Former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn spent all offseason poaching former Cowboys to join him in his new home as head coach of the Washington Commanders. And ahead of the Week 12 Cowboys-Commanders reunion, Quinn made some petty moves that highlighted how intentional the roster poaching was. And then he paid the price for it, with a 34-26 loss that extended his Commanders' losing streak to three games.
But apparently he didn't learn his lesson. Just two days after the game, Quinn went right back to the well. He signed yet another former Cowboys' defender — this time a recent draft bust who has yet to even suit up for a single NFL game since being a 4th-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Quinn's Commanders have signed defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko to the practice squad. Cowboys fans will be hoping the move is another bust, but there's reason to believe it may have actually been a pretty good one from Quinn.
Fehoko's biggest issue so far at the NFL level has been injuries. He landed on the IR last year in mid-November, and this offseason was waived with an injury designation and let go from the IR. He had remained unemployed since then. With roster spots always at a premium on NFL rosters, it's possible that his release was more about roster space than about his actual play. Consider that in his brief stint on the field during the 2023 preseason he received a pretty middling 64.5 grade from PFF, including a 68.6 pass-rush grade.
So presumably Fehoko is now healthy again and ready to hit the field. Quinn was likely involved with the decision to draft him in Dallas in the first place, then got plenty of first-hand experience seeing him on the practice field during training camp and early in the season. He must have liked what he saw.
That said, Quinn's having mixed results with his former Cowboys defenders. PFF has Dorance Armstrong graded out as the Commanders' second-best defender (and No. 34 among 114 graded edge defenders for the year), but Noah Igbinoghene ranks a brutal 107th among 110 cornerbacks.
Time will tell, but a former fourth-round pick with injury concerns has to be considered a long shot to ever make an impact in Washington, Quinn connection or not.
