Commanders could hire Joe Sloan
Jayden Daniels can ill afford any turbulence. The rookie signal-caller wasted no time taking the league by storm after the Washington Commanders selected him at No. 2 overall. He looks like a franchise-caliber presence under center, so keeping things as stable as possible is crucial.
If Kliff Kingsbury leaves for a head coaching position, maintaining some semblance of familiarity is key. That could come from within. It could also arrive via someone Daniels has worked with previously at the college level.
This brings Joe Sloan under the microscope. The current LSU offensive coordinator played a leading role in Daniels' phenomenal campaign in 2023 en route to the Heisman Trophy. The pair developed a close working bond, so he'll know exactly what makes the quarterback tick and how best to take his game up a notch moving forward.
While the connection is obvious, this would be a bombshell of epic proportions.
Sloan's got no NFL experience and is 37 years old. Dan Quinn could examine those with better knowledge of what goes on around the league to keep momentum churning positively if Kingsbury took his chances elsewhere.
Commanders could promote Brian Johnson
Another strong candidate if the Commanders promote from within should Kliff Kingsbury leave is Brian Johnson. And unlike Joe Sloan and Tavita Pritchard, he's got NFL play-calling experience to call upon.
Things didn't go well for Johnson as Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator. The loss of Shane Steichen was sorely felt and he couldn't galvanize a talented group of players. It came as no surprise to see his tenure short-lived, but the Commanders gave him an instant route to redemption this offseason.
Johnson's been given plenty of important responsibilities by head coach Dan Quinn. He's played a leading role behind the scenes and is thriving as the team's assistant head coach/passing game coordinator. The natural step would be to a coordinator position, although Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network was bullish about his head coaching chances sooner rather than later.
This is a logical choice in this hypothetical scenario. Johnson is familiar with the setup, has worked with Jayden Daniels for a considerable period, and should have a good handle on the strengths and weaknesses of this group.