Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn addressed the media earlier today. Here are five takeaways from his press conference.
- The coaching staff is almost finished.
The Commanders have gone through a significant overhaul of their coaching staff. David Blough and Daronte Jones are at the top of the list as the offensive and defensive coordinators, but they also shuffled other members of the staff to accommodate other changes. For example, Darryl Tapp is now the assistant defensive line coach, giving way for Eric Hutchinson to lead the position. Darnell Stapleton has also been promoted to the offensive line coach, while Shane Toub has moved up to fill the assistant role.
Now, there will be even more moves made since Brian Johnson moved on to join the Los Angeles Rams as a senior offensive assistant. The Commanders haven't announced their full coaching staff for the 2026 season, but Quinn said they are getting close.
"I'd say we're probably a day or two away from all the way finalizing," Quinn said. "For the most part, it's pretty intact, and we've had good meetings with the coaches. They've begun that process."
The current coaches on the staff have already begun preparing for next season. They focused heavily on free agency last week and are shifting over to the combine in Indianapolis. Blough and Jones also had meetings earlier this month to explain their visions for each side of the ball. Both Quinn and Peters were impressed with the level of detail from both coaches as they explained what they expected from each position. Quinn said there's "some good energy that comes from that."
"You're actually starting at the beginning to say, 'This is why we're gonna call this, this,'" Quinn said. "'And this is how we want to play this.' So, I like the feeling of what that is and what I'm seeing so far from them."
- He values "demonstrated speed" from pass rushers.
As expected, Quinn followed Peters' lead and did not reveal much about what he's looking for from certain positions in this year's draft class. The Commanders like to keep their intentions a mystery until they're ready to make a move, and there's still plenty of time between now and the end of April.
However, Quinn did spend some time talking about what he likes from pass rushers, and while it wasn't anything unique, it should get fans excited about the future of the position.
"You want to see someone who has demonstrated speed and initial quickness to beat somebody on the field," Quinn said.
Fortunately for the Commanders, there are multiple prospects who fit that description should they decide to take a pass rusher at No. 7 overall. Analysts have connected most of them to the Commanders in recent mock drafts, from players like David Bailey to Reuben Bain and Keldric Faulk. Quinn, Peters and the rest of the coaching staff will get a better idea of their skill sets this week, but even if some of their stocks rise, there's a good chance that several will be available when the Commanders are on the clock.
Although the Commanders finished 12th in total sacks, they struggled with generating pressure and allowing quarterbacks time to complete passes. Quinn said he likes pass rushers who can win the initial punch and have enough explosiveness at the line of scrimmage to make opponents feel "overwhelmed." There are strong odds that they can find one of those players when they get ready to make their pick.
- He's excited to see Ben Sinnott in David Blough's offense.
Sinnott has been a bit of a mystery since he joined the Commanders' roster. It's clear he has talent, but he has rarely been used as a pass catcher and is more often utilized as a run blocker. It didn't seem like Quinn views Sinnott as Zach Ertz's successor; aside from Ertz being one of the best tight ends in league history, he and Sinnott have completely different skill sets. However, Quinn did seem excited about what Sinnott could be in Blough's system.
"What I do know is him on the move, whether it's the run game or the pass game, running away from people, maybe not finding the zone and stopping, those are differences," Quinn said. "I'm looking forward to seeing that this year."
Sinnott saw his targets increase in the last quarter of the season, catching 11 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. Seven of his receptions came in the last five games, partially because of Ertz's injury. Sinnott's average snap could also increase, thanks in part to how he has improved as a run blocker. With him and John Bates on the field at the same time, it provided the Commanders with a formidable ground attack that finished in the top 10 in yards per game and average yards per rush.
Peters also discussed how excited he was about what Sinnott could become in Blough's offense. It sounds like the plan is to put Sinnott in motion more often, which could help unleash some of the athleticism many lauded Sinnott for possessing during the draft process two years ago.
- He's proud of Chris Paul's development.
Paul, a 2022 seventh-round pick, earned his way onto the starting lineup early in the season after competing for the starting left guard position during training camp. It ended up being one of Paul's best seasons, as he established a strong working relationship with Laremy Tunsil.
The Commanders' offense as a whole improved dramatically last season, but Quinn seemed particularly proud of Paul's progress.
"A couple of things that jump out to me are the combination blocks," Quinn said. "The two of them [Tunsil and Paul], these are strong people that can move people off the line of scrimmage. And I thought, because of Chris' athleticism, the thing that showed up the most to me was him in pass protection."
The numbers show how much progress Paul made in protecting the quarterback. He allowed just two sacks all season and earned a 78.2 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus -- the fifth highest grade for a guard.
Paul is set to be a free agent this offseason. The Commanders are going through the free agency process with their entire roster, but Quinn said the team is "definitely" keeping tabs on Paul.
- Daron Payne could benefit from being in Daronte Jones' defense.
Payne had a solid season in 2025 but didn't stand out as much on the stat sheet with 46 tackles and three sacks, but that could change once he gets acclimated to Jones' system. The scheme highlights versatility and a willingness to use multiple fronts, which Quinn thinks could be a perfect match for Payne's skill set.
"I think the versatility will help," Quinn said. "What's so much fun about coaching Daron is that he's big enough to be a 3-4 end. He's got the strength to play inside at nose tackle and quickness to move."
The hope is that Payne can get closer to the numbers he put up in the final year of his previous contract, when he tied a franchise record for a defensive tackle with 11.5 sacks. Jones has a background in several systems, but many of them have emphasized moving players around the line of scrimmage to put them in the best position to make plays.
If Jones can figure out how to use Payne's versatility, it could make the Commanders' defensive front even more potent. Payne has already shown an ability to affect quarterbacks; on top of his three sacks, he also tied a career-high with five pass breakups.
And if the Commanders are looking for dramatic improvement from their defense, they will need as much as they can get out of their best defensive player.
