ClutchPoints
Without a doubt, the head coaching reputation of the Washington Commanders’ Dan Quinn is gambled on a young offensive coordinator. It’s also built on a first-year defensive coordinator. Unfortunately for the Commanders’ 2026 season, they’ve set one guy up for success and the other for failure.
On the offensive side of the football, Quinn put his trust in the so-called wunderkind, David Blough. He’s 30 years old. And no matter the promise of his brilliance, he’s still a 30-year-old first-time coordinator.
Meanwhile, Daronte Jones is 47 years old. He has paid his dues at every level of football. His transition into the defensive coordinator role was much less meteoric.
First, it’s time for him to get his chance. How many NFL defensive coordinators can say they’ve worked at the high school, Division I, Division II, Division III, CFL, and NFL levels? It doesn’t mean Jones will do well because of that experience. But it doesn’t say he’s determined and met every challenge along the way, which allowed him to move up.
But coaching experience doesn’t win games on Sundays. Two things do: Having good enough personnel and being able to make adjustments as the games unfold. The Commanders won’t know the second part about Jones until the actual games start.
But they have given Jones enough personnel to succeed in 2026. The main reason is first-round pick Sonny Styles. Don’t jump ahead. This isn’t saying Styles is the fix that will change everything. But he is the type of linebacker who gives a coach confidence that the defense has a fighting chance, no matter the offensive play call. Run or pass, Styles has the ability to make plays.
Also, the Commanders brought in a pair of potentially impactful edge rushers. Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson will help Jones formulate game plans. The Commanders should enter each week with a reasonable chance to get after the quarterback. And that’s a big edge for a defensive coordinator.
Also, the Commanders’ secondary could be its best version in many years. Guys like Will Harris and Jeremy Reaves are now backups, where they can be effective in those roles in the NFL. Starters like cornerbacks Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil are products of the Commanders’ recent commitment to get better on defense in the draft.
All of these things give Jones the freedom to take some chances. But the unit looks solid enough to also stay conservative for big stretches of a game. The Commanders might actually be able to stop drives this season.
And that’s another reason Jones is set up for success. The Commanders don’t have a high bar for defensive success. They don’t have to be a top-five unit for Jones to be hailed as a top-notch coordinator. If he gets them in the 10-15 range, that’s big-time success for a Commanders organization that rarely fields a tough defense.
However …
To be fair to...
