Keim hinting that the Commies may be struggling to land top DC candidates
January 26, 2026
DQ’s security viewed at risk by candidates around the league
44 comments
Run the defense then DQ, go out on your shield. I believe in you!
Breaking news
I feel like that would be a net positive for DC looking to move into a HC role. If DQ is on the hot seat and you’re a young hungry DC wouldn’t you want to be somewhere where you have a chance at a promotion if your boss chokes?
Don’t know why considering that side of the ball is stacked with talent. Best we can likely hope for is we strike gold with a first time DC.
That plus will DQ let you run your system or will he force you to do it his way or take over if things start off badly.
I think the crappy defensive talent is the bigger risk, but what do I know.
As optimistic as we may be as fans, it appears that league-wide, Washington isn’t an attractive landing spot for defensive coaches. And I can’t blame the. The cupboard is pretty bare.
Ok I think this is a silly take, only 3 teams have hired DC, and a lot of DC are in the running for HC spots.
Clearly we are
This feels like a nothingburger. The defense has been ASS these past two years. If DQ wasn’t doing his due diligence, I’d be calling for his head. If he’s taking this long, then it likely means not only is he doing his homework, but he wants someone on the Pats/Seahawks
The ones who’ve been saying this for weeks were told “We have a good ownership and management group now, they know what they’re doing”
No surprise, there are so many issues with this job
1) Lack of talent, even the best coordinators will be limited
2) Defensive head coach, top candidates are going to want to do things their own way
3) High probability the staff gets blown up next year
So are the Bills and Browns with their HC roles. Can’t wait for Anthony Lynn is your new head coach tweet to hit those the Rooney Rule truther eye balls and it’s comp pick szn.
There are also still 6 head coaching vacancies. I feel that is a factor as well.
Does seem a little strange now that we hired a defensive coach with a team with more talent on the offensive side of the ball. Still supporting DQ 100%, just feels a little off
Not surprised, their players are not great on defense and the current staff is on the chopping block. It’s a risky job.
Problem is the massive HC exodus as well
Age/talent issues with a green OC(meaning they aren’t looking for a green DC). Coach could be on the hot seat with the GM potentially a hot seat the season after.
The perfect fit would’ve been Salah or a Quinn ride-or-die. Outside prospects are tougher
We don’t have the players to play a man scheme. Need someone who can help the players play fundamentally sound and really rally to the ball. Who can teach them match zone.
Unlikely to happen. I think DQ 1 gaps instead of having dlineman who can 2 gap. I assume that puts more pressure on LBs and they are in more conflict for play action?
I just want a defense that is physical, rallies to the ball and doesn’t blow coverage. Don’t expect greatness right now.
Honestly the longer this goes on the more I think it would’ve been better if they got rid of the entire coaching staff Quinn included.
DQ should have been fired at the end of the season.
Let DQ get who he wants. If the defense/team is ass next year he’s gone anyway
It has become part of the equation because of all the openings. When we first jumped into the search, there was an opening that popped on the radar – Baltimore – that adds another to drop. Since then, we’ve had two more openings that add additoinal layers (Pittsburgh and Buffalo); which add even more layers. Those two openings pretty much ended any chance we had at landing one of the existing DCs. At that point, the DCs like Flores have their choice and will put us lower because of the aforementioned security.
It looks like our selection will come from one the current crop of assistant coaches who are also run or pass game coordinator. It’s a matter of picking the right one at this point. Raheem Morris is still out there, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of smoke out there that indicates he will be the one (at least, currently).
John “I don’t know that” Keim
Captain Obvious.
Other than Jayden, this all feels very Snyder-esque
I feel like it’s gonna be Al Harris but there probably is no demand on him as a DC outside of us so they are just doing their due diligence elsewhere
No team has signed a top candidate DC.
No matter who is hired – DQ not changing his system.
Hire this sub. We seem to have all the answers.
Could it be less about the Commanders and more about the city (in its present status)?
There are only 4 teams with DC openings.
Us, the Titans, the 49ers, and the Chargers. The 49ers and Titans only have openings because Saleh became HC of TEN 4 days ago. The Chargers only have an opening because Minter became Baltimore’s HC 4 days ago as well.
WE have been knowing that this search was gonna be conducted since NOVEMBER 10!!!!! I love Keim but his rose-tinted glasses under the guise of “being patient” and “waiting for the facts” really undermine how much DQ and AP botched the season. From penny pinching in FA to not benching vets or at least giving young guys more reps, the list goes on.
