The Washington Commanders moved swiftly after hearing that Brian Flores would be returning to the Minnesota Vikings if he didn't get a head-coaching job in this cycle. And the first call head coach Dan Quinn made was to Al Harris.
This came with a mixed reaction. His rise up the coaching ranks makes this a natural ascent into a coordinator role. Harris masterminded an exceptional turnaround in the Chicago Bears' secondary this offseason, following his sterling work with the Dallas Cowboys under Quinn. And having an already-developed trust with Washington's top man is only going to help.
At the same time, Harris has no legitimate play-calling experience. That means Quinn could be heading into a make-or-break campaign with two rookie coordinators.
Commanders analyst feels uneasy about the potential for two rookie coordinators entering 2026
That's a gamble. If it pays off, the benefits would be enormous. But it still left Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan feeling a little uneasy about the situation if Harris ends up being the guy.
"Focusing on [Al] Harris. My one curiosity, or anxiety, about the hire would be you have two really green coordinators now. Supposedly, when they hired David Blough, they said that they needed a veteran to call the defensive plays so Dan [Quinn] doesn't have to worry about both. Quinn didn't want to call the defensive plays and help out a lot, which he would have to do. If you have two of those, that's a nerve-racking situation for me."Grant Paulsen
The possibility of hiring Al Harris sparks enthusiasm but also some worries. Is the coaching staff experienced enough? pic.twitter.com/o7ypbzCdbW
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) January 22, 2026
Nothing has been confirmed as yet. Harris may get the job, but reports also suggest that Quinn might be waiting to speak with Raheem Morris before confirming an appointment. He's got leadership and play-calling experience spanning years, but perhaps some innovative ideas are needed to revolutionize a defense that has fallen way short of the mark since the new regime came into the fold.
Of course, appointing two coordinators with no play-calling expertise in a regular-season setting is risky. But everyone has to start somewhere, and this might be a case of the Commanders getting ahead of the game rather than banking on retreads who may or may not work out.
Harris is a good, exciting coach. The same goes for David Blough, who got the offensive coordinator spot after the Detroit Lions made an interview request. Letting good coaches leave is a mistake Quinn's made in the past. He was eager to ensure the same didn't happen again with his seat getting warmer than ever before in Washington.
Quinn has to get the right hire into the building. That's not in question. Because if his new coordinators cannot bring the desired improvements, the repercussions will be severe.