Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is desperately trying to re-instill grit and a hard edge into his team in 2026. After the high of the 2024 season was tempered by a 2025 season that was marred by injury, Quinn wants to see that edge and determination from his players again in 2026.
It's not just about the players, though, as Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer points out. It's even more applicable to his new coordinators.
The Commanders are conducting mostly 11-on-11 periods, and most of that work’s been done in “call it” periods, where the coaches don’t have a script, are calling plays against each other and reacting to the circumstances in the moment. That’s great training, of course, for Blough and Jones as they build toward the season. And as for areas where the Commanders are getting the edge Quinn is looking for, corner would certainly be one, where both Amik Robertson and Mike Sainristil are playing with chips on their shoulders, which has been really good for the growth of younger guys like Trey Amos. Safety Jeremy Reaves, who, like Robertson, had to earn his way into the league, is another DB in that category.
Both Blough and Jones are in their first stint as coordinators in the NFL, although Jones previously held the defensive coordinator role with LSU. Blough has the benefit of being in his third coaching year with the Commanders, so he already knows the organization and what it's like to work with Dan Quinn. Jones has the benefit of having held a similar role in the past, but he is new to the organization.
Quinn wants his coordinators to emanate having an edge and be gritty from a play-calling standpoint. If they can do that, then maybe that edge and grit will make their way down to the players. We've already seen guys like Quan Martin, Ricky Barber, Kaytron Allen, and Antonio Williams show out during the preseason, and there are more who show their willingness to play with grit and determination.
If what we've seen during the preseason means anything, then we can certainly expect this Commanders team to show up with a massive chip on its shoulder and a willingness to win in the trenches. Playing with an edge, playing with grit and determination, are exactly what Quinn wants to see this season.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' Dan Quinn has ran a different type of camp in 2026
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