Sources: Commanders hiring Kliff Kingsbury as OC, Joe Whitt Jr. as DC

ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders moved shortly to fill their offensive coordinator place, hiring former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, a number of sources advised ESPN on Sunday night time.

However the Commanders weren’t completed, including Joe Whitt Jr. as their defensive coordinator, in keeping with sources.

They’re the primary huge strikes by new coach Dan Quinn, who has coached protection all through his profession. Kingsbury had been near becoming a member of the Las Vegas Raiders as their offensive coordinator till contract talks broke down on Saturday. Washington talked to Kingsbury that day, and the deal was accomplished Sunday.

Shortly after information broke about Kingsbury becoming a member of the employees, Whitt’s hiring was reported. From the time Quinn took the Commanders job on Thursday, Whitt was thought of the highest candidate to turn out to be his defensive coordinator.

Whitt, 45, has coached within the NFL since 2007 however has by no means been a coordinator. He coached one season in Atlanta (2020) with Quinn and joined him once more in Dallas in 2021 because the Cowboys’ secondary coach and cross sport coordinator. Whitt has served as a cross sport coordinator since 2018 for 3 totally different groups.

Throughout his three seasons in that function with Dallas, and with Quinn as coordinator, the Cowboys ranked eighth in passing yards allowed, third in completion proportion and third in quarterback score.

Kingsbury, 44, coached the Cardinals for 4 years till he was fired after the 2022 season. He competed in the identical division as Washington’s new common supervisor, Adam Peters, who had labored with the San Francisco 49ers till being employed by the Commanders final month.

Eric Bieniemy, who has one yr left on his contract, served because the Commanders’ offensive coordinator this previous season.

In Kingsbury’s first season in Arizona — when quarterback Kyler Murray was a rookie — the Cardinals’ offense ranked sixteenth in factors and twenty first in yards. However in Yr 2, it jumped to thirteenth in factors and sixth in yards.

Arizona ranked eleventh in factors and eighth in yards in Kingsbury’s third season earlier than falling to twenty first in factors and twenty second in yards in his fourth marketing campaign, when Murray suffered a torn ACL in Week 13.

Washington’s offense has not ranked above sixteenth in both class since 2016. It has ranked within the prime 10 in both factors or yards solely 5 occasions since 2000.

However the Commanders, who personal the second choose in April’s draft and can strongly take into account choosing a quarterback, now have a coach skilled at working with younger QBs. Kingsbury spent the previous fall as USC’s quarterbacks coach and senior offensive analyst, working straight with Trojans signal-caller Caleb Williams, the projected No. 1 draft choose.

Kingsbury additionally drafted Murray at Arizona and, as head coach at Texas Tech, labored with Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield.

The Commanders even have Sam Howell, who has began the previous 18 video games for them at quarterback and will probably be getting into his third season. Howell and Drake Maye, a chance with the second choose, each performed in a model of the Air Raid offense at North Carolina beneath former Tar Heels coordinator Phil Longo.

Kingsbury additionally interviewed with Chicago for its offensive coordinator opening, however the Bears as a substitute employed Shane Waldron.