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Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is predicted to reunite with a Dallas Cowboys “wild card” in 2026 NFL free agency.
Fortifying defense is the priority for Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders this season, a problem that could lead the head coach to reuniting with a “wild card” who played his best football when Quinn was defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.
Cornerback Trevon Diggs is in play during 2026 NFL free agency, and Greg Auman of Fox Sports predicts he’ll sign with the Commanders. Auman acknowledges Diggs “is a wild card on this list, two years removed from making $19 million a year, yet a player who was cut by the Cowboys and Packers at the end of this past season. He has an 11-interception season on his résumé, but went all of 2025 without so much as a pass defensed. He’s worth a shot for a team that doesn’t have to rely on him as an every-down corner, but what kind of contract does that yield? Spotrac has him at $7.5 million, which still seems like a big investment on a prove-it deal.”
A deal on these terms is well within the reach of the salary cap-rich Commanders. Reuniting Diggs with Quinn also makes sense because the coach knows how to unlock the corner’s naturally opportunistic streak.
Diggs regressed mightily last season, when he was dumped by the Green Bay Packers after only two games. Yet, his talent for getting his hands on the ball would be a major boost for a Washington defense woefully short on takeaways in 2025.
Trevon Diggs Worth the Risk for Dan Quinn
Given how his career has cratered in recent years, Diggs is an obvious risk for the Commanders. Quinn’s presence would offset the risk because he called plays for the Cowboys’ defense when Diggs snatched 11 interceptions in 2021, including this one against Commanders go-to wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
Those picks made Diggs an All-Pro, and he became a back-to-back Pro Bowler the following season. Quinn designed a defense that allowed Diggs to take chances, an aggressive brand of zone coverage with deep help to let corners play off and jump the ball.
A torn ACL and a concussion wrecked Diggs’ progress, with his decline gathering pace once Quinn left Dallas to join the Commanders in 2024. Even so, there are still compelling reasons to believe Diggs could rediscover his best form in Washington.
Most of the reasons have to do with the new direction the Commanders are moving in defensively.
Commanders Making Right Changes on Defense
When Quinn hired former Minnesota Vikings defensive passing game coordinator Daronte Jones as his new DC, he signalled the right changes are being made. Changes based on the more creative and aggressive schemes of one of Jones’ mentors, Vikings play-caller Flores.
While Jones being another Flores is a tall order, his familiarity with sophisticated blitzing is great news for one of the few matchup nightmares on the Commanders’ defense.
Making better use of personnel up front to generate greater pressure will naturally improve those on the back end. Specifically, by affording defensive backs more opportunities to pounce for turnovers, the kind of dynamic Diggs needs to thrive.
Turnovers were in short supply last season, when the Commanders grabbed only eight interceptions. They also recovered a mere 13 fumbles, per Pro Football Reference.
Jones being given a free hand to throw more at offenses will make the Commanders a greater threat to take the ball away. Signing a ball hawk with Diggs’ credentials would double down on this necessary change.
James Dudko covers the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens for Heavy.com. He has covered the NFL and world soccer since 2011, with bylines at FanSided, Prime Time Sports Talk and Bleacher Report before joining Heavy in 2021. More about James Dudko
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