Defensive Coordinator / Staff search begins

[Primus Porcus]

Similar to the Offensive thread, lets keep this one specific to the search, and not have it revert back to debating the previous staff.

 

[Neophyte]

Jonathan Gannon is now walking the street.

His defense in Philly was 10th in the league in 2021 and 2nd in 2022.

No advocating, just taking note.

 

[Commander PK]

Initially Raheem Morris was Chat’s top pick for me. Of course it’s changing now based on firings.

Update (as of today):
There’s no official hire yet for the Commanders’ defensive coordinator — but Whitt Jr. is gone and the search is underway. Here’s the latest as of today:

🧨 What has happened
• Joe Whitt Jr. has officially been fired as defensive coordinator after the 2025 season. Head coach Dan Quinn had already taken over play-calling late in the season. 
• Washington also fired OC Kliff Kingsbury and OL coach Bobby Johnson as part of a broader staff overhaul. 

📌 What hasn’t happened yet
• There is still no official announcement or signing of a new defensive coordinator.
Despite the coaching carousel being in motion, the Commanders have not named a replacement as of this afternoon. This means the position is open and candidates are still being considered/interviewed. 

🔥 What’s being reported / rumored

Although no hire has been made, several names have been linked in the rumor mill over the last day or two:

Likely candidate discussions continue to include:
• Al Harris — Chicago Bears defensive backs coach and pass-game coordinator, reportedly someone Dan Quinn has significant interest in due to past familiarity and defensive mindset. 
• Raheem Morris — Former Falcons DC and name that has circulated as a strong fit for Quinn’s style. (Still from earlier reports.)
• Jonathan Gannon — Former Eagles DC and widely discussed option.
• Jim Schwartz — Veteran coordinator name floated as a possible home-run hire. 

However, none of these have been confirmed by the team yet — they are still speculative/preliminary links as of the latest updates.

⸻

📍 In short

✅ Whitt Jr. is no longer DC — Commanders are officially moving on. 
❌ No new DC hire announced yet — search still underway. 
🔄 Rumors are circulating — especially about Al Harris being of particular interest to Dan Quinn, but nothing official yet. 

⸻

If you want, I can track this in real time today and let you know as soon as a name is officially announced — would you like that? (And do you want the update tied specifically to the DC, OC, or both hires?)

 

[method man]

I think I can be more forgiving of the offensive hire if they get Flores

 

[Bulldog]

Flores isn't coming here.

The defense needs a complete rebuild and we have a couple of pieces right now but are a significant number of moves away from having a contending unit for him to coach.

He is going to want to go somewhere where he can contend right away.

 

[method man]

Flores isn't coming here.

The defense needs a complete rebuild and we have a couple of pieces right now but are a significant number of moves away from having a contending unit for him to coach.

He is going to want to go somewhere where he can contend right away.

You don’t know Flores’s motivation. It can be money for all we know and we can outbid everyone.

 

[DWinzit]

Flores would be a big get for DQ. I have a hard time seeing him wanting to come to Washington as most of the other potential suitors have better players in place. On the other hand if he had decide between the meddling Jerrah or dealing with AP and DQ...Washington is a more comfortable landing spot

 

[Chris]

There are multiple reports that Flores is the current favorite for the Raiders HC position.

(Plus that Daboll is a front runner for their OC.)

 

[Chris]

Apparently Brady is taking charge and wants to have former Pats leading the way.

One example-

 

[36ST21]

There are multiple reports that Flores is the current favorite for the Raiders HC position.

(Plus that Daboll is a front runner for their OC.)

That would be fairly hilarious plot twist in the Saga of the Two Brians.

 

[NickyJ]

I know Ulbrich is a longshot, but I think Quinn can make the sales pitch. Birds of a feather. We just need to find an OC who fits the backwards bill.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I keep reading about Al Harris. It sounds like it's pretty real, lots of connections there. There are also the numbers that I think excite DQ about takeaways, Harris is getting a lot of credit for the takeaways the Bears got. That is big in the mind of DQ.

