Steve Wilks' late Commanders arrival makes Dan Quinn's plan harder to defend

Apparently, the Washington Commanders' decision to bring Steve Wilks on board to help defensive coordinator Daronte Jones had been planned all season.

So why didn't it happen until last week?

Something doesn't add up.

Commanders' timing over Steve Wilks hire doesn't pass the smell test

Wilks is a nice guy, a respected leader, and very knowledgeable on the defensive side. But if the Commanders were so intent on getting him into the building to help Jones, they should have done it much sooner.

The Commanders were struggling, and have been for most of the campaign. Head coach Dan Quinn took a big risk with Jones this offseason, but if he was so intent on Wilks lending a hand, waiting until Week 6 wasn't the right way to go about it.

And, in all honesty, the reasoning doesn't really hold up.

Wilks was doing nothing more than consulting at Appalachian State, so if the Commanders wanted to hire him all season, they could have done it right away. Instead, they've waited until almost midseason, which is typically done when a coordinator isn't meeting the required targets.

And considering Quinn is also a defense-minded coach, just what IS he doing?

If anyone needs a little help, it's David Blough.

The first-year offensive coordinator has running backs coach Anthony Lynn to lean on, but from a schematic standpoint, someone to consult and bounce ideas off of would have been beneficial. Sadly, that wasn't the approach, and the honeymoon period is wearing off.

Commanders could have hired Steve Wilks at any time, so why now?

Jones had all offseason and the first five weeks to install his offense without needing Wilks. The Commanders have now decided he needs help, which was supposedly always in their thought process.

But if things were going well, would they have done anything?

Highly unlikely. But the Commanders decided that the week leading up to the bye was the best time.

Make of that what you will, but it's a clear sign of building pressure.

Not just on Jones, whose defense has flashed promise but hasn't put together a high-quality game for four quarters yet. But the heat is also on Quinn.

Fans and analysts have questions, of course.

Was Quinn's input not enough? Why isn't Wilks around on game days? Why wait so long to make a move if they believe it will help so greatly?

Nobody will know for sure. But the Commanders insist this isn't a reactionary move.

Even if it looks like one.

The Commanders are examining everything. Washington's bye week is a chance to take stock, see what needs improvement, and hope for better fortunes after their extended rest.

And with Quinn's status precarious, he cannot leave anything to chance.

Having Wilks around could benefit Jones. He's held coordinator positions, has been a head coach, and an interim. He's vastly experienced in both college and the pros, and he knows general manager Adam Peters well from their time together on the San Francisco 49ers.

It could work.

Then again, it might not.

Fans are skeptical about the timing. They've seen moves like this before when the team is struggling, and it always ends up the same way. Maybe Wilks will provide a spark, but there wasn't much evidence of that against the Niners in the first half on Monday Night Football.

Time will tell, but something does seem off about the whole thing.

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