New Commanders Coordinators Ready to Unveil New Offense, Defense

After months of waiting and debating, the Washington Commanders are set to kick off the 2026 regular season this weekend with the first of two road divisional road games when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles for a 4:25 PM kickoff. Though it marks the start of a pivotal year for Dan Quinn in year three as head coach, it marks the official start of an offense and defense that will look to create new identities under new coordinators.

While both will look to work through the natural kinks that come with being first year coordinators, there are benefits to the unfamiliarity.

"As the season begins, there's not a tendency, there's not a, 'this is what he does on second or third down, this is the scheme you know from years past.'" Quinn said.

The fast rise of David Blough materialized into his first play calling opportunity in just his third season as an NFL coach, but he will do so with a quarterback in Jayden Daniels that he's grown close with over the last three years after first joining the organization as assistant quarterbacks coach. Daniels will have an opportunity to quiet the critics as Blough described the former Rookie of the Year as "internally motivated" with full confidence in the face of the franchise ahead of 2026.

"We are excited that he is our quarterback," Blough said of Daniels.

Washington made moves to upgrade the weapons available to Daniels after inking a pair of University of Maryland products in wide receiver Stefon Diggs and tight end Chig Okonkwo. Yet Sunday may tell more about the state of the Commanders' offensive line as Nick Allegretti begins his full-time transition to center while Brandon Coleman and Chris Paul stabilize the left side.

The defense may carry more of the intrigue ahead of the opener, though. Now led by Daronte Jones, the complexity of the Commanders' defense and lack of a true playbook reveal during preseason highlights whether the defense can flip the script from a lackluster 2025 showing. Star edge rusher Odafe Oweh returned to practice this week as head coach Dan Quinn noted all the players on the roster were available for Wednesday's practice, though the first injury report pointed to both Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson joining running back Bill Croskey-Merritt as limited.

Jones was able to get comfortable calling plays with his new personnel during preseason, but that also offered a dose of familiarity given Brian Flores allowed the then-secondary coach to call plays during the Vikings' preseason last year. Rookie outside linebacker Joshua Josephs is among the candidates to fill Oweh's role should the prized free agent addition not be able to make his debut, though one of the bigger matchups to watch is whether the Commanders' front seven can limit the Eagles' rushing attack.

Though Jones knows he's "special", game planning for Eagles running back Saquon Barkley will have its challenges give he has rushed for at least 115 yards and one touchdown in every game against Washington since arriving in Philadelphia.

"It's not a one man job. It's a team effort," Jones said while keeping any and all details of a potential gameplan close to the vest.

Washington will look to secure its second consecutive win against the Eagles in Philadelphia before heading to face the Cowboys in Dallas in week two.