5 potential position coaches the Commanders could consider

Commanders could hire Spencer Whipple

• Pass game specialist | Arizona Cardinals

Spencer Whipple is a 34-year-old who coached at the college level for seven seasons before getting his first NFL job. The man who hired him was Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

Whipple was hired as an offensive quality control coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, Kingsbury’s first season. He was promoted to assistant wide receivers coach the following year. In that role, he was thrust into the spotlight when COVID sidelined the head coach, and he was suddenly tasked with calling plays in an actual NFL game.

The Cardinals scored 37 points and won. Kingsbury promoted Whipple to co-pass game coordinator at the end of the season.

When the Cardinals running back room imploded early in the season, Kingsbury again turned to Whipple. In addition to his coordinator responsibilities, he began coaching the running backs.

There was a time in the recent past when Kingsbury trusted in the talents of Whipple. His departure from Arizona was messy, and it is impossible to know how he viewed his assistant by the end of his tenure. But it is not hard to imagine finding a position for him on his staff in Washington, perhaps coaching a skill position group, or taking on the run game coordinator role.