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Vikings, other NFL teams not surprised Commanders hired Daronte Jones
Alec Lewis covers the Vikings for The Athletic, and he told “Grant & Danny ” on 106.7 The Fan on Tuesday, “I was pretty excited to see Daronte get this opportunity. I think everyone here
who has observed him, talked to people about him, gotten to know him, believed that this was coming down the pike.”
Jones has been in the NFL for a decade now, starting by coaching defensive backs for the Dolphins in the 2016-2017 seasons. From 2018-2019 in Cincinnati, and in 2020 with the Vikings, he continued coaching defensive backs. Becoming a defensive coordinator for LSU in 2021, he was not retained for the following season, as the Tigers fired then-head coach Ed Orgeron.
However, he was welcomed back to the Vikings to coach defensive backs (2022), and then he was promoted to defensive passing game coordinator, where he has served well the past three seasons 2023-2025).
“He’s a combination of what a lot of these teams and coaches are looking for on the defensive side of the ball,” expressed Lewis. “His schematic background is pretty deep having spent time under Mike Zimmer, Lou Anarumo and Brian Flores.”
“Coaches are looking for guys with very few yellow and red flags. And Daronte doesn’t have any. So, it was just a matter of time.”
Commanders.com
Paulsen: Ben Sinnott got ‘more comfortable’ in second season
Ben Sinnott had a mostly quiet first two seasons in the NFL, although the 2024 second-round pick did start to make some more noise once he took on a larger role in place of injured veteran Zach Ertz.
That might cause some impatience from people who expect more from a player taken with a top 100 pick, but analyst Logan Paulsen and the rest of the “Command Center” crew did see growth from Sinnott and believe that patience is all part of the process.
“I think you saw a guy that just got more comfortable,” Paulsen said.
Sinnott’s first season, however, featured few flashes of that skill set. He made five catches on as many targets for 28 yards with just 311 total snaps on offense. Paulsen credited the limited usage to Sinnott still learning what it took to be a successful NFL player. Paulsen believed Sinnott “didn’t understand the nuance in the run game, some of the nuances in coverage.”
“When you’re coming from college and you’re a freak athlete the way he is, you’re able to overcome a lot of that lack of that study with just physical prowess,” Paulsen said.
With Ertz set to be a free agent in March, it’s possible Sinnott could have a larger role in his third season. It’s still unknown if he will end up as the all-around player he was projected to be, but the talent and skill set make Paulsen…believe it’s worth waiting to see what he turns into.
Commanders.com
2025 Commanders position review | Cornerback
Where will Sainristil play? The Commanders drafted Sainristil out of Michigan to be a starting slot cornerback. They tried to keep him there during his rookie season but were forced to move him to the outside, where he played well against some of the best receivers in the division. They tried to move him back into the slot in 2025 but were once again forced to move him back outside because of injuries to their perimeter cornerbacks. Sainristil was competent at the spot for a second straight season, which has forced some to wonder if the Commanders should just keep him there. The Commanders will have a new defensive coordinator in 2026, and they will surely bring in new ideas on how to best use Sainristil as he goes into his third season. The good news for Sainristil is that he’s proven he can play both spots, which offers the new staff more flexibility.
— Is more help on the way? The Commanders have some foundational pieces at cornerback in Sainristil and Amos, but there are several questions at the rest of the position. Lattimore’s torn ACL means that he is likely to miss at least a portion of the 2026 season, and backup players like Jones and Igbinoghene are scheduled to be free agents. The Commanders want to get younger at several spots, and while cornerback isn’t a position connected to Washington’s first-round pick yet, there are some young free agents who could give them a boost in talent. Head coach Dan Quinn has a history with free agent Trevon Diggs, but players like Alontae Taylor, Riq Woolen and Greg Newsome are all under 30 years old and projected to be available. It will be up to Quinn and general manager Adam Peters to determine which, if any, are the right fit for the Commanders as they retool their defense.
Commanders Roundtable
Commanders assistant interviewing for coordinator job elsewhere
A report on Tuesday night pointed to Commanders defensive pass game coordinator Jason Simmons is expected to interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the defensive coordinator vacancy under head coach Mike McCarthy, who was officially announced as head coach on Tuesday.
Simmons, a former fifth round pick out of Arizona State, actually began his playing career with the Steelers where he played sparingly as a rookie before appearing in 43 games through 2021. He then amassed a pair of interceptions and eight pass deflections over the next six seasons with the Houston Texans before transitioning to coaching in 2011 with the Green Bay Packers.
Whether the Commanders add any additional assistants from the Vikings with Daronte Jones officially on board also remains to be seen with both sides of the ball looking to finalize its staff ahead of the next phase of the critical offseason.
Heavy.com
Commanders’ Offense Must Avoid 2025 Pitfalls
While the Commanders’ 2024 season was brilliant, Washington’s 2025 season started off much rougher by comparison. One of the major issues was injuries to Daniels that limited him to only seven games. However, one of the team’s better aspects was the rushing attack.
