Which Washington Commanders news stories are hitting the headlines as excitement continues to build around the vacant head coach position?
Championship Sunday is almost upon us. This is also a significant date for the Washington Commanders. Although they won't be involved on the field after another woeful season, the date marks the official cut-off point before they can hold their long-awaited in-person interviews with head coaching candidates involved this deep into the postseason.
This should be swiftly followed by a formal decision on who their chosen guy is. Until then, the stories causing debate include Dan Quinn being tabbed as a strong contender, the prospect of retaining Jacoby Brissett in 2024, keeping an eye on Michael Penix Jr. during Reece's Senior Bowl week, and Ben Johnson's potential appointment being labeled a foregone conclusion.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Dan Quinn 'strong candidate' for Commanders job
There are just two head coaching vacancies around the NFL after a flurry of appointments this week. The Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks have yet to make their choices. One man is reportedly a leading contender for both jobs.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Dan Quinn is being strongly considered for the Commanders' job. Many believe Ben Johnson to be the frontrunner, but speculation will be rife until something is confirmed one way or another.
From The Insiders on #NFLPlus: Dan Quinn is in play for both openings left, the #Commanders and #Seahawks. pic.twitter.com/ic2RCylRh1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 26, 2024
Adam Peters stated he's looking for a legitimate locker room leader to take Washington forward. Quinn would be an underwhelming hire amid an offseason of incredible hype. But the new regime should be trusted until further notice.
Could the Commanders retain Jacoby Brissett?
The Washington Commanders have a difficult decision to make at the quarterback position this offseason. Reinforcements are almost guaranteed with a new regime coming into the fold and Sam Howell's regression. There is also the impending free agency of Jacoby Brissett to factor into the equation.
Brissett flashed real promise when coming in for Howell on two separate occasions. Had it not been for an unfortunate hamstring injury, the veteran would have started the final two contests at the expense of the former fifth-round selection.
While one couldn't rule out the prospect of Brissett taking his chances elsewhere to find a better chance of earning a starting job, Nick Shook from NFL.com believes the Commanders should seriously examine the possibility of extending the signal-caller as an insurance policy.
"Is this fresh regime going to replace [Sam] Howell with another option under center, perhaps a rookie? If so, keeping [Jacoby] Brissett would be a wise move made in the interest of security. And in today's NFL, you can never be so certain about your security under center -- just ask the 2023 Jets."Nick Shook, NFL.com
Brissett was lauded for his leadership and mentoring qualities working closely with Howell this season. This sort of knowledge could be ideal if the Commanders go with a quarterback at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Whether the North Carolina State product wants to accept a backup role without a legitimate chance to start is another matter.
Commanders to keep an eye on Michael Penix Jr.
All eyes will be on the pre-draft assessment events as the Washington Commanders go in search of a franchise quarterback. Adam Peters' previous success as a talent evaluator provides confidence they'll find the right signal-caller. Just who that'll be is another matter.
Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels are generating the most hype at this early stage, and with good reason. But the team's senior writer Zach Selby stated that the Commanders' representatives will also have an eye on Michael Penix Jr. during the Reese's Senior Bowl festivities.
"Washington's Michael Penix Jr. should be at or near the top of everyone's list. The stats over the last two seasons also pass the eye test; he led all FBS schools in 2023 with 4,903 yards, and he completed at least 65% of his passes in both years with the Huskies. Penix still has to work through some of his throwing mechanics, which is part of the reason why he's ranked lower than [Caleb] Williams, [Drake] Maye and [Jayden] Daniels. Like many quarterbacks with big arms, he tends to rely on that too much, which leads to him lacking in footwork. He also tends to struggle under pressure with his PFF grade of 64.4 in such situations ranking 46th among quarterbacks. Like many quarterbacks, Penix will have some questions to answer, but the upside, plus a solid week of practice in Mobile, should help alleviate some of the concerns."Zach Selby, Commanders.com
Penix is a tremendous prospect. There are some concerns about his injury history, but he's got a good chance to showcase his outstanding athletic attributes in the coming weeks in pursuit of becoming a high-end first-round selection.
As for the Commanders? They'll do their due diligence, but it would be a bombshell if those in power went in this direction.
Commanders 'foregone conclusion' with Ben Johnson
It isn't hard to read between the lines after recent events. The Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons - two teams keen on making a bold bid for Ben Johnson to be their next head coach - went in different directions. With just two job openings remaining, all signs point to the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator taking the Washington Commanders head coaching vacancy in the not-too-distant future.
No official confirmation has arrived as yet. But Jeff Darlington of ESPN claimed Johnson to the Commanders was a foregone conclusion after speaking to people around the league based on comments via the Detroit Free Press.
"It is a pretty foregone conclusion in Washington, albeit one that we'll have to wait on to see with certainty, that Ben Johnson will wind up being the coach of the Commanders after the Lions' season ends."Jeff Darlington via Detroit Free Press
Johnson's focus is on helping the Lions secure a memorable win at the San Francisco 49ers this weekend. The Commanders have been patient in pursuit of landing their guy. Teams pulling out of the running in quick succession suggests that the coach's representatives may have told them thanks, but no thanks.
Washington's star-studded hiring committee will make the trip to meet with Johnson in person early next week. This will also include Magic Johnson and others. If everyone finds some common ground - if they haven't already - then official confirmation won't be too far behind.