Dan Quinn is eager to maximize his second head coaching opportunity. Whether he was the Washington Commanders' first choice for the job or not is moot. Everyone must get behind the experienced figure as the franchise looks to propel itself into a profitable era.
Quinn is highly respected by staff and players alike. He wasted no time in bringing a different energy to the practice field. Everyone is aware of their responsibilities and standards have been raised. Anyone still going through the motions they experienced during Ron Rivera's final campaign at the helm needs to shape up or ship out.
Optimism is high surrounding Quinn's prospects. Things ended on a sour note both with the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys, but the Commanders feel like his leadership credentials are exactly what this project needs. Looking at how things unfolded over early offseason workouts, all signs are pointing up.
Analyst throws doubt on Dan Quinn's chances with the Commanders in 2024
Not everyone holds the same opinion. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports questioned whether Quinn was that much of an upgrade over Rivera after placing him at No. 20 in his preseason head coach rankings. The analyst also highlighted his indifferent final seasons in Atlanta as another reason for pessimism.
Washington saw firsthand how much [Dan] Quinn's Dallas Cowboys defense excelled as a ball-hawking unit, and the club's simultaneous infusion of veteran players should aid his debut. The question is, does Quinn really register as a step forward after Ron Rivera? His teams are feisty, but he hasn't led a winning season as a head coach since 2017, before his old [Atlanta] Falcons fizzled to 18-23 from 2018-2020.Cody Benjamin, CBS Sports
Quinn has questions to answer. He's surrounded himself with trusted people on the staffing side. Several acquisitions have previous experience working under the head coach, so it hasn't taken long for this new-look squad to get on the same page.
There will be challenging times throughout the season. Not many are expecting the Commanders to make serious waves at this stage of their rebuild. Fans are dreaming of better days after being dragged through the mud for two decades. But they might have to wait a while longer before the team is in a strong position to contend.
Some analysts think Quinn might be one and done in the nation's capital. That seems short-sighted considering this was always going to be a long-term plan for prosperity. However, that does not detract from the need to be more competitive right out of the gate following eight successive defeats to conclude their 2023 efforts.
Quinn won't be worrying too much about the outside noise. Focusing on what he can control and sticking to his principles is the best place to start. This should provide the foundation needed to cope effectively with the stiff task awaiting him next season and beyond.
The motivation is there for all to see. It's a chance to awaken a sleeping giant - one of the league's most storied franchises in a massive market. If Quinn can do that, there will be a sense of vindication from the Commanders' standpoint.
Anything less could set this project back considerably.
