What to know about new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn،
ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders, once again, have turned to a defensive-minded coach to turn around their franchise.
Dan Quinn becomes the latest coach to try to make Washington something it hasn't been in a long, long time: a consistent winner.
He replaces Ron Rivera, who was fired after four seasons and was hired by former owner Dan Snyder under a coach-centric model.
New owner Josh Harris didn't hire Quinn to be the ultimate football decision-maker — that job belongs to general manager Adam Peters. But Quinn's job will take a lot of work because the commanders have key holes to fill.
There's reason to believe things can improve this time around, but there's no doubt that some of the roster issues that have plagued the organization for years haven't changed.
Taking a closer look, Commanders reporter John Keim answers three big questions about Quinn's hiring, including what's next. National reporter Dan Graziano talks about what he's hearing about the hiring, and draft analyst Jordan Reid breaks it down on the draft. Finally, front office analyst Mike Tannenbaum rates the hire.
Here's a look at Washington's first hire under Harris:
Why Dan Quinn, and what does he bring to Washington?
Keim: The most common word used during commanders' raids, both publicly and privately, was “leadership.” Washington wanted a strong leader.
An NFL coach who worked with Quinn said he was as good as any coach he's been around at setting the standards for an organization. Another coach called him one of the best in the NFL. So he has many fans in the league.
Quinn coached the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020. His career record isn't impressive (43-42, 3-2 in the playoffs), but he displays the traits Washington looks for in a head coach, anyone. 'one who has the same vision of the team. organization as general manager.
Peters, the new general manager, spent six seasons in San Francisco with coach Kyle Shanahan, who was Quinn's offensive coordinator in Atlanta for two seasons before becoming head coach.
Quinn has developed a strong reputation as a defensive coordinator. When he was defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks in 2013 and 2014, the Seahawks ranked first in yards and points allowed each season. But Quinn had inherited a group that had been first in points and fourth in yards allowed before taking over.
He spent the last three seasons as defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. In Dallas, he inherited a group ranked 28th in points and 23rd in yards allowed. Under Quinn, the Cowboys improved to seventh and 19th, respectively, in those categories in his first season and ranked fifth in both areas last year. Dallas created more turnovers (93) than any other team in Quinn's three years as coordinator. Washington ranked 29th with 55 takeaways during that span.
A current assistant coach, whose team faced Dallas, praised Quinn for adjusting his plan over the years.
What's the first thing Quinn needs to address in Washington?
Keim: Find a better offensive coordinator. Although Quinn's downfall in Atlanta was his defense, the offense needs to be addressed first in Washington. The Commanders will likely select a quarterback with the second pick in the 2024 draft, so it is imperative that Quinn has a well-developed offensive scheme.
That means not only the coordinator but also the quarterbacks coach. He will also need to have a good succession plan in place in case his coordinator excels and quickly leaves for a head coaching job. Washington currently has Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator and Tavita Pritchard as quarterbacks coach. Both are under contract for 2024.
Houston was able to do this after hiring a defensive-minded coach in DeMeco Ryans and choosing a quarterback at No. 2 to play for first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
Quinn's best success in Atlanta came with Shanahan as coordinator. The offense, featuring quarterback Matt Ryan and receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, ranked first in points and second in yards in 2016. The offense ranked top 10 in rushing yards during each of Quinn's last three seasons and has also ranked in the 13th each year in scoring. .
Finding a quarterback is the second thing on the to-do list. Since parting ways with Kirk Cousins after the 2017 season, Washington has started 12 different QBs, including eight in Rivera's four seasons. The last Washington quarterback to be the primary starter for more than three seasons was Mark Rypien from 1989 to 1993.
With the second overall pick, Washington will be able to choose between quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels, assuming Caleb Williams goes first overall. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projected Daniels to Washington in his latest mock draft. Other analysts predicted Maye.
Washington hasn't had a solid offense in quite some time, ranking 20th or worse in points and yards in each of the last six seasons. Since 1992, the organization has had a time where the offense ranked in the top 10 in a row – 2004-05. He hasn't ranked in the top 10 in consecutive years since 1990-91.
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Who does Mel Kiper Jr. like for the Commanders with the 2nd pick?
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Was Quinn Washington the first choice?
Keim: It's hard to say. Many around the league expected Washington to hire Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, but while he was a top target of at least some in the Commanders search, it was not a unanimous opinion , said a source.
When Washington hired Peters last month, a source said he was clearly the commanders' first choice. But shortly after Peters was hired, a source said no coaching candidate stood out like Peters.
Although Johnson's withdrawal Tuesday surprised the team, it didn't cause panic, a source said. Washington had yet to choose a single person, although Johnson was considered a prime target. No one was offered the job. The commanders had not yet met Johnson in person and, in fact, were on their way to Detroit for an interview when they learned he was staying with the Lions. Before Johnson's decision was made public, multiple sources indicated the earliest the hiring would take place was later this week.
Later that day, Slowik signed a new deal to remain with the Texans. He, too, was on the commander's list – although he was considered an unlikely recruit.
Former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald was another prime candidate. Washington liked him; he loved Seattle, where he ended up. But it is not certain that Washington appreciates it more than the other possibilities.
Regardless, the road ahead is long for commanders. If Quinn can lead them to a better place, it won't matter how that process happened. Otherwise? They will need to reorganize their process for next time.
What are you hearing around the league about hiring?
Graziano: The feeling I had over the last week was that Washington really liked Mike Macdonald and that he very well could have been the Commanders' first choice (yes, even ahead of Lions OC Ben Johnson). But I also heard that Washington really liked Quinn and that his previous head coaching experience fit what the team was looking for in an overall organizational leader. So obviously, once Macdonald ended up in Seattle, he was under the impression that Quinn would get the job unless the commanders decided to open it up to new candidates.
Now that Quinn has the job, the questions turn to who will run his offense and obviously who will play quarterback. Washington has the No. 2 pick in the draft, so you have to think this team will work with a starting rookie. I think this offensive coordinator hire will be watched very closely. Quinn enjoyed a successful head coaching career in Atlanta, but his best years there were with Kyle Shanahan as OC. If he can hit such a home run with this hire, it could go a long way in determining the level of success he can have in turning around Commanders.
Who is the best QB prospect at No. 2 for Quinn to begin his tenure as commander?
Reid: Jayden Daniels of LSU. Quinn might approach this one from the perspective of a former defensive coordinator…who's the one QB he wouldn't want to face? And the fear factor coupled with Daniels' dual-threat ability makes him an attractive option for Washington, which needs a spark on offense. Daniels has thrown 40 touchdown passes and ran for 10 more in 2023. Even though he's my QB3 right now, Daniels' combination of downfield passing ability and explosiveness as a runner makes him a candidate for commanders at No. 2.
How would you rate this hire?
Tannenbaum: Unless. Quinn is an experienced coach who has been to the Super Bowl and has significantly improved the Cowboys' defense in three seasons as defensive coordinator. This is a solid approach.
