Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is working with two new coordinators. That’s what a 5-12 disaster will bring.
Quinn promoted David Blough from the quarterbacks room, where he was an assistant. Quinn imported Daronte Jones from Minnesota, where he studied under Brian Flores’ esteemed defensive mind.
While Quinn. has been a play caller in his own right, he has vowed to let Jones run his system. So, in other words, we have a complete schematic overhaul happening in Washington. New terminology. New play designs.
New everything.
That fact’s not new. These coaching hires were made months ago. They’ve only recently had access to players. Only now have they had access to the rookies.
It’s finally time to teach the whole crew. Quinn has been impressed by the style and substance Jones and Blough have brought to the table. He expressed those sentiments in a press conference to kick off Commanders rookie minicamp.
Let’s start with Jones, who is bringing in some version of what Flores does in Minnesota.
“I think from a leadership standpoint, I’ll start there first — man, is he organized; like impeccably organized,” Quinn told on-site reporters in a Friday press conference. “He’s got a very detailed thought and approach to how things go from the way he meets with the defensive staff to the way he meets with the players. So, I like that approach.
“ … He hits every single step along the way. As a player, you like that because he’s thorough. He goes through all the steps. It’s not gray. There’s a lot of clarity. Even though, at times, it can seem complex to what we’re doing, there’s actually a lot of clarity that goes with it. So that’s the part, from a leadership standpoint, that I’ve seen so far, like the extreme organization and clarity of the teaching.”
Quinn had similar things to say about Blough. It’s assumed that Blough will import some concepts stemming from his time working with Bears head coach Ben Johnson (a super talented offense schematic individual), we still don’t know exactly how the Commanders offense will run.
Quinn has better insight on that, but he’s not spilling. He did volunteer that he likes the way Blough is unveiling the new system after two years under Kill Kingsbury.
“I think it’s fun to see him install the whole thing, you know, in front of the room, an identity of what we’d like to be of the different teachings,” Quinn said. “So, there’s quite a bit of new terminology for the players that were here from (2024) and ‘25, so to see the different things that we’re emphasizing, and him right in the front of it all, it’s been excellent. One of the things I’ve been impressed by is his ability and the staff to really function together. Like, our receiver group as a coaching staff, I don’t think you could come into a better space than to learn from (receivers coach) Bobby (Engram) and (offensive assistant) Wes (Welker) and (assistant wide receivers coach) Andre (Coleman), like the amount of experience the three of them have together in the National Football League, it’s incredible. And so, they’re able to share different things, different points of view, vibe off one another as a coach. That’s the type of environment that I’m looking for to see their vibe together. So that might be just one small example of him listening, and also allowing some of the guys to make their imprint on the offense as well.”
