The Washington Commanders are taking their time before choosing their new defensive coordinator. Head coach Dan Quinn cannot afford to get this appointment wrong, so covering all bases is the best possible way to achieve this objective.
Three candidates have been interviewed so far. Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is on deck for later this week. However, a blockbuster rumor might be gaining some steam after the latest revelations from one of the league's most connected insiders.
And it would shake the entire NFL to its foundations.
Commanders reportedly want to speak with Brian Flores about defensive coordinator vacancy
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Commanders hope to speak with Brian Flores about their defensive coordinator vacancy. He's attracting head-coaching interest, but his contract with the Minnesota Vikings is up. Depending on how things go, Quinn might want a shot to convince the mastermind to jump ship and join this ambitious project in Washington.
To say this would be a home-run hire is understating things. Flores is one of the most respected defensive minds anywhere in the NFL. He's a leader of men with the aggressive, modern-day concepts that could revolutionize the Commanders' floundering unit. It's on the pipedream side until further notice, but stranger things have happened.
The Vikings are confident that Flores will return if he fails to secure a top job elsewhere. There would be several other suitors looking to prise him to be their new defensive coordinator if he made himself available. The Commanders are reportedly among them, but it would take a lot of convincing from Quinn's perspective to make him take the plunge.
Flores will have his pick of jobs, and he won't be joining the Commanders if he cannot have an influential say in personnel or run his own scheme. Quinn has already stated his intent to remain heavily involved in the defense after taking over play-calling from Joe Whitt Jr. this season. If he doesn't change that initial mindset, this potential acquisition is a non-starter.
This shows that Quinn is aiming high. Reports suggested that the Commanders were looking for an experienced figure, ideally with previous play-calling and head-coaching experience. Flores ticks those boxes and more, but a complete overhaul of the defensive personnel would be needed for his scheme to work in Washington.
It's a fascinating dynamic to monitor. The Commanders can't wait around forever, of course. Making an inquiry to see whether Flores would be interested in speaking with Quinn will give a clearer indication of his interest. If they get knocked back, at least they tried.
But if Flores is receptive, should his head-coaching aspirations fall by the wayside, the Commanders shouldn't let him leave the building.