There were a few eyebrows raised when the Washington Commanders reportedly hired Daronte Jones to be their next defensive coordinator. It's also an intriguing arrival that could reap significant rewards if he gets the desired upgrades on the playing personnel side.
Jones might be a first-time NFL play-caller, but he's vastly experienced. He's worked with prestigious names such as Brian Flores, Mike Zimmer, Vance Joseph, and Marvin Lewis throughout his time in the league. He also spent one season as LSU's defensive coordinator in college, so the knowledge he's acquired could make a huge difference.
A laundry list of problems awaits Jones in Washington. This was arguably the league's worst defense last season, and Joe Whitt Jr. was fired. Things weren't much better in 2024, but quarterback Jayden Daniels masked these problems superbly. Hitting the ground running is key, and everyone must buy into his ethos. There is also one massive priority above all else that must be addressed urgently.
And it's desperately needed.
Daronte Jones must install aggression and creativity to improve the Commanders' pass rush
The Commanders have to find more creative ways of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Their personnel on the defensive front got decimated by injuries last season, but it's been an ongoing flaw in Washington since Chase Young and Montez Sweat were traded before the 2023 deadline.
This all starts with improving the team's options in free agency or the draft. But the schematic concepts installed by Dan Quinn and Whitt are not in keeping with modern-day standards. Jones is coming from a Flores system renowned for being the most aggressive, employing exotic blitz packages to make quarterbacks extremely uncomfortable. That would be a breath of fresh air in Washington.
There could be a mixture of concepts that Jones has picked up over the years. Quinn may also want to keep some of the current designs in place, but allowing his new coordinator to be creative is crucial.
The time for half-measures is over. Quinn has decided to go with two inexperienced play-callers over some blue-chip names on the market. For this to work, he must embrace their fresh ideas rather than trying to oversee everything with an iron fist.
And if it blows up spectacularly, at least Quinn tried something new.
Jones has worked exceptionally hard for this opportunity. He doesn't plan on wasting it. If he can develop a concise strategy that generates significant improvements in Washington's pass rush, that makes things easier for everybody.
This is a fascinating appointment. The Commanders couldn't convince Flores to leave the Minnesota Vikings, but Jones gives them the next best thing.
Hopefully, this sees the Commanders finally start to show their aggressive teeth on defense.