Moving Towards our Future Front Office and Coaching Hires. All the Way to the Water Boy - Adam Peters Hired as GM! The Mighty Quinn is HC Kliff Kingsbury as OC. Joe Whitt jr at DC.

[slappy434]

I realize this is a counterintuitive suggestion for this fanbase...but, some people might want to just chill TF out 😆

 

I would have preferred Johnson or Macdonald over Quinn too.  But, no fans interviewed these guys, Peters & Co. did.  If they wanted those two guys bad enough, the dollars or years would have been greater. Clearly the assessed difference between all the coaches wasn't that substantial in their minds.  Otherwise, one of those guys would be here. 

 

In the coaching model they're going for, a Head Coach DOES actually need to be a motivator, a leader, an organizer, and a manager (or, "a leader of men").  They hired a HC who has those traits and now they will go find the right Coordinators who are sharp, innovative, have a high aptitude, and an exemplary work ethic.  All traits that will make them excellent and effective on their side of the ball.  In the coaching model the team wants, the overall coaching staff can be more effective at winning when compared to a staff working under the "potential" of an unproven, younger coach.  OCs & DCs aren't always great HCs because the traits that get someone to their current role aren't usually the same traits needed for their next. For every Shannahan, McVey, LaFleur, O'Connell, or McDaniels, there are more that were not as effective at HC as they were as OC/DC.

 

Quinn's record at HC won’t draw out overconfidence in anyone.  But, there were no reports of chaos or dysfunction in ATL, just a mediocre record.  We gotta remember that organizations, players, and situations are all different.  Record aside, Quinn seems to have the HC traits AND DC traits above.  Johnson & MacDonald have the OC or DC traits above.  But, they haven't had their chance to exercise those HC traits (as a HC at least).  So, it's a bit of a gamble.  It seems that Peters & Co. didn't think the risk/reward was that great with those guys.  Otherwise...one of them would be here.  It's not like the organization doesn't have the power to change the contract numbers.  Seems probable they just didn't see that was warranted.  Furthermore, if anyone thinks that Peters simply “forgot” to call Kyle and ask his opinion of Quinn as a HC, they’re trippin’.

 

So, everyone who's up in arms might want to just exercise the "guarded optimism" that we've all been forced to learn from watching this $h!tshow for the last 25 years.  Or, just carry on going haywire as if you're more informed on the overall roadmap for this team than Peters is. 

Edited February 1 by slappy434

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

12 minutes ago, Conn said:

Maybe part of that journey is just simply becoming respectable again with a real roster foundation and modern NFL facilities, before you can realistically attract sexy coveted talent. That window is probably 4-5 years away, and hopefully by then our QB is maturing into a franchise guy who needs his McVay/McDaniel to ascend higher. 

I don’t think folks really understand that this was never happening overnight.  Modernizing this franchise will take many years.  
 

I’m not of the belief that Peters signed Quinn as some type of steward.  I think people very close to him, of whom he has great respect for spoke very highly of him.  From there he impressed in interviews and meshed well with the vision he has for this team.  
 

But I do think the scenario you described is very likely to take place.

[DiscoBob]

54 minutes ago, Ball Security said:

Who do you have in mind?

 

I don't have a plan.... whoever they pick, they're gonna have to sell the fan base on it being a viable plan.

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[clskinsfan]

5 minutes ago, Conn said:

Keim bonked us over the head with Quinn for weeks

Yep. And he was far from the only local connected sports media to say Quinn over and over again. I agree. People just didnt want to hear it. Might it fail? Sure. But those comparing Quinn to Rivera are making a horrific comparison imo. 

[KWilliamsAWinfield]

16 minutes ago, Commander202 said:

I mean that’s crazy bro you didn’t even allow Quinn to have one pre season game to show something. Ask the falcons how they been without Quinn and before . Reality is he’s better than Ron and hires better staff members .