It's interesting though, another guy who has never been a DC, who worked under DQ before. It just sounds a bit like Whitt.

Also, I think DQ was talking up Whitt like HE was going to be the master of takeaways and aggressive ball.

 

[peanut0862]

Jim Schwartz sounds like a home run but like you said Al Harris's name has come up on here a few times. Do we give a fist timer a chance after how bad we've been the last two years though?

 

[method man]

I know Ulbrich is a longshot, but I think Quinn can make the sales pitch. Birds of a feather. We just need to find an OC who fits the backwards bill.

View attachment 13858 View attachment 13859

Why is Ulbrich a longshot? He is a very realistic option. He worked with Quinn most of the 2010s in Seattle and then Atlanta

 

[NickyJ]

Why is Ulbrich a longshot? He is a very realistic option. He worked with Quinn most of the 2010s in Seattle and then Atlanta

Because he might want to go to a team that has Super Bowl aspirations, or at the very least one that doesn't have its head coach so easily viewed as being on the hotseat?

 

[method man]

Because he might want to go to a team that has Super Bowl aspirations, or at the very least one that doesn't have its head coach so easily viewed as being on the hotseat?

Besides the Ravens, which of the other jobs places him closer to the Super Bowl?

 

[skinsinparadise]

Jonathan Gannon is now walking the street.

His defense in Philly was 10th in the league in 2021 and 2nd in 2022.

No advocating, just taking note.

Don't know. Eagles defenses were loaded. The defenses in Arizona were bad.

But I haven't dived in to have an opinion on him, yet.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Judging by early buzz and Breer below feels like its between Morris and Ulbrich. Would hate it if its Morris. Ulbrich feels like a great hire for reasons I talked about in a different thread.

Kevin Stefanski Already Interviewing for Giants Job

The former Browns coach is a serious candidate. Plus, updates on GM searches in Miami and Atlanta, Titans head coach targets and more in Albert Breer’s notes.

www.si.com

As for Whitt, Quinn stripped his right-hand man, whom he brought from Atlanta to Dallas, then Dallas to Washington, of play-calling duties in midseason, so the writing was on the wall. The availability of a couple of Quinn’s old friends, Raheem Morris and Jeff Ulbrich, was part of the equation, too (we’ll see if he can lure one or the other to D.C.), as was Quinn’s desire to focus on being a head coach, rather than toggling between that job and calling plays.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I keep reading about Al Harris. It sounds like it's pretty real, lots of connections there. There are also the numbers that I think excite DQ about takeaways, Harris is getting a lot of credit for the takeaways the Bears got. That is big in the mind of DQ.

It's interesting though, another guy who has never been a DC, who worked under DQ before. It just sounds a bit like Whitt.

Also, I think DQ was talking up Whitt like HE was going to be the master of takeaways and aggressive ball.

Keim doesn't think it will be Harris. Said he thinks they prefer a proven play caller. And he also said sources with other teams have told him some in the NFL don't see Harris as a future D coordinator.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Jim Schwartz sounds like a home run but like you said Al Harris's name has come up on here a few times. Do we give a fist timer a chance after how bad we've been the last two years though?

If it were up to me, I may go with the more proven Schwartz.

Keim doesn't think it will be Harris. Said he thinks they prefer a proven play caller. And he also said sources with other teams have told him some in the NFL don't see Harris as a future D coordinator.

Yes Harris has had buzz for years. That isn’t always a good sign. EB also had buzz for years. Often they nay be getting passed because teams feel they are missing some skill at that coordinator level.

That means of the names most associated with this position, my opinion is easy with Ulbrich I think.

Man, if we take AP at his word, he sits back and lets DQ handle this pick after the previous pick was botched. I hope he will be working with DQ and making sure there is consensus.