The Washington Commanders have their new defensive coordinator. After a painstaking search that brought in nine candidates for interviews, head coach Dan Quinn eventually landed on Daronte Jones as the man to replace Joe Whitt Jr.
Jones was a hot name in this hiring cycle. He's spoken to five teams in the last month about their defensive coordinator vacancies, but hasn't done quite enough. Quinn saw something in the progressive coach, who's thoroughly deserving of this opportunity to run his own show.
His coaching journey began in high school. Jones moved on to the college ranks, spending one season as LSU's defensive coordinator before moving to the pros. He's worked with some exceptional minds, including Brian Flores, Vance Joseph, and Mike Zimmer. He's got no NFL play-calling experience, but that doesn't mean he isn't qualified to take the leap.
This is a gamble from Quinn. He's entering a make-or-break campaign with two coordinators lacking the requisite experience in the NFL regular season. If it goes wrong, he'll pay with his job. But if it all goes well, this will quickly become a masterstroke of epic proportions.
With that being said, here are four winners and three losers from the Commanders' stunning decision to hire Jones.
Winners and losers from the Commanders' shock Daronte Jones hiring
Winner No. 1
Trey Amos - Commanders CB
Looking at Daronte Jones' previous work around the league and who he's worked under, expect the Washington Commanders to be aggressive in generating pressure consistently. This requires cornerbacks to thrive in press coverage, giving those on the front seven time to wreak havoc.
Jones comes to the Commanders on the back of a successful stint as Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator. He's gained a strong reputation for maximizing the talent at his disposal, so this appointment has the scope to benefit cornerback Trey Amos more than most.
Amos was a second-round pick last year and flashed enormous promise as all around him crumbled. His campaign ended sourly with a trip to injured reserve, but he should still be a massive part of Washington's plans moving forward.
Only Amos and Mike Sainristil are guaranteed to be back in Washington's cornerback room next season. Further reinforcements are coming, but Jones's presence and expert coaching techniques could take the former Ole Miss standout's game to even greater heights.
He's long, physical, and creates leverage effortlessly. Jones will be counting upon Amos heavily, so a legitimate breakout campaign could be in the offing once he gets the all-clear to make his return.