He is not that much better than Rivera, did you even watch his defense against the Packers in the playoffs? His defense was garbage

Edited February 1 by KWilliamsAWinfield

[wit33]

39 minutes ago, CapsSkins said:

 

No bc GMs have longer rope and also are the ones in charge of fixing the facilities, selecting the new QB, etc. Coaches don't have that control and have to live with whatever decisions the GM makes, even though it's the HC's ass if the decisions are poor.

 

That's why successful coaches want control (e.g., Vrabel, Belichick) or more ready-made situations with larger economic guarantees (Macdonald & Seattle as an example, or Canales getting a six-year deal in CAR despite only one year as a Coordinator)

 

 

What qualifies as not attractive to highly thought of GM with options? 
 

[Conn]

3 hours ago, RWJ said:

See my prior post and video and you'll see what I am talking about. 

Are you the most gullible person on planet earth? 

[Skinsinparadise]

What to know about new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn

Keim

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39416878/washington-commanders-hire-dan-quinn-head-coach-biggest-questions

Why Dan Quinn, and what does he bring to Washington?

Keim: The most-used word during the Commanders' search, publicly and privately, was "leadership." Washington wanted a strong leader.

One NFL coach who worked with Quinn said he was as good as any coach he's been around at setting the standard for an organization. Another coach labeled him one of the best in the NFL. So he has numerous fans in the league.

Quinn coached the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020. His career record isn't impressive (43-42, 3-2 in the playoffs), but he displays the traits Washington wants in a head coach, someone who has the same vision for the organization as the general manager.

Peters, the new GM, spent six seasons in San Francisco with coach Kyle Shanahan, who was Quinn's offensive coordinator in Atlanta for two seasons before becoming a head coach.

Quinn developed a strong reputation as a defensive coordinator. When he was the Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014, the Seahawks ranked first in yards and points allowed each season. But Quinn had inherited a group that had been first in points and fourth in yards allowed before he took over.

He spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. In Dallas, he inherited a group that ranked 28th in points and 23rd in yards allowed. Under Quinn, the Cowboys improved to seventh and 19th, respectively, in those categories in his first season and ranked fifth in both areas this past year. Dallas created more turnovers (93) than any other team during Quinn's three years as coordinator. Washington ranked 29th with 55 takeaways during this span.

One current assistant coach, whose team has faced Dallas, praised Quinn for adjusting his scheme over the years.

 

What's the first thing Quinn must address in Washington?

Keim: Finding a top offensive coordinator. While Quinn's downfall in Atlanta was his defense, the offense needs to be addressed first in Washington. The Commanders will likely select a quarterback with the second pick in the 2024 draft, so it's imperative that Quinn has a well-developed offensive plan.

That means not only the coordinator but also the quarterbacks coach. He'll also need to have a good succession plan in place in case his coordinator excels and quickly leaves for a head-coaching position. Washington currently has Eric Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator and Tavita Pritchard as quarterbacks coach. Both are under contract for 2024.

Houston made it work after hiring a defensive-minded coach in DeMeco Ryans and picking a quarterback at No. 2 to play for first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

Quinn had his greatest success in Atlanta with Shanahan as his coordinator. The offense, with quarterback Matt Ryan and receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, ranked first in points and second in yards in 2016. The offense ranked top 10 in yards in each of Quinn's final three seasons and was top 13 each year in scoring as well.

Finding a quarterback is second on the to-do list. Since parting ways with Kirk Cousins after the 2017 season, Washington has started 12 different QBs, including eight in Rivera's four seasons. The last Washington quarterback to be the primary starter for more than three seasons was Mark Rypien from 1989 to 1993.

With the No. 2 pick, Washington will be able to choose between quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels, assuming Caleb Williams goes first overall. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projected Daniels to Washington in his latest mock draft. Other analysts have predicted Maye.

Washington has not had a strong offense in a while, ranking 20th or worse in points and yards in each of the past six seasons. Since 1992, the organization has had one season when the offense ranked in the top 10 in consecutive years -- 2004-05. It has not ranked top 10 in scoring in consecutive years since 1990-91.

