ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders, as soon as extra, have turned to a defensive-minded coach to show their franchise round.
Dan Quinn turns into the most recent coach to attempt to flip Washington into one thing it hasn’t been in a protracted, very long time: a constant winner.
He replaces Ron Rivera, who was fired after 4 seasons and had been employed by earlier proprietor Dan Snyder underneath a coach-centric mannequin.
New proprietor Josh Harris didn’t rent Quinn to be the final word soccer decision-maker — that job belongs to basic supervisor Adam Peters. However Quinn’s job would require quite a lot of heavy lifting because the Commanders have key holes to fill.
There’s purpose to imagine issues can enhance this time round — however there’s little doubt that among the roster points which have plagued the group for years have not modified.
Taking a better look, Commanders reporter John Keim solutions three large questions on hiring Quinn, together with what comes subsequent. Nationwide reporter Dan Graziano dishes on what he is listening to in regards to the rent, and draft analyst Jordan Reid spins it ahead to the draft. Lastly, entrance workplace analyst Mike Tannenbaum grades the rent.
Here is a have a look at Washington’s first rent underneath Harris:
Why Dan Quinn, and what does he deliver to Washington?
Keim: Probably the most-used phrase in the course of the Commanders’ search, publicly and privately, was “management.” Washington wished a powerful chief.
One NFL coach who labored with Quinn stated he was nearly as good as any coach he is been round at setting the usual for a corporation. One other coach labeled him the most effective within the NFL. So he has quite a few followers within the league.
Quinn coached the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020. His profession document is not spectacular (43-42, 3-2 within the playoffs), however he shows the traits Washington needs in a head coach, somebody who has the identical imaginative and prescient for the group as the final supervisor.
Peters, the brand new GM, spent six seasons in San Francisco with coach Kyle Shanahan, who was Quinn’s offensive coordinator in Atlanta for 2 seasons earlier than turning into a head coach.
Quinn developed a powerful repute as a defensive coordinator. When he was the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014, the Seahawks ranked first in yards and factors allowed every season. However Quinn had inherited a bunch that had been first in factors and fourth in yards allowed earlier than he took over.
He spent the previous three seasons because the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. In Dallas, he inherited a bunch that ranked twenty eighth in factors and twenty third in yards allowed. Beneath Quinn, the Cowboys improved to seventh and nineteenth, respectively, in these classes in his first season and ranked fifth in each areas this previous 12 months. Dallas created extra turnovers (93) than some other group throughout Quinn’s three years as coordinator. Washington ranked twenty ninth with 55 takeaways throughout this span.
One present assistant coach, whose group has confronted Dallas, praised Quinn for adjusting his scheme over time.
What’s the very first thing Quinn should tackle in Washington?
Keim: Discovering a high offensive coordinator. Whereas Quinn’s downfall in Atlanta was his protection, the offense must be addressed first in Washington. The Commanders will doubtless choose a quarterback with the second choose within the 2024 draft, so it is crucial that Quinn has a well-developed offensive plan.
Meaning not solely the coordinator but additionally the quarterbacks coach. He’ll additionally must have a superb succession plan in place in case his coordinator excels and shortly leaves for a head-coaching place. Washington at present has Eric Bieniemy because the offensive coordinator and Tavita Pritchard as quarterbacks coach. Each are underneath contract for 2024.
Houston made it work after hiring a defensive-minded coach in DeMeco Ryans and selecting a quarterback at No. 2 to play for first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
Quinn’s finest success in Atlanta occurred with Shanahan as his coordinator. The offense, with quarterback Matt Ryan and receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, ranked first in factors and second in yards in 2016. The offense ranked high 10 in yards in every of Quinn’s closing three seasons and was high 13 annually in scoring as effectively.
Discovering a quarterback is second on the to-do checklist. Since parting methods with Kirk Cousins after the 2017 season, Washington has began 12 completely different QBs, together with eight in Rivera’s 4 seasons. The final Washington quarterback to be the first starter for greater than three seasons was Mark Rypien from 1989 to 1993.
