Although the Washington Commanders still have five games left to navigate this season, fans have already turned their attention to what will be a franchise-defining offseason for this ambitious regime. Roster moves are taking center stage in speculation, but there could be coaching alterations to monitor when the campaign concludes.
There might be a significant change on the defensive side of things with coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. being demoted by head coach Dan Quinn, who's now running the unit. And there are also rumors that offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is in strong contention for a second opportunity at a top job during the upcoming hiring cycle.
Kingsbury resisted overtures last time around, opting to stay in Washington. The play-caller revealed that it would need to be a fantastic fit to leave the Commanders, but after a difficult season, he might decide this is a good time to explore other possibilities.
Commanders should be bracing for Kliff Kingsbury to get more head coaching interest this offseason
According to Dianna Russini from The Athletic, citing sources around the league, Kingsbury is expected to get interviews. Only two vacancies are available right now, but the insider believes more will be on the way once the dust settles.
"Since 2011, at least five head-coaching vacancies have popped up each cycle. Right now? Only two teams have openings: the Giants and Titans. That number will go up. There are no guarantees these jobs will come open, but many around the league are asking questions about the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals, in addition to the Raiders."Dianna Russini
The New York Giants' opening would be hard to turn down. They have their future quarterback, some explosive pieces in the passing game, an elite left tackle, and a formidable defensive front seven. The Tennessee Titans have more unknowns, but No. 1 pick Cam Ward would no doubt benefit greatly from Kingsbury's expert guidance.
It's a wait-and-see scenario for the Commanders. Quinn will be making contingency plans if Kingsbury leaves. And with quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard already gone after accepting the head coaching gig at Stanford, things could look a lot different around superstar signal-caller Jayden Daniels next year.
Kingsbury is a relaxed guy. He won't go chasing the first job that comes along. He'll know that you only stay hot for so long before the next up-and-comer takes your place. There is also a desire to right a grave wrong after his first head coaching position with the Arizona Cardinals ended horribly.
The Commanders will be ready. But what comes next is down to Kingsbury and any interested franchise.