Washington fans had their hopes set on Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as the Commanders’ next head coach last season. However, the Commanders and Johnson were never close on a deal, and Washington hired former Falcons head coach and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as the head coach.
While some initially expressed disappointment with the Quinn hiring, that quickly disappeared when the well-respected Quinn hired an all-star staff.
The concern with Quinn was due to him being a defensive-minded head coach. That mattered to some because Washington was picking a young quarterback in the draft. How would he answer those concerns? Quinn landed former Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as his offensive coordinator. Additionally, the Commanders hired three other former quarterbacks on the offensive coaching staff, including former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.
Now that the NFL season is close, what do others think of Washington’s coaching staff? ESPN’s Ben Solak recently ranked every NFL staff from 1-32. Solak has the Commanders’ staff ranked No. 31.
Listen. This is not good.
Quinn is a players’ coach, and he has a system he has run into the ground — he knows the ins and the outs of it, and he can get it on the field quickly and cleanly. The problem is every good offensive coordinator in the league knows how this defense works — four down, zone coverages, certain checks against certain formations — and can find success accordingly. Quinn’s “line up and play fast” approach can work with a souped-up roster like the one enjoyed in Dallas, where stars such as Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland could line up and beat the guy across from them. In Washington, where the defensive roster is really thin? The Quinn shtick won’t work as easily.
Now, Kingsbury is a players’ coach, and he has a system he’s run into the ground — he knows the ins and the outs of it, and he can get it on the field quickly and cleanly. Are you seeing the issue here? Kingsbury’s Air Raid approach far too often leaves his quarterback checking into screens, running pre-snap RPOs, or praying a wide receiver wins a one-on-one deep down the field. This offense floundered in Arizona because there wasn’t enough multiplicity or deception, much as Quinn’s defenses struggled for their simplicity.
I love the vibes in the room — Quinn, Kliff and Whitt all get along well with the fellas. But schematically, this is as stale of a room as I can remember. Here’s hoping they prove me wrong.
Ouch. These are some harsh criticisms, but certainly not unfair. One aspect Solak didn’t mention was Washington’s staff is full of teachers. That’s a huge change from the previous staff. The Commanders believe some of their younger players will benefit from better coaching.
The 2024 season could be difficult for Washington due to its lack of talent across the roster—not because of a bad coaching staff.