The Washington Commanders are still backing Dan Quinn, but they’ve now added a layer of insurance that makes an in-season change easier to handle if things keep going sideways.
That insurance is Steve Wilks.
Wilks’ arrival to help with the defense raised plenty of eyebrows, especially because it came five games into the season. Reports framed it as part of the plan during Daronte Jones’ transition, not a knee-jerk reaction.
Still, the timing stood out. And more importantly for the Commanders, it changes the conversation around Quinn’s future.
Before Wilks came aboard, the idea of replacing Quinn in the middle of the season looked awkward because there wasn’t an obvious internal answer, outside of running backs coach Anthony Lynn. Now there is a clear fallback option, and Wilks has already done this kind of job before.
His best-known interim stretch came with the Carolina Panthers in 2022, when David Tepper turned to him after Matt Rhule was fired five games into the season. Wilks stepped in, set a firm tone, and quickly changed the feel of the team. The Panthers became far more competitive, played with more physicality, and were one win away from winning the NFC South before falling to the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That run never convinced Tepper to keep him long term. Carolina instead hired Frank Reich and traded a king’s ransom to the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which became Bryce Young. Reich lasted just 11 games before being fired, and the whole sequence left plenty of people wondering what might have been.
Wilks’ recent track record hasn’t been as strong. His time as New York Jets head coach and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator did not go well. Even so, if the Commanders decide Quinn needs to be replaced, Wilks would likely be the choice to take over on an interim basis.
There’s also a built-in connection here. Wilks knows general manager Adam Peters from their time together in San Francisco. Whether Peters was directly involved in bringing Wilks in to assist Jones is up for debate, but the result is the same: the front office now has a safety net if the season unravels.
For now, Quinn still has support. The Commanders’ second-half response on Monday Night Football showed the team is still playing for him, and despite a 1-4-1 start, the schedule is easing up and the NFC East remains wide open in a messy way.
That said, Peters has clearly covered his bases. If the first few weeks after the bye don’t bring better results, Quinn’s situation could turn quickly. It’s unlikely majority owner Josh Harris would make a midseason move, but Wilks’ presence on staff - even in a part-time role - gives Washington a workable plan if that decision ever comes.
Quinn will keep pushing, hoping the results catch up. If they don’t, the Commanders already have a next step waiting.
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That is why the trade talk is starting to matter, even this early in the broader calendar. League chatter has linked Washington to a possible upgrade along the offensive line and another impact option at receiver, two areas that could change the look of the offense quickly if the front office decides to get aggressive before the 2026 NFL trade deadline. Whether Adam Peters is willing to pay the price for that kind of move is the question hanging over everything. [Read more 🡒]