---

Was Quinn Washington's first choice?

Keim: It's hard to say. Many in the league anticipated Washington hiring Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Although he was a favored target of at least some in the Commanders' search, that wasn't a unanimous opinion, one source said.

When Washington hired Peters last month, one source said he was clearly the Commanders' top choice. But shortly after Peters was hired, one source said there was no coaching candidate who stood out like Peters.

 

While Johnson's withdrawal from consideration Tuesday surprised the team, it did not result in panic, one source said. Washington had not yet settled on one person, even if Johnson was considered a top target. Nobody had been offered the job. The Commanders had not yet met with Johnson in person and, in fact, were en route to Detroit for an interview when they learned he was staying with the Lions. Before Johnson's decision became public, multiple sources indicated the hire would take place later in the week at the earliest.

Later that day, Slowik signed a new deal to remain with the Texans. He, too, was on the Commanders' list -- although considered an unlikely hire.

Former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald was another top candidate. Washington liked him; he liked Seattle, where he ended up. But it's not certain Washington liked him more than other possibilities.

Whatever the case, there's a long road ahead for the Commanders. If Quinn can lead them to a better place, it won't matter how this process unfolded. If not? They'll have to revamp their process for the next time.

 

---

What are you hearing around the league on the hire?

Graziano: The sense I got over the past week or so was that Washington liked Mike Macdonald a lot and that he may well have been the Commanders' top choice. (Yes, even ahead of Lions OC Ben Johnson.) But I also kept hearing that Washington liked Quinn a lot and that his previous head-coaching experience matched what the team was looking for in an overall organizational leader. So obviously once Macdonald ended up in Seattle, it felt like Quinn would get the job unless the Commanders decided to open it up to new candidates.

Now that Quinn has the job, the questions turn to who will run his offense and obviously who will play quarterback. Washington has the No. 2 pick in the draft, so you have to think this staff will be working with a rookie starter. I think this offensive coordinator hire will be watched very closely. Quinn did have a successful head-coaching run in Atlanta, but his best years there were with Kyle Shanahan as the OC. If he can hit a home run like that with this hire, it could go a long way toward determining the level of success he can have in turning the Commanders around.

---

 

...How would you grade this hire?

Tannenbaum: A-minus. Quinn is an experienced coach who has been to a Super Bowl, and he made the Cowboys' defense immeasurably better over three seasons as their defensive coordinator. It's a solid move

 

 

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

2 minutes ago, KWilliamsAWinfield said:

He is not that much better than Rivera, did you even watch his defense against the Packers in the playoffs? His defense was garbage

To be honest, when posters like you say stuff like this, it makes me feel better when my opinion is to the contrary.

[Riggo#44]

10 minutes ago, Conn said:

Keim bonked us over the head with Quinn for weeks

 

Lessons to be learned by this:

Always believe Schefter
Always believe Keim

 

 

[clskinsfan]

KJ Wright with Hoffman. Talking about Quinn the man. The way he bonds with players and gets guys to play for each other. And the defensive brilliance of Quinns mind. 

 

[CapsSkins]

4 minutes ago, wit33 said:

What qualifies as not attractive to highly thought of GM with options? 
 

 

Far and away bad ownership by a mile.

 

Or walking into a situation where the HC has more power than you (like Belichick which the FO in Atlanta was not happy about)

 

For a GM, Washington was attractive because it's good ownership + you can choose the HC & QB right off the bat. That's unique and appealing.

[SkinsFanPA]

3 hours ago, davo said:

New owner same old s*** show.

Tell us you're uninformed without telling us you're uninformed...

[Chris 44]

1 hour ago, Lombardi's_kid_brother said:

 

I think "overwhelming us with galactically superior talent" is the answer.

 

Also, Howell is yesterday's news. I live in the now.

I tend to take what I can from the past and learn from it.

