Commanders poach defensive assistant from LSU

With the Washington Commanders in the midst of the 2026 offseason, the team has been making some changes to the coaching staff under head coach Dan Quinn. As the Commanders have been adding to their defensive staff, they are set to reportedly hire another one, this time from the LSU football team.

According to Matt Zenitz, Washington is preparing to add Tigers safeties coach Jake Olsen to the team, who had been with the college program for the last two years, helping lead them to a top 25 spot in the country in scoring defense.

“The Commanders are expected to hire LSU safeties coach Jake Olsen, sources tell [CBS Sports],” Zenitz wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

This news comes after the Commanders found their new defensive coordinator in Daronte Jones, who was a “trusted” coach with Brian Flores and has even coached under notable names.

“Jones has been one of Brian Flores’ most trusted defensive coaches the past three seasons, and he also has coached under Vance Joseph and Mike Zimmer,” Adam Schefter wrote on X on Jan. 26.

It isn’t the first time this cycle that Washington hired from the college pool, as they got Eric Henderson from USC to serve as their defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator. Though he also has NFL experience working with great players like Aaron Donald.

“The Commanders are hiring USC’s Eric Henderson as defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator, sources tell me and [Connor Morrissette],” Zenitz wrote on X. Before USC, he was a defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator with the Rams and coached players like Aaron Donald.”

The Commanders are looking to improve after finishing with a 5-12 record.