Commanders will be competing with NFC East rival for key addition to defensive coaching staff
The Commanders could look to add Marcus Dixon as the new defensive line coach, but the Cowboys have strong interest as well.
The Washington Commanders found their next defensive coordinator after hiring Daronte Jones from the Minnesota Vikings. Jones will bring his scheme and style of defense over, but that may not be the only thing.
The Commanders now have to fill out the rest of the defensive staff and decide on current coaches in the building. Jones will likely want his own assistant coaches who know his system, and there’s one familiar face that can help strengthen a weakness for the Commanders, but it won’t be easy.
The Commanders aren’t done making changes on defense
Changes will always happen when you bring in a new coach, and they’ll want familiar faces to run their own system, not the assistant coaches left behind. Reports say the Commanders aren’t done making changes to the defensive coaching staff, as expected, and the focal point is more support for the pass rush up front.
Darryl Tapp and Ryan Kerrigan are the two defensive line coaches for the Commanders, but they might not be retained by Jones, unfortunately. If Jones brings his own defensive line coach over, Marcus Dixon would be the clear favorite. Dixon was the defensive line coach with the Vikings, but his contract expired, and he’s a free agent now. I asked A to Z Sports Minnesota writer Tyler Forness if Dixon would be a solid hire, and it sounds like multiple players up front could benefit from him.
“Dixon’s been with the Vikings for the last two seasons, and the growth of the unit is a testament to his work. Jalen Redmond went from a back end of the roster player to being one of the best emerging 3Ts in the NFL, and seventh-round pick Levi Drake Rodriguez has become a very solid rotational player with more upside. He knows how to coach players up, and he gets an intriguing talent to work with in Jer’Zhan Newton.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Minnesota
It’s an area that needs improvement in a lot of ways for the Commanders, especially with the development of Newton and any other additions this offseason, but they aren’t the only team trying to land Dixon.
The Commanders will have to compete against the Dallas Cowboys for Marcus Dixon
Jones isn’t the only familiar face for Dixon, as Dallas Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator Christian Parker is another coach from the past trying to land him as well.
Landing Dixon would be a big hire for the Commanders, who want experience at the coaching position, and he has seven years under his belt and plenty of results to show from it. The Vikings were tied for fourth in the league in sacks with 49 in 2025, and the Commanders need a consistent pass rush up front next year.
General manager Adam Peters also needs to add some valuable talent up front in the 2026 NFL Draft or in free agency instead of being conservative like he did last offseason.
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