Daronte Jones' first job with Commanders is crystal clear (and badly needed)

"There were a few eyebrows raised when the Washington Commanders reportedly hired Daronte Jones to be their next defensive coordinator. It's also an intriguing arrival that could reap significant rewards if he gets the desired upgrades on the playing personnel side. Jones might be a first-time NFL play-caller, but he's vastly experienced. He's worked with prestigious names such as Brian Flores, Mike Zimmer, Vance Joseph, and Marvin Lewis throughout his time in the league."

"Daronte Jones must install aggression and creativity to improve the Commanders' pass rush The Commanders have to find more creative ways of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Their personnel on the defensive front got decimated by injuries last season, but it's been an ongoing flaw in Washington since Chase Young and Montez Sweat were traded before the 2023 deadline. This all starts with improving the team's options in free agency or the draft."

"But the schematic concepts installed by Dan Quinn and Whitt are not in keeping with modern-day standards. Jones is coming from a Flores system renowned for being the most aggressive, employing exotic blitz packages to make quarterbacks extremely uncomfortable. That would be a breath of fresh air in Washington. There could be a mixture of concepts that Jones has picked up over the years. Quinn may also want to keep some of the current designs in place, but allowing his new coordinator to be creative is cr"

Daronte Jones arrives as defensive coordinator with extensive NFL and college experience, having worked with Brian Flores, Mike Zimmer, Vance Joseph, Marvin Lewis, and served one season as LSU's defensive coordinator. Washington's defense ranked among the league's worst, and injuries plus the trades of Chase Young and Montez Sweat left the pass rush and front seven depleted. Immediate buy-in and a fast start are essential, with a singular urgent priority: improve the pass rush through personnel upgrades and more aggressive, creative scheming. Jones's Flores-influenced background in exotic blitz packages offers a blueprint to make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable and rebuild the unit with targeted free-agent or draft additions.

Read at Riggo's Rag