While backup Marcus Mariota did run for 297 yards, it was the solid play of the running backs that allowed Washington to move the ball. Three running backs (Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez, and Jeremy McNichols) each ran for over 200 yards. To keep Daniels upright and possibly run less, the team must continue to focus on the running game.
Helping Blough Could Involve Adding to WR Corps
Additionally, finding receivers with game-breaking speed could help gain separation. While No. 1 wideout Terry McLaurin boasted a 15.3 yards per reception statistic, veteran Deebo Samuel garnered just 10.3 yards per catch. Moreover, Samuel’s skill set looks rather redundant. On a team with a stable of running backs and the potential draft capital to add more, they do not seem to need him in the backfield. The Sporting News’ Bill Barnwell addressed the issue.
“Even if you prorate out Samuel’s six games with Daniels under center, we end up with 99 catches for just 850 yards, which tells you how much of Samuel’s production came on screens and lateral throws around the line of scrimmage,” Barnwell writes. “His average target with Daniels on the field traveled just 4.5 yards in the air, which would rank 65th out of 67 wideouts in terms of target depth over a full season.”
ESPN
2026 NFL free agency: Re-signing decisions for all 32 teams
Washington Commanders
WR Deebo Samuel
Washington traded a fifth-round pick to obtain Samuel last offseason, and he responded with a team-high 72 catches — the second most in his career — for 727 yards and five touchdowns. He was not a big factor in the run game (only 17 attempts) partly due to the Commanders needing him more at receiver with other starters injured. The Commanders need another true receiver, one with downfield speed, opposite Terry McLaurin, but Samuel could still help as a versatile chess piece. The question is cost: Samuel made $17.5 million last season, but that’s a steep price to pay for someone who just turned 30 and isn’t the primary receiver. — John Keim
Riggo’s Rag
Commanders hiring Daronte Jones could spark Frankie Luvu back to life
Frankie Luvu looked like a superstar during his first season with the Commanders in 2024. The free-agent signing from the Carolina Panthers formed a dynamic linebacker pairing with future Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner. Both earned second-team All-Pro honors as Washington made the NFC Championship game.
Luvu’s inspirational presence in the locker room was just as important to the Commanders’ renaissance. Everything was looking up for the undrafted free agent turned prolific starter. However, things did not go as well this time around.
The Washington State product was forced to spend more time as an edge rusher amid endless injury problems. Luvu did it to help the team, but the veteran later admitted he never felt comfortable. And his influence regressed considerably.
Jones’ projected scheme has the scope to help Luvu regain his 2024 form. If he adopts similar concepts to Flores in Minnesota, he’ll need explosive linebackers who can get into the backfield quickly on blitzes while also having the versatility to drop back in coverage when required. Having the freedom to be instinctive is also key, which is where the eight-year pro thrives.
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Browns hire Todd Monken as new head coach
The Cleveland Browns have hired former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to be their next head coach, the team announced Wednesday.
Monken, who turns 60 on Feb. 5, replaces Kevin Stefanski, who was fired Jan. 5 after six seasons in Cleveland. The Browns finished 5-12 this past season and have an 8-26 record since last reaching the playoffs in the 2023 season.
Cleveland hiring Monken as its head coach leaves the New York Giants and their head coach, John Harbaugh, in search of a new offensive coordinator. Many expected Monken to follow Harbaugh to New York if he was not hired as a head coach.
Monken was one of five candidates with whom the Browns held in-person interviews, along with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Jacksonville Jaguars OC Grant Udinski, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and Washington Commanders run game coordinator/running backs coach Anthony Lynn.
ESPN
Sources: Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer
In voting earlier this month, Belichick fell short of the 40 out of 50 votes needed for induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility, four sources with firsthand knowledge of the outcome told ESPN. Belichick received a call from a Hall representative last Friday afternoon with the news that he won’t be inducted into the Hall in Canton, Ohio, this summer.
Several sources who spoke with the coach over the weekend described Belichick as “puzzled” and “disappointed” by his inability to secure support from at least 80% of Hall committee members.
“Six Super Bowls isn’t enough?” Belichick asked an associate, referring to the championships he won as head coach of the New England Patriots. He won two more as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. To another associate, he said, “What does a guy have to do?”
Multiple sources told ESPN that Spygate and Deflategate, the twin cheating scandals during the Patriots’ championship run, came up in deliberations among voters.
This year, Belichick was a finalist with Robert Kraft, his fellow co-architect of an NFL dynasty in New England. It marked the first time that Kraft, 84, was a Hall finalist after 14 years of campaigning on his behalf by his team’s longtime PR man and other supporters. Kraft and Belichick have become bitter antagonists since parting ways in January 2024.
It’s unknown whether Kraft, or any other finalist, which also included three “seniors”: former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson, San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig, and the late L.C. Greenwood, who was a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers, received the necessary votes for induction.
