There were a few eyebrows raised around the league when the Washington Commanders promoted David Blough to replace Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator. And now, two more in-house staff elevations caused one analyst to raise questions about the team's current direction.
The Commanders confirmed that Darnell Stapleton is the new offensive line coach, replacing Bobby Johnson. Shane Toub has become Washington's assistant offensive line coach. This makes it three promotions, which is perplexing given that most thought the need for change was much more important.
It'll be interesting to see what unfolds, but questions as to why coaches under Johnson were credited while he was let go are something Quinn must answer at some stage. However, fans are willing to let things play out before casting judgment.
Commanders' offensive promotions don't add up for one Washington analyst
Commanders analyst Al Giardi seemed less convinced. He thought the succession plan normally only works when coaches leave for bigger and better things. That didn't happen, making this a peculiar strategy with significant ramifications attached if it all goes horribly wrong.
"Dan Quinn disliked the offense enough to part with Kliff Kingsbury and Bobby Johnson but liked the offense enough to promote David Blough, Darnell Stapleton and Shane Toub. Not saying any of this is wrong (there's a lot we don't know), but this is an unusual offensive-staff revamp. The whole idea of an internal pipeline is succession for when people move on to bigger and better things. That's not what happened here. The reporting is that the team decided to part with Kliff Kingsbury and Bobby Johnson."Al Giardi
It's a significant leap of faith on Quinn's part. There is no denying that, so those with concerns have every right to feel that way.
His ideas for taking the offense forward no longer aligned with Kingsbury's, and they parted ways. The decision to remove Johnson was even more confusing, given that the offensive line had become a real strength. This may have something to do with a shift in blocking concepts that align with the offense Blough plans to run, but there is just no telling for sure right now.
As Giardi mentioned, nobody knows for certain what went on behind the scenes. Someone needed to take the fall for the Commanders' failed campaign. Quinn wants fresh ideas while also maintaining a sense of continuity. He felt this was the best way to go about it, but that doesn't mean there aren't significant risks attached.
If it all goes wrong, Quinn will also be searching for alternative employment in 2027. But if it pays off, the Commanders will be in a much better position to contend in the coming years.
And make no mistake; there is no real middle ground.