The Washington Commanders entered the 2025 season with sky-high expectations. Jayden Daniels was heading into Year 2 after a breakout rookie campaign that helped launch Washington to a surprise NFC Championship appearance.
The thinking was simple: with a dynamic young quarterback and a defensive-minded head coach in Dan Quinn, the Commanders were ready to take the next step. But instead of contending for a Super Bowl, Washington unraveled - and a big part of that collapse came on the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: the Commanders' defense was one of the worst in the NFL last season. They finished dead last in total yards allowed and were sixth-worst in points given up.
They also ranked near the bottom in takeaways, only forcing more turnovers than the New York Jets. For a team led by a coach known for his defensive prowess, that’s not just disappointing - it’s alarming.
Joe Whitt Jr., who came in as defensive coordinator, didn’t make it through the season in that role. He was demoted midway through the year, and Dan Quinn stepped in to try to stabilize things.
But even with Quinn taking the reins, the results didn’t improve much. The issues ran deep - from scheme to personnel to effort - and the unit never found its footing.
Quinn himself isn’t shying away from the blame. In a recent radio appearance on The Team 980 with Kevin Sheehan, he was asked point-blank what frustrated him most about his defense in 2025. His answer was candid and telling.
“There was a lot,” Quinn said. “But the play style and the speed and violence that I love when we play with... the most disappointing part was to not see that on a consistent basis.
When you play with that type of energy and connection and joy, then it's takeaways and great tackling and all that can bring. So that's at the top of the pile - to recapture that.”
That’s the kind of honesty you want from a head coach trying to turn things around. Quinn knows what a successful defense looks like - he’s coached plenty of them - and what he saw in 2025 didn’t come close.
The Commanders lacked juice. They lacked urgency.
And they lacked the physical edge that defines elite defenses.
Some of that can be chalked up to age and attrition. The defense looked slow, and injuries didn’t help.
Losing Dorance Armstrong Jr., their top pass rusher, to a serious knee injury after just seven games was a major blow. Without him, the pass rush lost its teeth, and the rest of the unit struggled to compensate.
There were a few bright spots. Rookie linebacker Jordan Magee flashed the kind of athleticism and range that could make him a future cornerstone, even if it didn’t always show up in the box score.
Mike Sainristil was the most consistent turnover producer, but his aggressive style also led to some costly lapses in coverage. For every splash play, there was a big one given up.
Overall, the defense looked tired - both figuratively and literally. They didn’t fly to the ball, didn’t finish tackles, and didn’t create the kind of chaos that fuels momentum. That’s a recipe for disaster in today’s NFL, where speed and versatility are non-negotiables.
Now, the challenge is clear. With Daronte Jones stepping in as the new defensive coordinator, the Commanders are hoping to inject some creativity and energy into the scheme.
But scheme alone won’t fix what ailed this group. Quinn has made it clear: the identity has to change.
The defense needs to play faster, hit harder, and bring the kind of edge that sets the tone on Sundays.
If they don’t? The pressure will mount quickly.
Quinn was brought in to elevate this team, and in Year 2 of Jayden Daniels’ rookie contract, the window to compete is open - but not forever. The defense doesn’t have to be elite, but it can’t be a liability.
And after what we saw in 2025, that’s the baseline goal.
There’s no question the Commanders have talent to build around. But talent alone won’t cut it.
Not in the NFC East. Not with expectations rising.
The 2026 season will be a defining one for Dan Quinn’s tenure in Washington - and it starts with fixing a defense that fell far short of the standard.