The Washington Commanders didn't make any immediate changes after a season to forget. However, head coach Dan Quinn's constant deflections only delay the inevitable.
After a season that began with Super Bowl aspirations and ended with a 5-12 record, standing pat is not an option.
Fans demand action. They want significant alterations across the board. They want general manager Adam Peters to revamp the playing personnel. They also wish to see Quinn breathe new life into his coaching staff after they came up short.
Dan Quinn needs to act quickly with Commanders' changes almost guaranteed
Quinn revealed that no changes would happen immediately. The Commanders want to thoroughly examine what went wrong and what needs to be done to turn the concerning tide. If that takes a little longer than fans would like, so be it, but this methodical approach and attention to detail shouldn't come as a great shock.
"Everything needs to be and is being thoroughly examined and discussed. And really our work is answering the question of what went wrong and what do we need to do to fix it to make sure we never go through this again."Dan Quinn via The Athletic
This is Quinn's preferred method for gathering the required information before taking the following steps, which is fine. But the conclusion should be staring him in the face.
Whether it's today, tomorrow, or next week, the Commanders will probably fire defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. Kliff Kingsbury's future is also under a microscope, with reports of a disconnect between the offensive coordinator and general manager Adam Peters coming with speculation that Washington will go in a different direction, even if he doesn't get a head-coaching job elsewhere.
Quinn is meticulous. At the same time, he's experienced enough to see what was unfolding for what it is. Injuries didn't help, but the Commanders would have struggled to match last season's efforts with a full-strength squad. The reality is apparent to all, and the need for a new approach cannot be overstated.
It won't be easy for Quinn. He preaches loyalty and lives it. But if he wants to avoid his own seat getting warmer next season, some difficult conversations are needed right now.
Peters distanced himself from the coaching side of things, leaving that entirely up to Quinn. That's the right thing to do because the front-office leader has enough on his plate without having to worry about potential staffing shifts.
Quinn's been around the game a long time. He got the job due to his leadership credentials. And sometimes, this involves putting people out of their misery to benefit the team's long-term growth.
No matter how long he puts it off, that time has arrived.