Dan Quinn is taking over defensive play-calling from coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. Just what benefits this will bring to the Washington Commanders is up for debate. Still, the head coach believes this was the only way to improve this free-falling unit's chances after a complete capitulation over the last month.
Quinn has a lot of hard work ahead. This change has to go well, and it will count for nothing if the players cannot raise their performance levels. They have to execute more effectively. Otherwise, the pressure is only going to build on the former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator.
It'll be fascinating to see what, or if, changes and improvements arrive in Week 11 against the Miami Dolphins. Head coach Mike McDaniel is still on the hot seat, but he's an innovative offensive mind with explosive playmakers who can do real damage. These threats must be counteracted effectively, and Tre Hawkins' elevation from the practice squad is an understated yet fascinating element for fans to monitor in Madrid.
Commanders gamble on Tre Hawkins to ease their cornerback crisis
Hawkins has the prototypical size and length Quinn typically looks for in his cornerbacks. The 6-foot-3 defensive back has missed a lot of football over the last two years due to injury. Now, he's back, and after getting a few weeks to immerse himself in the team's way of thinking, he's officially got the green light to feature in some capacity.
The Commanders didn't have much choice, in all honesty.
Four-time Pro Bowl corner Marshon Lattimore is out for the season with a torn ACL. Second-round rookie Trey Amos also won't be seen again in 2025 after fracturing his fibula. Washington is desperately short of dependable cornerback options, so they have nothing to lose by throwing Hawkins into the fire.
He's got prior starting experience with the New York Giants before injury ended his stint with the franchise early. Expecting him to come in and become an instant shutdown presence is unrealistic, and he might be nothing more than a backup option when it's all said and done. At the same time, his physical approach could be precisely what the Commanders are seeking, given that they have no Lattimore or Amos to depend on moving forward.
It might come to nothing. But this at least shows Quinn is willing to think outside the box in pursuit of turning Washington's failing defense around. Whether Hawkins can hit the ground running or not is another matter.