The Washington Commanders are still in the hunt for their next defensive coordinator, and the search took a couple of interesting turns on Wednesday night. First, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores - who had interviewed for the role - is staying put in Minneapolis, at least for now.
Unless a head coaching opportunity opens up for him, Flores will return to the Vikings in 2026. That takes one of the bigger names off the Commanders’ board.
But the more intriguing development came later in the evening, when word broke that Washington is interviewing Chicago Bears defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator Al Harris for the position.
This isn’t just a random name being floated - there’s real history here. Harris and Commanders head coach Dan Quinn worked together in Dallas, where Harris coached the Cowboys’ secondary from 2020 through 2023.
When Quinn left the Cowboys to take the head coaching job in Washington after the 2023 season, Harris stayed in Dallas for one more year before heading to Chicago for the 2025 campaign. Now, with the Commanders looking to rebuild a defense that struggled mightily last season, Harris is firmly in the mix.
It’s clear that Quinn is looking for someone with experience and familiarity - someone who can help shape a defense that badly needs an identity. Flores might have been the top target, but with him off the table, Harris makes a lot of sense.
Not only does he know Quinn’s system, but he’s also coming off a season in Chicago where his unit helped lead the league in takeaways. That’s not a small feat, even if the Bears' defense as a whole gave up the 29th-most yards and ranked 23rd in points allowed.
What they lacked in consistency, they made up for in impact plays - a trait any defense would love to build around.
Harris also brings a deep well of experience to the table. Before his time in Chicago and Dallas, he coached defensive backs for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013 to 2018.
And before that? He was a baller in his own right.
Harris played 194 games over a 15-year NFL career, suiting up for the Buccaneers, Eagles, Packers, and Rams. He picked off 21 passes, took three of them to the house, and brought a physical, aggressive style that defined his era of cornerback play.
There’s also some symmetry to the story. Harris just interviewed for the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator job - a team he played for from 2003 to 2010.
That opportunity would be a homecoming. But the Washington job could be a reunion.
Harris once said he’d follow Quinn anywhere, and Quinn has already tried to bring him along once before - back in 2024, when the Cowboys reportedly blocked the move.
This time, there’s no such roadblock. The Commanders have a clean shot at hiring Harris if they decide he’s the right fit. And with Quinn looking to build a defense that reflects his aggressive, disciplined philosophy, bringing in someone who already speaks his language might be the move that sets the tone for the next chapter in Washington.