Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn during practice at Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Commanders Reveal New Defensive Scheme For Upcoming Season

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Feb 17, 2026 10:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders will look differently on defense this upcoming season.

The team fired defensive coordinator Joe Witt Jr. and replaced him with Daronte Jones , who was previously with the Minnesota Vikings. Jones shared in his introductory press conference what type of system the Commanders will run with him on the coaching staff.

“Multiple, I think 3-4, 4-3. They're just numbers. Still seven man spacing, [laugh]. So, I always say it's not how they line up, it's how they wind up. And so, you can create that number system in numerous ways," Jones said.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jones Wants to Run High-Level System

Jones has an absolute blank canvas to work with when it comes to the Commanders. A lot of the players that were on the team last year will either be in different roles or different cities. The Commanders will have a lot of new pieces to plug into the system, but Jones is determined to make things work.

“Yeah, and I wanted to be very clear with him on that, that this would be his system. I think it's hard to think for someone else. And so, I wanted to make sure coming here, he wouldn't have, my system learn it. I said, ‘You're coming here to install it, man.’ And I'm going to be here to support you, give you insight when you want it. But putting that system together, it's funny actually, going through the whole process with him was exciting for me too," Commanders head coach Quinn said when hiring Jones.

"I like that the learning can be different and what needs to be different and what can be better. And so, those were things that that fired me up. But ultimately we're putting in a new system and it's going to start with his vision, with his terminology, the wording that we use, the communication that we say. And that's how it has to be. I think it's difficult for someone else to come in and think like someone else. I want him to be able to fully express how he wants to coach it. And that was important for me to share with him.”

It's a bold decision to give the wheel to a defensive coordinator as a defensive-minded coach, but Quinn feels very confident in Jones' abilities to turn things around.

The team has one year to get it right; otherwise, Quinn may be on the hot seat, and a new coaching staff will have to take over for the 2027 season.