Dan Quinn knew that he needed to take risks this offseason. And he's taken arguably the biggest one imaginable.
The Washington Commanders failed to reach the lofty bar they set for themselves after a memorable run to the NFC Championship game, and pressure was building. After waiting too long to make the desired alterations during his time with the Atlanta Falcons, the head coach wasn't going to make the same mistakes again.
Quinn's measures were drastic. Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. was fired, which seemed inevitable from the moment he was demoted from play-calling duties. While the injuries and the lack of dynamism played their part, he never got the correct tune out of his players when push came to shove.
After failing to reach a compromise on how best to take things forward, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury also parted ways with the club. Quinn wanted a more pro-style system focused on laying the table for explosive plays. The alignment was gone, so it was the right call.
Instead of tapping into experience and his vast connections around the league, Quinn hired two coordinators with no NFL play-calling experience. David Blough will take over the offense, while Daronte Jones takes over the defense. It's a massive risk that will cost him his job if it doesn't pay off, but it could also be a masterstroke of epic proportions if everything comes together.
With this in mind, here are six winners and four losers from the Commanders' aggressive coordinator reset in 2026
Winners and losers from the Commanders' coordinator hiring gambles
Winner No. 1
Kain Medrano - Commanders LB
When Daronte Jones took to the podium for his introductory press conference, he wasted no time in highlighting the importance of versatility within the system he plans to run. The Washington Commanders' defensive coordinator also singled out some individuals he believes can thrive within his aggressive, innovative schematic concepts.
Some were expected. Name-dropping Kain Medrano was not.
Medrano was a surprising pick by the Commanders at No. 205 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He made the roster but failed to make the defensive rotation, flashing on special teams and nothing more as a rookie. His athleticism is absolutely off the charts. If Jones can harness this while also improving the player's tackling technique, Washington may be onto something.
The former UCLA star won't want to suffer a similar fate to Dominique Hampton, who also practically redshirted his rookie year but was cut before his second campaign. But reading between the lines, Jones' scheme and teaching methods could be the spark that ignites Medrano's fortunes.