Head coach Dan Quinn caused a stir by naming Daronte Jones as the Washington Commanders’ new defensive coordinator. He made an ambitious bid to lure Brian Flores from the Minnesota Vikings. When that didn’t work out, he went for his most trusted assistant instead.
It’s another gamble on an inexperienced play-caller. But unlike offensive coordinator David Blough, Jones has cut his teeth up the coaching ranks for decades, working with some elite minds and gradually increasing his influence along the way.
This is a high-risk, high-reward gamble from Quinn. And one Vikings writer outlined precisely why the Commanders went in this direction.
Vikings writer pinpoints what attracted the Commanders to Daronte Jones
Luke Norris from The Viking Age pointed to Jones’ sterling work with Minnesota’s secondary and the trust Flores placed in him as reasons why Quinn may have become enamored with his credentials. And for a defense that struggled to be even remotely competitive in 2025, this appointment could be a quick breath of fresh air.
“In 2024, the Vikings led the league with 24 interceptions, five more than the second-place Houston Texans. And in 2025, despite several roster changes on the defensive side of the ball, Minnesota surrendered the second-fewest passing yards in the NFL, allowing just 158.5 per game. So, it’s certainly easy to understand why Jones was in such high demand.”
Luke Norris
Obviously, much will depend on the personnel. The Commanders are in desperate need of a revamp at all three levels of their defense. Adam Peters has cash to spend in free agency, and Washington also has six selections in the 2026 NFL Draft to further strengthen the ranks. But for Jones’ projected system to work, the general manager needs to value his input highly throughout the recruitment process.
Quinn is getting his job on Blough and Jones’ ability to come up with the innovative ideas needed to revolutionize both sides of the football in Washington. Expect to see more aggression, more pressure, and more takeaways. Anything less would be a disappointment, and it could lead to even more changes when the 2027 offseason rolls around.
At the same time, this bold strategy just might work.
Jones has worked alongside respected defensive minds such as Flores, Mike Zimmer, Vance Joseph, and Marvin Lewis during his time in the league. The knowledge he has acquired will only serve him well as he takes control of an NFL defense for the first time. And this sort of drastic measure is precisely what the Commanders needed to shake things up.
And make no mistake; it has to work.
