Dan Quinn’s time in Washington looks like it’s almost up. Unless the Commanders pull off an improbable playoff run that includes at least one postseason win, owner Josh Harris and general manager Adam Peters will be looking for a new head coach in January.
That’s the reality now: the “brotherhood” talk is fading, the backward hat and rah-rah act is on the verge of being done, and the bigger question is no longer whether a change is coming. It’s who Washington turns to next - and which decision-maker gets the loudest voice in that process.
Among the offensive names worth watching, Klay Kubiak stands out. The 49ers offensive coordinator has been with San Francisco since 2021, starting in quality control before quickly climbing the ladder.
While Kyle Shanahan handles play-calling, Kubiak is said to have a major role in weekly game plans and game-day input, and the word is that Adam Peters is especially high on him. He’s still viewed as one of the young coaches on the rise around the league.
Grant Udinski belongs on the list too. The Jaguars offensive coordinator is just 30 and has already started drawing head-coaching buzz.
He worked as an assistant in Carolina and Minnesota, then joined Kevin O’Connell in 2023 as assistant quarterbacks coach before adding assistant offensive coordinator the next year. Liam Cohen brought him to Jacksonville as OC, and Udinski helped Trevor Lawrence produce his best season as a pro during his first year.
Declan Doyle is another young offensive architect drawing attention. After working as Ben Johnson’s right-hand man in Chicago in 2025, he moved to Baltimore because he wanted the chance to call plays himself. Now he’s running the Ravens’ offense, and after five weeks that unit sits among the top five in the NFL.
Mike McDaniel offers a different kind of appeal. The Chargers offensive coordinator is the type of hire if a team wants an offensive genius.
He came up under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco and later showed his creativity in Miami, even if that stint came with poor ownership and a limited roster. His first season in Los Angeles has not gone well, but injuries and a roster built for BIG Ten football have played a big part in that.
Nate Scheelhaase is another offensive mind to keep on radar. He’s learning under Sean McVay with the Rams and has the reputation of being innovative, but he may still need another year of seasoning before he becomes a serious head-coaching candidate.
On the defensive side, Brian Flores would make plenty of sense for a team looking for a proven hand. He has head coaching experience and a strong reputation, and Minnesota’s defense was third in the NFL in EPA in 2025.
Through five games in 2026, the Vikings are third again. One possible bonus if he landed in Washington: he might choose to keep both Daronte Jones and David Blough as coordinators.
Anthony Campanile has also built a strong case. He’s known as a leader and teacher, with a coaching background that includes Miami and Green Bay before he took over the Jaguars defense in 2025. That unit finished in the top 10 in the NFL in EPA, and after already drawing head-coaching interest in the 2026 cycle, he figures to be even more popular next time around.
Chris Shula’s stock keeps climbing as well. The grandson of Don Shula has carved out his own reputation as a defensive coach, working first as a quality control coach with the Chargers before joining Sean McVay’s staff. He now runs a Rams defense that is currently ranked in the top five in EPA.
Jim Leonhard is another name with future head coach written all over him. His path has been pretty easy to trace since his playing days at Wisconsin, where he already looked destined to coach.
He served as defensive coordinator and interim head coach at Wisconsin, then made the jump to the Broncos in 2024 before the Bills hired him away to be their defensive coordinator under first-time head coach Joe Brady. He’s widely seen as a strong leader and a future NFL head coach.
The college ranks also offer a few intriguing options. Ryan Day would be a major player if Ohio State makes another national championship run.
He has long wanted an NFL opportunity and would bring a track record of developing players and sending them to the league. He’s also viewed as a respected leader.
Marcus Freeman has NFL aspirations too. There were rumblings that he might leave Notre Dame during the 2026 cycle, but he stayed put. His time as a player gives him NFL ties, and insiders believe those relationships could help him assemble a strong staff.
Lincoln Riley has the reputation of an innovative offensive coach who tailors his approach to his players. He doesn’t have NFL experience, but his interest in the league has come up before.
Steve Sarkisian is another college coach whose name keeps surfacing in NFL conversations. Rumors about a return to the league have followed him for years, and this might be the year he gives it another shot, especially with Arch Manning eventually headed for the NFL. Sarkisian has already worked in the league with the Raiders as a quarterbacks coach and the Falcons as offensive coordinator.
In Other News...
Commanders Still Sent A Frustrating Backfield Message After Jacory Croskey-Merritts Breakout
Jacory Croskey-Merritt gave the Commanders a much-needed spark in Week 5 against the Giants, turning his touches into a productive afternoon and giving Washington another reminder that its backfield has some life in it. The rookie has been working to carve out a real role in the offense, and his performance only added to the case that he deserves a longer look as the season goes on.
Even so, the usage pattern told a more frustrating story for Washington. The coaching staff leaned on veteran Rachaad White in the moments that mattered most, even with White dealing with a shoulder injury, and the preference for experience over the younger runner still showed through. Croskey-Merritt is forcing the issue, but the Commanders have not yet given him the kind of opening his play may warrant. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Rough Start Could Force A Tough Call On Key Veteran
Washingtons rough start has quickly turned the next stretch of the season into a crossroads, with a critical meeting against the 49ers looming and the bigger question being whether the Commanders stay in the race or start thinking about the future. One of the biggest names in that conversation is Daron Payne, a longtime defensive anchor who remains central to how this team wants to play in the trenches even as the losses pile up.
Paynes situation gives the front office real options, and not all of them point in the same direction. Washington can explore an extension and try to keep one of its most important veterans in place, but if the season keeps slipping away, moving a proven starter before the trade deadline would bring back draft capital and help reshape the roster for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Just Added To The Commanders Worst Week Yet
The Commanders ugly overtime loss to the Giants has already been picked apart from every angle, and the aftermath only got more uncomfortable when Micah Parsons weighed in on Jayden Daniels. Washington spent much of the week trying to sort through what went wrong in the late-game sequence, with the rookie quarterback, Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator David Blough all part of a breakdown that left the team staring at another self-inflicted mess.
Parsons public criticism added a strange layer to the conversation because it came from outside the situation, and it landed while Washington was still trying to explain the lack of urgency after the play broke down. For a team already under pressure, the debate is no longer just about the failed possession itself, but about how the Commanders handled it and why a sequence that should have been controlled turned into another costly lesson. [Read more 🡒]