Dan Quinn is a loyal guy. He values it highly, but this cannot come at the expense of the Washington Commanders' long-term vision.
Washington will look to end a six-game skid this weekend against the Denver Broncos, which dropped the Commanders to a massively disappointing 3-8 record. But winning games isn't the primary focus for the rest of 2025. It's laying a foundation for a sustainable future, after last season's veteran-heavy approach crashed and burned.
For Quinn, his job remains safe... for now. But how he responds to the pending adjustments will tell us everything about his long-term status in D.C.
Dan Quinn's loyalty cannot get in the way of Commanders' progress
The Commanders' free agency spending spree during the 2024 offseason consisted of no shortage of veteran contributors. Several of those, including Bobby Wagner, Noah Brown, Dorance Armstrong Jr., Tyler Biadasz, and Noah Igbinoghene, were players Quinn already had relationships with from his time as defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.
Others, such as Austin Ekeler, were brought in due to ties to the staff Quinn assembled. Some, such as Zach Ertz, have become staples in Washington and earned the organization's trust to the point that they are the go-to guy whenever answers are needed.
That's all great, but there is also such a thing as being too dependent upon certain players' production.
When someone is given an abundance of opportunities at the expense of the team's best interests because he is the coach's "guy," it's never good for anybody. Quinn is facing that dilemma during the Commanders' stretch run.
We saw this during Ron Rivera's tenure, with an over-reliance on mediocre Carolina Panthers retreads — both on the field and in the front office — being a significant part of his undoing. We saw it with Jay Gruden and his inexplicable favoritism towards players such as Colt McCoy and Ryan Grant.
With Quinn, there are a few players who come to mind. The ancient Wagner, who still sees more snaps than any other defensive player on the Commanders, is at the top of the list. If Brown, upon returning from injury, is used more heavily than younger receivers such as Treylon Burks and Jaylin Lane, that's a problem. Keeping kicker Matt Gay on the roster too long has already cost Washington a win they can't get back.
Meanwhile, in the long run, Quinn must prepare himself for the roster overhaul that's coming this offseason. Washington has more players on expiring deals than any other team in the NFL, and the majority of them should not return. No one can be brought back solely on the basis of familiarity.
Quinn is a solid head coach who has proven with multiple teams that he can lead deep playoff runs. But to avoid the hot seat next season, he'll need to adopt a more cut-throat attitude regarding the players who contribute to his squad.