With the second total choose, Washington will be capable to select between quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels, assuming Caleb Williams goes first total. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projected Daniels to Washington in his newest mock draft. Different analysts have predicted Maye.
Washington has not had a powerful offense shortly, rating twentieth or worse in factors and yards in every of the previous six seasons. Since 1992, the group has had one time when the offense ranked within the high 10 in consecutive years — 2004-05. It has not ranked high 10 in scoring in consecutive years since 1990-91.
Who does Mel Kiper Jr. like for the Commanders with the 2nd choose?
Mel Kiper Jr. explains why Jayden Daniels may go second within the NFL draft to the Washington Commanders.
Was Quinn Washington’s first alternative?
Keim: It is exhausting to say. Many within the league anticipated Washington hiring Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, however though he was a well-liked goal of no less than some within the Commanders’ search, that wasn’t a unanimous opinion, one supply stated.
When Washington employed Peters final month, one supply stated he was clearly the Commanders’ best choice. However shortly after Peters was employed, one supply stated there was no teaching candidate who stood out like Peters.
Whereas Johnson’s withdrawal from consideration Tuesday stunned the group, it didn’t end in panic, one supply stated. Washington had not but settled on one individual, even when Johnson was thought-about a high goal. No person had been supplied the job. The Commanders had not but met with Johnson in individual and, in reality, had been en path to Detroit for an interview once they discovered he was staying with the Lions. Earlier than Johnson’s determination grew to become public, a number of sources indicated the rent would happen later within the week on the earliest.
Later that day, Slowik signed a brand new deal to stay with the Texans. He, too, was on the Commanders’ checklist — though thought-about an unlikely rent.
Former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald was one other high candidate. Washington favored him; he favored Seattle, the place he ended up. However it’s not sure Washington favored him greater than the opposite prospects.
Regardless of the case, there is a lengthy highway forward for the Commanders. If Quinn can cause them to a greater place, it will not matter how this course of unfolded. If not? They’re going to should revamp their course of for the following time.
What are you listening to across the league on the rent?
Graziano: The sense I acquired over the previous week or so was that Washington favored Mike Macdonald so much and that he could effectively have been the Commanders’ best choice (sure, even forward of Lions OC Ben Johnson). However I additionally stored listening to that Washington favored Quinn so much and that his earlier head-coaching expertise matched what the group was searching for in an total organizational chief. So clearly as soon as Macdonald ended up in Seattle, it felt like Quinn would get the job until the Commanders determined to open it as much as new candidates.
Now that Quinn has the job, the questions flip to who will run his offense and clearly who will play quarterback. Washington has the No. 2 choose within the draft, so you must suppose this workers will probably be working with a rookie starter. I believe this offensive coordinator rent will probably be watched very intently. Quinn did have a profitable head-coaching run in Atlanta, however his finest years there have been with Kyle Shanahan because the OC. If he can hit a house run like that with this rent, it may go a great distance towards figuring out the extent of success he can have in turning the Commanders round.
Who’s the perfect QB prospect match at No. 2 for Quinn to begin his Commanders tenure?
Reid: LSU’s Jayden Daniels. Quinn would possibly method this one from the standpoint of a former defensive coordinator … who’s the QB he would not need to face? And the worry issue related to Daniels’ dual-threat means makes him an interesting choice for Washington, which wants a spark on offense. Daniels threw for 40 landing passes and ran for 10 extra in 2023. Though he’s my QB3 proper now, Daniels’ mixture of downfield passing means and explosiveness as a runner makes him a candidate for the Commanders at No. 2.
How would you grade this rent?
Tannenbaum: A-minus. Quinn is an skilled coach who has been to a Tremendous Bowl, and he made the Cowboys’ protection immeasurably higher over three seasons as their defensive coordinator. It is a strong transfer.