It’s been 28 days since the Washington Commanders played their last game, but the news cycle hasn’t slowed down. Since the 2025 season concluded, the Commanders have had a whirlwind of breaking news, featuring a total overhaul of the coaching staff aimed at reframing both the offense and defense.

In addition, the Commanders hold the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. With needs across the roster, fans and media pundits alike are daydreaming about who will be wearing the Burgundy and Gold come April. Below is a snapshot of this week’s most relevant news and how it impacts the future in D.C.

On Friday, January 30, the Commanders officially hired former Minnesota Vikings Defensive Pass Game Coordinator Daronte Jones to lead their unit as the new Defensive Coordinator. Jones brings a wealth of experience and comes from the highly coveted Brian Flores coaching tree. Generally speaking, the hire has been applauded across the league.

Those familiar with both the Vikings and Commanders envision a more aggressive defense in D.C., with Jones drawing from several established mentors. He has spent significant time learning under Vic Fangio (during his time as a Dolphins assistant), Mike Zimmer (during his first stint in Minnesota), and most recently, the tutelage of Flores as a Defensive Passing Coordinator.

With a background in coaching defensive backs, Jones is expected to implement a dynamic, disguise-heavy secondary that keeps opposing quarterbacks guessing. We highlighted these schematic details on our weekly episode of “Commanders Film Room” with Mark Bullock, which can be found on “The Big Doug and Carmi Show” every Wednesday. 

With the addition of Jones, the focus shifts to the personnel group—after all, you are only as good as your players. Ben Standig, author of the Last Man Standig Substack, recently hosted Matthew Coller of Purple Insider  to discuss what a Daronte Jones defense will look like.

The discussion corroborated our film room analysis: if Jones carries over the Minnesota blueprint, we will likely see a 3-4 base defense utilizing zone-match concepts.

Coller emphasized that for this system to thrive, the team needs a secondary that is malleable, intelligent, and communicative. He referenced veteran Safety Harrison Smith as a vital component of the Vikings' famous “think tank” that Brian Flores and Jones deployed regularly. 

For more on that, check out The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen, who joined our show this past Wednesday.

In addition to a strong secondary, Coller touched on the fact that Minnesota’s defense thrived due to the versatility of their linebackers. He specifically referenced Andrew Van Ginkel and his ability to be a cerebral defender who could blitz, drop back in coverage, and carry speedy receivers up the seam.

The emphasis on a cerebral safety, and athletic linebacker immediately brings to mind two prospects Washington could target at pick No. 7. 

Speaking of Sonny Styles, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah recently released his Mock Draft 1.0. Jeremiah addressed Washington’s deficit at linebacker and noted:

“Styles reminds me of Fred Warner, who was drafted by the 49ers when current Commanders GM Adam Peters was an executive in San Francisco. Keep in mind that Bobby Wagner is 35 and headed for free agency.”

Styles is considered one of the most versatile Buckeye defenders from a star-studded unit. After playing defensive back and safety during his first two years, he converted to linebacker as a junior when Alabama transfer Caleb Downs arrived in Columbus. The star defender was a five-star recruit out of high school and is a certified "combine freak," frequently appearing on Bruce Feldman’s annual "Freaks List."

Styles could offer the Commanders a "chess piece" even more physically gifted than Van Ginkel in Jones’ new defensive scheme. 

Enjoy the highlights here: 

As we head toward the NFL Combine in 22 days and free agency starting on March 11, I posed a question to X reflecting on the 2025 draft class. Following a disappointing 5-12 season, the initial "allure" of Adam Peters has waned for some, with segments of the fanbase questioning recent personnel decisions.

But is the criticism warranted?

As illustrated above, the 2025 class has shown promise. Josh Conerly Jr. and Trey Amos have solidified themselves as starters moving forward. Seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt also flashed major upside, recording 805 yards and 8 touchdowns in limited time as a rookie. Additionally, fourth-round selection Jaylin Lane showed promise as an above-average returner and blossoming wideout.

While there have been misses—including a lackluster 2024 second round and the unsuccessful Marshon Lattimore trade—Peters is perhaps being judged harshly for a season derailed by injuries. Much like Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels, Peters faces a pivotal Year 3 where he must prove he is the elite evaluator the team hired him to be.

With Jones now in tow, the Commanders are finalizing the rest of the staff. On Saturday, news broke that several defensive coaches from the previous regime are departing, including Assistant LB coach Ryan Kerrigan, Assistant DL coach Sharrif Floyd, and player development coach Pete Ohnegian.

This leaves a void that Jones will look to fill with colleagues who fit his specific vision. A name to watch is Minnesota’s Marcus Dixon, whose contract expired this offseason. Dixon served as the Vikings’ defensive line coach the last two seasons and is intimately familiar with the expectations of both Brian Flores and Daronte Jones. 

It will be interesting to see if he elects to come to D.C. and reunite with his former colleague. Whether he joins the staff or Jones finds a new lieutenant, one thing is clear: the 'new look' Commanders are officially taking shape.

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