DB, just learn the defense as a whole; don't learn it as a specific position," Sainristil said. "Because sometimes you're going to be asked to do multiple, different things. It doesn't matter who you are. I think everyone has been doing that exact thing and just picking up the defense conceptually."

That works fine for Sainristil, who believes it's more important that he does his job.

"Just picking up whatever he's asking me to do," Sainristil said. "Whether it's outside or inside, it doesn't matter to me."

It's been a slow process learning Jones' defense, but Sainristil has had a fun time with the process. He's asking questions during meetings and getting more insight into how he could be used in coverage at different spots and mastering different techniques so he can play his best. He and his teammates are trying to put their "best foot forward," he said, so concepts and responsibilities are second nature during the season.

Regardless of where he plays, it's clear that Sainristil is going to be a key piece of the Commanders' plans in 2026. He has the most interceptions and pass breakups on the team over the last two seasons, and his competitive style is one that appeals to the coaching staff.

And as long as he's making plays, Sainristil is fine with however the Commanders want to use him on the field.

"As someone who's a playmaker, for me, it doesn't really matter where I'm at," Sainristil said. "I just want to be on the field and help contribute to the defense."