The Washington Commanders finally have the man to conduct their defense, and it's former Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach/run game coordinator Daronte Jones.
Jones has never been a coordinator at the NFL level, but he's an experienced positional coach who was interviewed by several different teams. The Commanders weren't able to fulfill their Brian Flores pipe dream, but they nabbed one of his top assistants.
There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the hire — especially what he could do for Washington's defensive backfield. Specifically, there's one player who could greatly benefit from his presence.
The Commanders' young cornerback nucleus of Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos was supposed to provide one of the team's biggest strengths in 2025. Instead, the Michigan product had a wildly up-and-down campaign, while the second-round rookie suffered a fractured fibula in Week 10.
Prior to his unfortunate injury, Amos flashed some impressive potential. He didn't record any interceptions, but had six pass breakups and wasn't toasted in coverage nearly as often as Sainristil and Marshon Lattimore were. The former Ole Miss standout is the type of player whose upside feels like it's just begging to be unlocked.
A new coaching staff is one of the easiest ways to provide that. Jones has a long history of working magic with the Vikings' defensive backs. In three of the past four years, Minnesota has been in the top 10 league-wide in takeaways. This season, they ranked No. 2 in overall pass defense.
Jones has been instrumental in the late-bloomer development of players such as Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy, who have thrived in Minnesota after being cast off by their drafted teams. Safety Josh Metellus also emerged from a seldom-seen sixth-round pick into a trusted starter under his tutelage. Veteran safety Harrison Smith also credits him heavily for squeezing more life out of his potential Pro Football Hall of Fame career in recent years.
Washington's new defensive coordinator has also made a habit of emphasizing impact plays, telling his players "You're not getting paid if you don't touch the ball." He has been renowned as a teacher and leader. For an ascending like Amos, it's easy to see a world where a breakout is imminent.
The Commanders have a lot riding on the hopes of their young nucleus, which includes both Amos and Sainristil. The 2025 second-round pick's first season in the NFL can be graded incomplete. His second one should see him rise into the upper echelon of the league's top cornerbacks under Jones' expert guidance.