[bearrock]

Keim, the most reliable reporter on the Commanders, have been saying for a while now that Johnson was not a lock, Quinn was very high, and they had not settled on any particular candidate when Johnson withdrew and Macdonald took the Seattle job.  Yet so many seem to take rando aggregator takes to buy that Commanders got spurned by their top choices and had to settle on Quinn.  Just having a Twitter account or YouTube channel doesn't make one a reliable source of info. 

[SkinsFanPA]

9 minutes ago, KWilliamsAWinfield said:

He is not that much better than Rivera, did you even watch his defense against the Packers in the playoffs? His defense was garbage

So...the guy is in charge of defenses that finish 4th, 4th & 5th overall the last three seasons, but you would choose to judge him on one game?  Intelligent.

[Reaper Skins]

Wonder if the org would have any interest in Frank Reich for OC?

[MintHillSkinsFan]

Makes me want to vomit.  New ownership, same stupid decisions.  Another Jerry Jones agent sent to wreak havoc and keep our team down from within.  Norv, Alvin Harper, Deion, Scott Turner, it never ends well bringing cowboy retreads into DC.  Prepare for several more years of mediocrity. 

Now I'm sure they'll add icing to the cake by drafting the head case qb from USC.  I'm just glad I'm not as emotionally invested in this team, or the NFL in general as I was when I was younger.  Sundays on the golf course are beautiful in the fall......

[gooseneck]

1 minute ago, MintHillSkinsFan said:

Makes me want to vomit.  New ownership, same stupid decisions.  Another Jerry Jones agent sent to wreak havoc and keep our team down from within.  Norv, Alvin Harper, Deion, Scott Turner, it never ends well bringing cowboy retreads into DC.  Prepare for several more years of mediocrity. 

Now I'm sure they'll add icing to the cake by drafting the head case qb from USC.  I'm just glad I'm not as emotionally invested in this team, or the NFL in general as I was when I was younger.  Sundays on the golf course are beautiful in the fall......

take two mints and call me in the morning.

[CapsSkins]

The source from Detroit about Ben Johnson and the "standing offer" was not some random podcaster... it was a Detroit sports journalist who appears on radio there & is head of the Detroit NFL Wire publication. He said that on a different podcast.

 

In any case, let's take the positive spin on Dan Quinn: he could assemble a great staff, turn around the defense, build the culture, and if Peters hits on the right QB at #2, perhaps the QB will make the OC look good as much as the OC develops the QB. It could all work out great! Time will tell. 

[clskinsfan]

4 minutes ago, MintHillSkinsFan said:

Makes me want to vomit.  New ownership, same stupid decisions.  Another Jerry Jones agent sent to wreak havoc and keep our team down from within.  Norv, Alvin Harper, Deion, Scott Turner, it never ends well bringing cowboy retreads into DC.  Prepare for several more years of mediocrity. 

Now I'm sure they'll add icing to the cake by drafting the head case qb from USC.  I'm just glad I'm not as emotionally invested in this team, or the NFL in general as I was when I was younger.  Sundays on the golf course are beautiful in the fall......

 

[Bacon]

8 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

Yep. And he was far from the only local connected sports media to say Quinn over and over again. I agree. People just didnt want to hear it. Might it fail? Sure. But those comparing Quinn to Rivera are making a horrific comparison imo. 

They're both likable, player-centric, defensive-minded HC retreads who made it to one SB and fell short. It's an on-brand hire for us.

 

There's not much to be excited about here until the rest of the staff is hired. Hopefully some innovation comes through elsewhere.

[The Consigliere]

4 hours ago, BRAVEONAWARPATH said:

 

Considering its Peters job, I don't really care what Quinn thinks in terms of roster construction. 

[NickyJ]

Just now, The Consigliere said:

Considering its Peters job, I don't really care what Quinn thinks in terms of roster construction. 

That tweet you quoted doesn't mention anything about roster construction. It's about the coaching staff, which is Quinn's job.