There is a lot of soul-searching to be done during the Washington Commanders' bye week. But make no mistake; there will be no miracle fix for a team in complete free-fall.
The Commanders were among the Super Bowl favorites before the campaign. Their sensational run to the NFC Championship game, coupled with offseason win-now additions, was expected to cement the team's status as a perennial contender. Just a few short months later, and the optimism around this franchise has completely disintegrated.
And there is one big problem that Quinn cannot seem to solve.
This squad is old. They are slow and lack explosiveness. The injuries haven't helped, but the Commanders' gamble to run it back with almost the same squad, with a few tweaks, has blown up in their face.
Commanders are finding it hard to balance youth infusion with veteran loyalty
With nothing much to play for other than pride, this should be about assessing younger players to see if they can offer something long-term. That must come at the expense of aging veterans with whom Quinn has developed close relationships over the years. It's a tricky problem to solve, but the head coach believes it can be done with the correct balance.
"And it takes a fine line I think, but one that you can do. It takes some thoughtfulness, but it may not be every single game at every single position, but moments where you get guys to evaluate and see what they can do, that helps for sure."
Dan Quinn via Commanders.com
Words are not speaking as loudly as actions right now. Second-round picks like Johnny Newton and Ben Sinnott remain on the fringes. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has gone into a secondary running back role. The fledgling defensive backs wanting more involvement aren't getting it, and that's also true of the pass-catchers if wide receiver Jacoby Jones' release was any indication.
Quinn is trying to simmer everything down, of course. He cannot afford the Commanders to lose their final six games. And in all honesty, if there were enough trust in younger, less experienced performers, the Commanders would give them extended involvement.
Washington needs to get younger; that is an undeniable fact. But Quinn feels like he owes the older players something. After that, the regeneration of the Commanders' roster should begin when the 2026 offseason arrives.
Loyalty is a big part of the way Quinn goes about his business. Sometimes, it can be his undoing, so whether he's capable of coming to this realization over the bye remains to be seen.
Either way, something must be done. After all, there is just no telling how much pressure would build if the Commanders keep losing.