Not Commanders' 1st Choice, Dan Quinn's Defensive Scheme Raises Concerns for Washington's Future, Says NFL Reporter

Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders' new head coach, has a different style of defensive system. He prefers to run 4-3 defenses, the same he used with the Seattle Seahawks as a defensive coordinator. Quinn's defensive scheme mainly involves an aggressive style with extra rushers and significant man coverage. When joining the Commanders, he claimed that he would follow the same for his current team, similar to the Dallas Cowboys' defensive style. But how far will his new aggressive defensive scheme will go? This is already raising concerns about the team's future wins. In a Yahoo Sports podcast, NFL writer Charles McDonald and Diante Lee also discussed Washington's outlook in the upcoming season under the former Cowboys' coach and his new defensive schemes.

Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Dan Quinn stands on the field prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

During the conversation, McDonald spoke up about the EX- Atlanta Falcons coach's aggressive defensive scheme, asking a question with his podcast guest. "Obviously, the hire was interesting because Dan Quinn was not their first choice. Is he cut out for this? That's where I start to wonder with Dan Quinn," he raised a question. To which Diante Lee promptly answered, expressing his opinion and raising a concern about the defense. "When you look at the depth chart, you don't really see anything that exemplifies a Dan Quinn defense. And that's the first concern for me. All of Washington's strengths lie in the spine of that defensive line." Both the Yahoo Sports NFL reporters adored the skills of his Commanders' defensive tackles and defensive ends. Undoubtedly, Jonathan Allen, Commander DT's spectacular defensive expertise, was brought to light. "We have a defense that tackles first. I think that Jonathan Allen is really productive. I think that he can play well in that scheme." Apart from that, during the discussion, the team's other DT's noteworthy defensive support was taken into consideration. "I think Daron Payne is always willing to be productive. I think that pair you can feel pretty good about. When I look at Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong as your starting edges, that doesn't cut it in a defense that asks guys to just pin their ears back and get after the quarterback." Amidst the conversation, the NFL writer Diante Lee also emphasized the players' positions under Dan's mentorship. "Knowing that they're probably going to give up big plays in the run game because that's just always been a thing with Dan Quinn. You know that they're going to play with lighter bodies because that's always been a thing with Dan Quinn. And they're going to play a ton of man coverage. And then when you look at the fact that they don't have a good pass rush, at least by the depth chart, and you look at all the youth they have at cornerback, and guys who are kind of unproven, that's where I get concerned. I understand that he wasn't their first choice," NFL stated. Apart from raising concerns about the new coach's defensive scheme, they also spoke about him for not being Washington's first choice.

Dan Quinn: not the Commander's first choice

Amidst their conversation, McDonald raised concern for Washington's HC. "Dan Quinn was not their first choice. They wanted Ben Johnson. They had that weird public spat with Ben Johnson that lasted the entire month of January. After they hadn't hired Dan Quinn, it was still kind of going on, but now he gets the raise here and is tasked with kind of rebuilding a Washington defense." However, Quinn could be the team's third or fourth choice, which obviously isn't optimal from a public relations viewpoint, but with the perception that the Commanders picked as their head coach will not win football games. Clearly, the 53-year-old had a significant influence on the Dallas Cowboys defense during his three seasons as defensive coordinator, as they improved from one of the worst units in 2020, ranking 28th in points allowed per game, to being in the top seven from 2021 to 2023. However, Quinn will have to lead a similar turnaround, not just for a defense that finished dead last in points and yards allowed per game, but he will be equally responsible for a franchise that had the worst 2023 season, finishing 4-13. If Quinn can transform the Commanders into competitors, it won't matter which choice he makes for the franchise.