It’s been a busy month for the Washington Commanders after ending the 2025 season with a disappointing 5-12 file. As a results of their struggles, Washington head coach Dan Quinn selected to make sweeping modifications to his teaching workers. Two days after the season ended, the Commanders fired defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, and mutually parted ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
Washington rapidly discovered its offensive coordinator, promoting assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough. Shortly after, the Commanders promoted assistant offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton to switch Johnson. This week, Washington lastly discovered its defensive coordinator, hiring Minnesota Vikings’ defensive backs coach/cross sport coordinator Daronte Jones.
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Those modifications aren’t completed.
Washington defensive passing sport coordinator Jason Simmons left for a position on Mike McCarthy’s workers with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Earlier this week, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reported that the Commanders have been in search of somebody to “oversee the front seven, with a focus on improving the pass rush.”
Immediately, that led to hypothesis about the way forward for Commanders’ assistant linebackers coach/cross rush specialist Ryan Kerrigan. Kerrigan is a franchise legend, having performed 10 of his 11 NFL seasons with Washington, and is the staff’s all-time sack chief. Kerrigan started his teaching profession in 2022 with the Commanders.
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It additionally led to hypothesis about defensive position coach Darryl Tapp. An NFL veteran who performed one season with Washington, grew up in Virginia and starred at Virginia Tech. Tapp has been the Commanders’ defensive position coach for the previous two seasons.
Essentially, nobody is protected besides Quinn and his new hires after such a disappointing yr. That’s to be anticipated when you’re as unhealthy as Washington was in 2025. However, does every thing fall on the coaches? Specifically, the place coaches?
The Commanders had horrible damage luck final season. However, everybody offers with accidents. But Washington battled critical accidents to prime starters on either side of the ball. One place hit significantly laborious was defensive finish. The Commanders started the yr needing extra assist at edge rusher, and the one transfer GM Adam Peters made was signing 36-year-old Von Miller and veteran journeyman Jacob Martin. The excellent news is that each gamers performed properly. The unhealthy information is that they have been signed to supply depth behind Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise and Javontae Jean-Baptiste.
Armstrong, Wise and Jean-Baptiste have been all misplaced for the season. It was a disgrace for Armstrong, who was having a profession yr.
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Peters did not do sufficient to deal with the defensive finish/edge place final offseason. Sure, he made strikes, however Wise was introduced in to cease the run. Martin was a depth rusher, whereas Miller was signed earlier than coaching camp. The Commanders have cash to spend in March and a top-10 draft decide in April’s 2026 NFL Draft. Otherwise, it does not matter who’s teaching the entrance seven or the outcomes will be related.
The secondary was one other unit that struggled final season. Entering 2025, the Commanders felt cornerback Mike Sainristil and security Quan Martin have been cornerstone gamers and constructing blocks. Both regressed badly. That is a training subject. Why did Sainristil seem to lose a lot confidence? Why did Martin overlook find out how to sort out? Jones is a secondary coach by commerce, so that ought to assist this group. Will present backs coach Tommy Donatell stay in his place?
An improved cross rush will assist all three ranges of the protection. Washington’s lack of a cross rush affected protection final season. But once you’re one of many NFL’s worst defenses, there’s loads of blame to go round. And that blame begins and ends with Peters and Quinn.
Firing place coaches is not Washington’s main subject. The Commanders have a expertise subject. And with restricted draft capital, Washington should be aggressive when free company opens in March.
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This article initially appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Talent, not coaching, is the main problem