Joe Whitt Jr. came to the Washington Commanders with a reputation as a defensive back guru. At every stop along his coaching journey, the secondaries he managed took major steps forward.
Before joining the Commanders, Whitt served as defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator under Dan Quinn with the Dallas Cowboys. He resurrected their fortunes, helping develop Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland into first-team All Pros.
Entering his second season in Washington, Whitt has a healthy Marshon Lattimore, rookie sensation Trey Amos, and ascending star Mike Sainristil heading another potentially dynamic group of defensive backs. But secondaries often rise and fall based on how well the defense’s front seven performs.
A defensive line that can stop the run puts offenses in awkward down and distances. If they can also rush the passer, it makes the secondary's job that much easier.
Commanders are leaning on Darryl Tapp more in their quest for defensive improvements
That’s where Darryl Tapp comes in. Whitt mentioned the defensive line coach several times during his latest media availability at training camp. And the praise was subtle yet noticeable in equal measure.
Tapp is entering his second year as a head position coach. It is his job to take what appears to be the Commanders' weakest defensive unit and raise it to the level of the linebackers and secondary.
Whitt described a coordinator's job as devising schemes that put his players in the best positions to succeed, and then stepping back to allow positional coaches to teach and implement those concepts. Although he did a very good job of that with players like Frankie Luvu and Jeremy Chinn last year, he admitted not being as good at maximizing the skill sets of his big men up front.
This year, he is relying more on Tapp to help with that. In the immediate aftermath of the Von Miller signing, fans could see this experimentation at work.
Miller and linebacker Luvu lined up as defensive ends, while Dorance Armstrong Jr. slid inside alongside Daron Payne in Washington’s pass-rushing NASCAR package. The idea is simple. Ignore traditional positions and get your best players on the field depending on the game situation.
The Commanders’ pass rush has been an area of concern since the 2024 season ended. Washington had a middle-of-the-road pressure scheme. They lost Dante Fowler Jr. and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. Adam Peters did not appear to replace that production in the draft or via free agency.
The arrival of Miller altered that perception. The Commanders now have a future Pro Football Hall of Fame edge presence. Whitt mentioned that even at 36 years old, he can still get after the quarterback. And his value doesn’t merely show up on the field.
Miller has been offering pass rush seminars in the meeting room, according to Whitt. Along with Ryan Kerrigan, Washington’s defensive linemen now have a coach and a player with 225 combined career sacks helping their development.
Tapp was no slouch as a player himself. At 6-foot-1 and 270 pounds, he didn’t exactly fit the mold of a classic defensive end. After becoming a starter for the Seattle Seahawks in his second season, the former Virginia Tech star was a very steady, two-way player.
Throughout three seasons, he recorded 15 sacks, 46 quarterback hits, 153 tackles, and 23 tackles for loss. Those numbers won’t get you into the Pro Bowl, but they speak to a well-rounded, quality lineman.
Whitt singled out several defensive linemen for making good progress in training camp. He is expecting major improvement from Johnny Newton in his second season. Both Armstrong and pass rush specialist Jacob Martin were showing off more sophisticated techniques.
If those players have strong seasons in 2025, it will benefit the entire defense. And it will be at least partially due to the work of Tapp.