Logan Paulsen played for Dan Quinn; he knows Dan Quinn, and he respects Dan Quinn.
Paulsen, a guest on the “Grant and Danny Show” (106.7 The Fan) Thursday, admitted he was excited about the prospect of Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson being hired by the Commanders. But Paulsen also quickly added, “But he’s a guy who wasn’t ready for this position (Commanders HC).”
“I also think it is important to note that just because you get a good coordinator in your building does not mean you will have a good head coach,” Paulsen declared. Paulsen then pointed to recently fired Chargers head coach Brandon Staley as an example of a guy who just never got it together to become a good head coach.
So why does Paulsen feel Quinn is a good HC hire for the Commanders? 1) “You are going to have a guy who understands the position. He has done this before.”
2) “He understands the (NFL) culture at the highest level. He understands the energy level required to come to work every day and why it is so important to play with that kind of energy and practice with that kind of energy.”
3) “His coaching tree is diverse and eclectic. He and Adam Peters’ connection with Kyle Shanahan makes me believe they will be able to find the offensive coach (coordinator). When he started in Atlanta, he made one of the best offensive coach hires in Kyle Shanahan from Cleveland. So, he understands the importance of that position.”
Finally, he was asked why Quinn would be more successful here than he was in Atlanta.
“Well, I really believe smart people learn more from their failures than they do from their successes. I think you can’t mature as a person, as a coach without that failure. I’m not sure he understands how critical having an elite coordinator is if he doesn’t have that two or three-year slide in Atlanta. I think he also understands how to discipline and motivate players while still maintaining those excellent relationships. That comes from that failure and I understand because he is a guy who has that growth mindset.”
Paulsen concluded, “I am not saying he is perfect. I am not saying he is the best candidate of all time in the history of the NFL. But I do think he is a good man who understands his weaknesses and is willing to grow. That is someone I want to bet on.”