The fact of the matter is that nobody wants to come coach for a lame duck who just fired BOTH of his coordinators. We clown the Eagles for coaches not wanting to be their OC but the same thing is literally happening to us on defense.
Who with a functioning brain would want to go near that defensive roster? It’s no wonder.
This shouldn’t even be a problem technically- DQ is a defensive coach. You see the rams/seahawks/pats/Broncos running plays by a coordinator? Only on the side of the ball the HC doesn’t specialize in. Why couldn’t Harbaugh win with Lamar you ask? ST coach.
Mike McDonald calls his defense.
Sean Mcvay calls his offense.
Mike vrable calls his defense.
Sean Payton calls his offense.
Dan Quinn shits down his leg and turns to his coordinators to help him get anything done. This fucking franchise is but spinning tires.
I didn’t want to make the time commitment but shit, I’ll do it.
I was thinking that they were waiting on what Raheem is doing.
The made a huge huge mistake not firing Quinn
Sure, there are reasons for this and while the organization seems to be righting the ship its doesn’t happen overnight. In the end we may have to do some settling this year for DC it is what it is.
But here is where Harris can quietly throw a little bit of money around to help out for next time. Start a coaching development program that is not tied to current regime. Build internal options, internal libraries, build a brain trust that spends all day understanding all the schemes, how to properly exploit each one, spend time understanding past schemes that are outdated, spend time trying to predict where things will go. Add in data guys.
Imo these NFL owners are way behind the curve because the NFL is a money printer just cause you are in the club. If this was actually a meritocracy about 5% of current owners would have the chops to stick around – most just overpay and overwork head coaches to do the work the organization should be doing and it spreads them too thin.
Why not Quinn just continue to call plays? Macdonald does it for the Hawks and plenty of other head coaches do it on both sides of the ball.
Team with terrible defense struggling to hire quality candidate – what a shocker.
Having elite players on defense would go a long way in securing a top DC candidate. Our current squad is devoid of any elite talent that can attract good DCs. We’re in the Snyder zone right now, where our most attractive bargaining chip is money. :-/
Roster sucks and 50/50 DQ gets let go after this season. Hard sell
44 comments
Run the defense then DQ, go out on your shield. I believe in you!
Breaking news
I feel like that would be a net positive for DC looking to move into a HC role. If DQ is on the hot seat and you’re a young hungry DC wouldn’t you want to be somewhere where you have a chance at a promotion if your boss chokes?
Don’t know why considering that side of the ball is stacked with talent. Best we can likely hope for is we strike gold with a first time DC.
That plus will DQ let you run your system or will he force you to do it his way or take over if things start off badly.
I think the crappy defensive talent is the bigger risk, but what do I know.
As optimistic as we may be as fans, it appears that league-wide, Washington isn’t an attractive landing spot for defensive coaches. And I can’t blame the. The cupboard is pretty bare.
Ok I think this is a silly take, only 3 teams have hired DC, and a lot of DC are in the running for HC spots.
Clearly we are
This feels like a nothingburger. The defense has been ASS these past two years. If DQ wasn’t doing his due diligence, I’d be calling for his head. If he’s taking this long, then it likely means not only is he doing his homework, but he wants someone on the Pats/Seahawks
The ones who’ve been saying this for weeks were told “We have a good ownership and management group now, they know what they’re doing”
No surprise, there are so many issues with this job
1) Lack of talent, even the best coordinators will be limited
2) Defensive head coach, top candidates are going to want to do things their own way
3) High probability the staff gets blown up next year
So are the Bills and Browns with their HC roles. Can’t wait for Anthony Lynn is your new head coach tweet to hit those the Rooney Rule truther eye balls and it’s comp pick szn.
There are also still 6 head coaching vacancies. I feel that is a factor as well.
Does seem a little strange now that we hired a defensive coach with a team with more talent on the offensive side of the ball. Still supporting DQ 100%, just feels a little off
Not surprised, their players are not great on defense and the current staff is on the chopping block. It’s a risky job.
Problem is the massive HC exodus as well
Age/talent issues with a green OC(meaning they aren’t looking for a green DC). Coach could be on the hot seat with the GM potentially a hot seat the season after.
