During the NFL combine, Commanders Coach Dan Quinn discussed Washington’s offseason blueprint to ensure the upcoming 2026 season is not a repeat of 2025.
Commanders Coach Dan Quinn on Pressuring the Quarterback
When discussing his priorities, Quinn stated that strengthening Washington’s pass rush was a major one.
“That ability to affect the QB, it’s one of the biggest tenets in winning the game… the ability to hit and pressure the quarterback. It also forces takeaways. “You want to see somebody that has demonstrated speed and initial quickness to beat somebody on the field… having an explosive get-off to make someone feel overwhelmed. That’s what all the great rushers have.”
Versatility on the Line
While adding to the pass rush is important, Quinn also indicated that having versatility up front is integral. Finding players up front who can create a matchup advantage and move between roles is absolutely imperative.
“I think the versatility will help in some of that… what’s so much fun about coaching him (Donovan Ezeiruaku) — he’s big enough to be a 3-4 end, he’s got the strength that can play inside at nose tackle, and quickness to move. So to see how we feature them on the field together… having the three of those together, that excites me honestly.”
Approach to Mental and Physical Health
The Commanders suffered a litany of injuries last year on both the offense and defense. Most notably, Commanders starting quarterback Jayden Daniels was out for the majority of the season with various injuries. Quinn said that there would be a renewed focus on not only physically taking care of the roster, but also ensuring that their mental health is in check.
On addressing mental health proactively
“I’m hopeful that we get to a point that we’re not talking about mental health just when a tragedy hits, but that we’re talking about it regularly. Then we know we’re making real strides in that.”
And on supporting injured players as people first:
“For my own spot, I want to check on them first to see how they’re dealing with the injury… but more importantly, how’s the man doing? You do feel isolated and separate from the team in those spaces… so you just want to make sure they’re checking in.”
The play Jayden Daniels was injured in. pic.twitter.com/kFkzw4DnwE
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 19, 2025
Collaborating with Adam Peters
Quinn has stated before that he and Washington’s general manager Adam Peters have a good working relationship. He noted during the press conference the importance of collaborating with Peters and the scouting department.
“I think it starts with Adam wanting to be collaborative with the coaches and the coaches also being able to deliver the information that Adam and the scouts need as well. The college scouts who are on the road at the schools, at the games live, they start the entire process and drive so much of it. The coaches get to come in and add a vision of what the player could become in our system. The better the scouts and the coaches connect and know one another, the easier it is for them to see how they would fit into the offense and the defense. That’s why through this spring there are some important processes to go through with both coordinators, coaching staff, and scouting staff to keep encouraging that dialogue amongst each other.”
That Dan Quinn/Adam Peters hug is everything after that win#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/8m6IvLty9O
— COMMANDERS FOOTBALL (@HogsHaven) October 28, 2024
Recalibrating Heading Into 2026
Commanders coach Dan Quinn laid out some very realistic expectations for the Commanders as they further themselves into the offseason. From highlighting the need to strengthen quarterback disruption to collaborating with Adam Peters and his team, the message about the offseason was very clear. Quinn wants to take the time to recalibrate and ensure every need is addressed before the start of the 2026 season, one step at a time.
Main Image: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
