The Washington Commanders need a significant overhaul of their defense this offseason. New coordinator Daronte Jones wants a creative, aggressive scheme that emphasizes explosiveness and violence. To achieve this objective, general manager Adam Peters needs to put the right personnel in place.
Washington also has plenty of cash to spend, which will only increase as additional moves are made. The pressure is on, and this money must still be utilized wisely. The Commanders need to get younger and more dynamic. And there should be several options available if Peters sees fit.
Peters will have a plan in place. But judging by the system Jones is projected to install in Washington, a highly-touted linebacker with an NFC foe doesn't look like a great fit in the grand scheme of things.
Commanders have reasons to pause on a potential move for Quay Walker
One doesn't have to look far around the media to find speculation touting the Commanders to Quay Walker. He's young, athletic, and productive. If veteran Bobby Wagner doesn't get a new deal or takes his chances elsewhere, some experts see him as a ready-made replacement.
However, there is a problem. And it could be a deal-breaker when push comes to shove.
Jones likes Frankie Luvu's downhill ability, which he uses to full effect, leveraging his instinctiveness and explosiveness. Jordan Magee boasts similar traits, though his positional sense needs to improve. That means the Commanders could be on the lookout for a second-level presence who thrives in coverage, which is not one of Walker's strong suits.
The former Georgia star's lowly 44.9 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 70th out of 88 qualifying linebackers. Walker gave up 78.5 percent of targets thrown in his direction and a 108.3 passer rating when targeted. To make matters worse, his 54.5 run defense grade ranked 74th, suggesting there was clearly something amiss with the player last season, despite his career-high 128 tackles.
What the Commanders need to figure out is whether these problems can be rectified for the price it might take to land Walker once he hits the open market. He is projected to get $8.28 million per season on a three-year, $24.86 million deal by Spotrac. Not at the higher end of linebacker salaries, but enough to give Peters second thoughts.
Adding someone like Walker would also mean the Commanders probably won't be taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 7 overall. That would arguably be the smarter and cheaper play for long-term upside. But either way, acquiring the pending free agent would be a massive risk upon further examination.
Walker is a good player, but is he a good enough fit for Jones' system? Time will tell on that front.