The perfect fit would’ve been Salah or a Quinn ride-or-die. Outside prospects are tougher
We don’t have the players to play a man scheme. Need someone who can help the players play fundamentally sound and really rally to the ball. Who can teach them match zone.
Unlikely to happen. I think DQ 1 gaps instead of having dlineman who can 2 gap. I assume that puts more pressure on LBs and they are in more conflict for play action?
I just want a defense that is physical, rallies to the ball and doesn’t blow coverage. Don’t expect greatness right now.
Honestly the longer this goes on the more I think it would’ve been better if they got rid of the entire coaching staff Quinn included.
DQ should have been fired at the end of the season.
Let DQ get who he wants. If the defense/team is ass next year he’s gone anyway
It has become part of the equation because of all the openings. When we first jumped into the search, there was an opening that popped on the radar – Baltimore – that adds another to drop. Since then, we’ve had two more openings that add additoinal layers (Pittsburgh and Buffalo); which add even more layers. Those two openings pretty much ended any chance we had at landing one of the existing DCs. At that point, the DCs like Flores have their choice and will put us lower because of the aforementioned security.
It looks like our selection will come from one the current crop of assistant coaches who are also run or pass game coordinator. It’s a matter of picking the right one at this point. Raheem Morris is still out there, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of smoke out there that indicates he will be the one (at least, currently).
John “I don’t know that” Keim
Captain Obvious.
Other than Jayden, this all feels very Snyder-esque
I feel like it’s gonna be Al Harris but there probably is no demand on him as a DC outside of us so they are just doing their due diligence elsewhere
No team has signed a top candidate DC.
No matter who is hired – DQ not changing his system.
Hire this sub. We seem to have all the answers.
Could it be less about the Commanders and more about the city (in its present status)?
There are only 4 teams with DC openings.
Us, the Titans, the 49ers, and the Chargers. The 49ers and Titans only have openings because Saleh became HC of TEN 4 days ago. The Chargers only have an opening because Minter became Baltimore’s HC 4 days ago as well.
WE have been knowing that this search was gonna be conducted since NOVEMBER 10!!!!! I love Keim but his rose-tinted glasses under the guise of “being patient” and “waiting for the facts” really undermine how much DQ and AP botched the season. From penny pinching in FA to not benching vets or at least giving young guys more reps, the list goes on.
The fact of the matter is that nobody wants to come coach for a lame duck who just fired BOTH of his coordinators. We clown the Eagles for coaches not wanting to be their OC but the same thing is literally happening to us on defense.
Who with a functioning brain would want to go near that defensive roster? It’s no wonder.
This shouldn’t even be a problem technically- DQ is a defensive coach. You see the rams/seahawks/pats/Broncos running plays by a coordinator? Only on the side of the ball the HC doesn’t specialize in. Why couldn’t Harbaugh win with Lamar you ask? ST coach.
Mike McDonald calls his defense.
Sean Mcvay calls his offense.
Mike vrable calls his defense.
Sean Payton calls his offense.
Dan Quinn shits down his leg and turns to his coordinators to help him get anything done. This fucking franchise is but spinning tires.
I didn’t want to make the time commitment but shit, I’ll do it.
I was thinking that they were waiting on what Raheem is doing.
The made a huge huge mistake not firing Quinn
Sure, there are reasons for this and while the organization seems to be righting the ship its doesn’t happen overnight. In the end we may have to do some settling this year for DC it is what it is.
But here is where Harris can quietly throw a little bit of money around to help out for next time. Start a coaching development program that is not tied to current regime. Build internal options, internal libraries, build a brain trust that spends all day understanding all the schemes, how to properly exploit each one, spend time understanding past schemes that are outdated, spend time trying to predict where things will go. Add in data guys.
Imo these NFL owners are way behind the curve because the NFL is a money printer just cause you are in the club. If this was actually a meritocracy about 5% of current owners would have the chops to stick around – most just overpay and overwork head coaches to do the work the organization should be doing and it spreads them too thin.
Why not Quinn just continue to call plays? Macdonald does it for the Hawks and plenty of other head coaches do it on both sides of the ball.
Team with terrible defense struggling to hire quality candidate – what a shocker.
Having elite players on defense would go a long way in securing a top DC candidate. Our current squad is devoid of any elite talent that can attract good DCs. We’re in the Snyder zone right now, where our most attractive bargaining chip is money. :-/
Roster sucks and 50/50 DQ gets let go after this season. Hard sell
Maybe pay them more?