The Commanders are looking for their next defensive coordinator – and a familiar face will be the clear favorite

The Commanders need to nail their defensive coordinator hire, and Raheem Morris will be the clear favorite among other names.

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

The Washington Commanders have started their search for the new defensive coordinator, and they can’t get this one wrong.

Head coach Dan Quinn finally moved on from long-time right-hand man Joe Whitt Jr, and now he has to save his job with a homerun hire. Some outside candidates will be top targets, but a clear familiar face will lead the way throughout the whole process.

Here’s a look at who the Commanders could be reaching out to, and the likeliest option of them all.

Raheem Morris – Former Falcons HC

Raheem Morris will be the obvious favorite as he’s looking to land on his feet after being let go by the Atlanta Falcons, and what better spot than the Commanders? Quinn loves his familiar faces and people he can trust, especially on defense. Morris first worked with Quinn at Hofstra back in 1998, and they reunited on the Falcons in 2015 when Quinn was the head coach and Morris was his defensive coordinator. It could be the move once again as Quinn looks to save his defense and his job.

Morris is a much better defensive coordinator than head coach, and he was getting the most out of his young players this season. The Falcons’ defense took a jump from 19th in 2024 to 13th in 2025 after they finally invested in more talent, and they nailed their 2025 NFL Draft picks. Morris could tap into the youth of the team and bring his experience to fully invest in the defense, and not worry about head coaching duties. He is already getting head coaching interviews, but I don’t see him landing one in this cycle, which means Washington could be the final destination.

Jeff Ulbrich – Falcons DC

Jeff Ulbrich was also on staff with Quinn and Morris in Atlanta as the Linebackers coach, so Quinn is very familiar with him as well. The Falcons have recently thrown a wrench in the offseason, however, by blocking interviews with Ulbrich and other teams. They want him to stay as the next defensive coordinator under the new head coach. If they let him interview with other teams, Quinn should quickly make a call to Ulbrich if Morris lands elsewhere. Ulbrich might actually have the higher upside as a coach right now compared to Morris, and wouldn’t be a bad hire whatsoever.

Patrick Graham – Raiders DC

The Commanders have already requested an interview with Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, and he’s a top target to consider. Fans might not love the option, but Graham is one of the highest-regarded defensive minds in the NFL. The Raiders had one of the cheapest defenses in the league, and they still finished 7th in DVOA in 2025 while in a loaded division. Graham is a Bill Belichick disciple and has a different defensive philosophy compared to Quinn, so it would be interesting to see how the two mesh together. Don’t sleep on Graham just because of the team he coached on, and the limited resources outside of Maxx Crosby.

Jonathan Gannon – Former Cardinals HC

Jonathan Gannon was another head coach who got the boot this offseason, and he would be a much better defensive coordinator than head coach. The Cardinals ultimately couldn’t get away from all the injuries this season, but Gannon got the most out of his young players on defense. The numbers weren’t pretty, but Gannon is still a legitimate candidate, but Quinn has no ties to him. Gannon runs a modern zone defense and would be an interesting fit with the pieces the Commanders have on the roster, with more work to be done.

Aden Durde – Seahawks DC

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense is loaded with talent as one of the best in the league this year, and the Commanders need to try to poach defensive coordinator Aden Durde. Obviously, Mike Macdonald is the head coach and runs the defense himself, so Durde would have the chance to run his defense and be the guy in Washington. Luckily, Quinn also has a connection with Durde, as he was the Falcons’ staff from 2016-2020, then followed Quinn to the Cowboys. This would be the best hire the Commanders could make on defense, and Durde could easily be the defensive coordinator/assistant head coach as a promotion from his current job. The downside, however, is that he will also get head coaching interviews this offseason.

Related Articles