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Commanders head coach Dan Quinn loos on during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on January 2, 2026.
The Washington Commanders, with the hiring of Daronte Jones as their defensive coordinator, ushered in a new era on that side of the ball. As a result, one of the team’s recent stalwarts, linebacker Bobby Wagner, remains a free agent. Wagner handled the “green dot,” the sticker on the helmet that signifies the player who called the plays and orchestrated the defense on the field. Writer Ben Standig joined the “Grant and Danny” podcast to discuss this.
“You know who’s going to be the defensive player that gets the signals from the sideline that’s relaying them because of Bobby Wagner held that the last couple of years and depending on who that person is, it could tell us a lot about the plan.”
When the Commanders hired Jones to take over the defense, he arrived with a pedigree from Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The word “multiple” becomes an omnipresent force, flexing its ability to adjust to any situation. As a result, the vagueness of the term also makes it easier for an offense to prepare to attack various schemes rather than a specific one.
Moving On Requires Rebuilding Stability
In the last two seasons, Wagner played 2,204 of a possible 2,212 snaps, firmly establishing himself as the on-field voice. Now, with his absence, a void exists. However, with one of the worst statistical defenses, regardless of the applied metric, it needed an upgrade. Wagner did not miss many tackles. However, in his mid-30s and lacking speed and range, head coach Dan Quinn felt as though upgrades across the board were needed.
Standing mentioned a couple of in-house options, along with a new arrival that could provide a glimpse into the new mindset.
“Jordan Magee was going to inherit that role, which is something we all talked about, you know, for last year. You also have Chanel and you have Luvu that would suggest three traditional linebackers would be on the field.”
It appears highly unlikely that Magee would be the new playcaller for a couple of reasons. First, he only played 32% of the defensive snaps a year ago. If general manager Adam Peters believed in his long-term viability and prospects at linebacker, the team probably would not have signed Leo Chenal.
Next, Magee brings a speed aspect to the table, but he struggles in coverage, allowing an opposing completion percentage of 77.8%. Moreover, Luvu would make more sense than Magee, given his diverse skill set. He features enough strength to shed lineman blocks, the explosion to shoot the gap on run plays, and a knack for rushing the passer. Under those circumstances, he’d profile as a three-down linebacker more than Magee did.
GettyCommanders linebacker Frankie Luvu.
On top of that, Chenal enters the fray with Luvu’s skills, but in an enhanced form. Chenal can trail tight ends down the field or backs in the flat. Subsequently, that frees up the Commanders’ defensive backs to help with doubling or zone integrity.
GettyCommanders linebacker Leo Chenal, as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Leo Chenal is the fast, physical, & athletic presence the #Commanders need in the middle of their defense.
He scored a 9.99 RAS which ranks 3rd out of 2406 LBs from 1987-2022.
The biggest knock on him is coverage, but shows here he’s capable of staying with TEs downfield &… pic.twitter.com/f2eNXUjFFt
— Carolina Commander (@SC_Commanderr) March 29, 2026
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The Dot Could Wander Further from the Line of Scrimmage
Standig maintains that players with the most reps should be able to call the plays. He mentions a recent addition to the secondary.
“It’s going to depend on who’s on the field the most, right? Nick Cross played basically 100% of the snaps the last two years with the Colts.”
What does S Nick Cross bring to the Washington Commanders?
-Strong run defense
-Blitzing upside
-Personnel flexibility?
Full breakdown: https://t.co/q5rSUDXgMD pic.twitter.com/nPCpiD6CAg
— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) March 16, 2026
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Since becoming a starter in Indianapolis in 2024, Cross played 98% of the team’s snaps. With the Commanders, if the safety reaches anything near that, he will wear the green dot. Jones wants the back end to become an active part of the defense. Additionally, Washington could benefit from the voice being able to see the entire field in front of him. Who will the Commanders choose?
GettyCommanders safety Nick Cross during his time as a member of the Indianapolis Colts
Terrance Biggs Terrance started at heavy.com in January 2026
He is a veteran sportswriter with 12 years of experience, covering NFL, College, and MLB. Terrance has held positions at Sports Illustrated and Pro Football Sports Network. A graduate of Fort Hays State University with a bachelor’s in Communication, he is also a voting member of the Football Writers Association of America, United States Basketball Writers Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. More about Terrance Biggs
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