The Washington Commanders have brought in Steve Wilks to help defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. Head coach Dan Quinn should seriously consider doing something similar for offensive coordinator David Blough.
And he should look no further than the Carolina Panthers for a blueprint.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales made a big call this offseason, handing off play-calling responsibilities to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik. He's been with the team for two years, but he's never called plays before, so it represented a journey into the unknown for everybody.
Commanders should follow the Panthers' blueprint to help David Blough shine
Fortunately, the Panthers covered all their bases.
Instead of letting Idzik go it alone and rely only on Canales as he takes on a more CEO-type role, the Panthers hired Darrell Bevell as an offensive assistant. He's got extensive experience as an offensive coordinator and even an interim head coach, which has been invaluable.
The strategy is paying off handsomely.
Carolina's offense is in sync and aggressive. The changes are reaping significant rewards, with quarterback Bryce Young leading the league in passing yards per game and Idzik finding the right balance to take this unit forward.
Idzik might be getting all the hype, rising into a potential head coaching candidate during the 2027 cycle. But make no mistake; Bevell is the quiet mastermind behind it all.
The Commanders must consider the same approach to help Blough reach his potential.
And sooner rather than later.
David Blough is a talennted coach, but the Commanders need more
Blough is an outstanding young mind, but there have been undeniable teething problems. There is way too much emphasis on quarterback Jayden Daniels trying to make things happen. The communication issues and overall preparedness pre-snap are well documented, leaving more questions than answers.
Now, the Commanders have running backs coach Anthony Lynn as a sounding board. Wes Welker is another, but nobody else really stands out.
Adding someone to take on a role similar to Bevell's in Carolina would be worth its weight in gold.
And it is not too late to turn the tide.
The Commanders might be 1-4-1, but they are only two games back in the NFC East. They have gone through arguably the toughest part of their schedule, and if they make the right adjustments over the bye week, Quinn squad still has a slender chance of making a division title run.
Seems unlikely, but when you consider the mess elsewhere in the division, it is not impossible.
Hiring Wilks was apparently always in the Commanders' plans, though the timing is strange. Just why Washington hasn't done the same for Blough is anyone's guess, but it might be worth changing their stance.
The Commanders have given Blough the freedom to run the offense as he sees fit. Quinn is a defensive-minded head coach, so he doesn't have much expertise in this area. That's why the Panthers hired Bevell, and it's why Washington must consider outside help to get its offense functioning effectively.
This wouldn't be an indictment of Blough; far from it. The Panthers believed enough in Idzik to give him the keys to their offense while also acknowledging that he needs some help.
That's what it would be like in Washington. Whether Quinn takes this measure is another matter.
But he should.
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