Commanders’ dream scenario at defensive coordinator could be coming to an end after latest development

The Commanders’ chances of hiring Brian Flores as the next defensive coordinator are getting slimmer after the latest odds of his next move.

Josh Taylor — Washington Commanders News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
© Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Washington Commanders’ search for their new defensive coordinator continues after parting ways with Joe Whitt Jr.

Things have been quiet recently after hearing about them interviewing top candidates such as Jonathan Gannon, Brian Flores, and Karl Scott. It seems like they were waiting on Atlanta Falcons’ defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to become available, but that never happened, and they have to move on.

Their dream scenario looks very unlikely now, however, after the latest reports show that he has options well ahead of Washington.

Brian Flores seems like more of a long shot than ever for the Commanders

I think everyone agrees that Flores would be the homerun hire of the coaching cycle if the Commanders could actually land him as the next defensive coordinator, but is it a real possibility? It was honestly shocking to see that the Commanders actually landed an interview with Flores, and that just got everyone’s hopes up. General manager Adam Peters has a strong connection with Flores from their time together as scouts on the New England Patriots, and there was a glimmer of hope.

There’s not a single defensive coordinator candidate that’s even in the same tier as Flores, and missing out on him would be a huge disappointment for sure. Everyone has been on the edge of their seat waiting to hear an update, but the latest news shows that it would be a miracle if the Commanders landed Flores with his options on the table.

Brian Flores is expected to take one of two other opportunities over the Commanders

Flores has already interviewed with the Pittsburgh Steelers for their head coach vacancy, and he just completed his second interview on Tuesday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter says that he could land the position, but if not, he will likely head back to the Minnesota Vikings, who have been very persistent in keeping him.

It seems like the Commanders are all but officially out of the Flores sweepstakes, with the Steelers and the Vikings as the two likeliest scenarios. The Commanders never had a shot at Ulbrich, and now likely missed on Flores, so they have to target their next candidates. It’s also very likely that they’re still waiting on someone who’s still in the playoffs, so the process could take longer than people hoped for. Teams have to wait until January 26th to interview or hire anyone still in the playoffs.

Related Articles