Commanders settling for Dan Quinn isn't ideal, but he's the best they could do

Quinn's hiring may be somewhat of a letdown for fans who were hoping for a young, first-time head coach. It may seem like a lateral move from Ron Rivera, another defensive mind who had been ousted at his previous stop before Washington hired him.

However, the Commanders were forced into a box after Johnson, who was believed to be the team's top target, informed Washington at the last minute that he was remaining in Detroit. The Seattle Seahawks then got dibs on Macdonald, the other big remaining flashy name.

This is no fault of new general manager Adam Peters or the Commanders ownership group, and all things considered, you could do a whole lot worse for a consolation prize than Quinn. Aside from his previous head-coaching experience in Atlanta, in which he took the Falcons to a Super Bowl, he led one of the NFL's premier defenses in Dallas for the past three seasons.

In 2023, the Cowboys gave up the fifth-fewest points and yards, while the Commanders gave up the most in both categories. Dallas' defense was bottom-10 in both fewest points and yards allowed in 2020 before Quinn took over it, and was top-10 in fewest points allowed all three years during his time as coordinator.

Furthermore, Quinn is a player favorite, with stars such as Micah Parsons having high praise for his leadership. And, if only as a moral victory, Commanders fans have to feel a kick of satisfaction with theoretically weakening their biggest rival.

While the Commanders have been expecting a more exciting hire, there's reason to be optimistic for the Quinn era in D.C. As always, though, official judgment will have to wait until the results on the field.