The Commanders start their search for a new offensive coordinator – and there’s a clear candidate that would be a homerun hire
The Commanders need to find the best offensive coordinator possible to replace Kliff Kingsbury, and the best hire would be Grant Udinski.
The Washington Commanders dropped a bombshell to kick off their offseason after they announced that they’re moving on from both coordinators.
Joe Whitt Jr. and Kliff Kingsbury are officially out in Washington, and now Dan Quinn has to make sure he nails the hires, or this will be his last year with the Commanders. Letting go of Kingsbury was a very risky move, but if Quinn can find a replacement that turns out to be an upgrade, then it’ll save the Commanders and his job.
Here’s a look at the top candidates that are available right now that make the most sense, including my favorite. This list will continue to evolve as more coaching changes happen, and of course, I saved the best possible hire for last.
Todd Monken – Ravens OC
Todd Monken is an interesting choice for a couple of reasons, especially after the bombshell dropped that John Harbaugh was fired. Monken is now a free man to head wherever he wants, and he already has a couple of head-coaching interviews lined up. Will he get a head coaching job, though?
Who knows. If he doesn’t, he will be a hot name as an offensive coordinator. Monken’s best bet would be to go somewhere with a path to becoming the head coach, and Washington would be the team to do that with a quarterback he can work with.
Quinn’s future is absolutely in doubt. If the offense performs well but the defense struggles, or if Quinn has another bad year and he’s fired, then Monken could easily take over. Look at his body of work with Lamar Jackson as well.
Jackson is a two-time MVP, and the Ravens’ offense has been top-10 in yards, points, and rushing yards for three straight years since Monken showed up. He’s an experienced coach whom Quinn could trust and who could also be a candidate to take over in 2027.
Brian Daboll – Former Giants HC
Fans will say no to Brian Daboll because of his failures as the head coach for the New York Giants, but there’s no denying his success as the offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills from 2018 to 2021 with Josh Allen.
Daboll is a big part of Allen’s development from a raw prospect to an MVP-winning superstar. He wouldn’t be the head coach here, and there’s no doubt he would be successful as an offensive coordinator and play-caller again, which is what Quinn is looking for.
Daboll also wouldn’t be a threat to becoming the next head coach, so it’s a win-win hire for Quinn. He gets an experienced offensive play-caller and doesn’t have to look over his shoulder. I expect Daboll to be very high on the list, and a hire that fans need to come around to more, even if he isn’t the top candidate. We already know he loves Jayden Daniels, too.
Tommy Rees – Browns OC
Tommy Rees is another interesting name who is available because his head coach was fired. Despite the Browns being a bad team after years of struggling to find a quarterback, Rees has done a great job with the offense and has been linked to college head coaching jobs.
He’s only 33 years old and a younger, fresher mind that can come in and give new ideas to the offense as the play-caller.
Rees also wouldn’t be a threat to become the next head coach because he’s just not there yet. This would be the safest way for Quinn to get a younger option to revamp the offense and get out of his comfort zone.
Rees might not be the most experienced play-caller, but he’s had a lot of opportunities at Notre Dame, Alabama, and the Browns. He’s also just a heck of an offense-minded coach as a former quarterback who’s very plugged in with his own quarterbacks and would be a perfect fit for Daniels, who has his own thoughts and ideas.
Bobby Slowik – Dolphins Senior Passing Game Coordinator
Bobby Slowik has had an interesting last few years and is a real candidate. This is a guy who was an offensive coordinator on the Houston Texans, had a ton of success with C.J. Stroud in his rookie season, and became a hot commodity in head coaching interviews. He ended up staying with the Texans, had a down season, then lost his job and went to the Miami Dolphins as the Senior Passing Game Coordinator.
Slowik might be the best scheme fit for the team, though, especially if Adam Peters has any influence on the decision. He comes from the Shanahan coaching tree, which runs the West Coast-style offense, and the Commanders’ current roster could thrive in it.
The offensive line is best suited for zone blocking with guys who can move in space, and Ben Sinnott always reminded me of a Kyle Juszczyk-type player. The Commanders could be the East Coast version of the 49ers on offense, and fans should be excited about that. It would be an easy hire, and a major opportunity for Slowik to redeem himself.
Grant Udinski – Jaguars OC
Grant Udinski isn’t getting fired or anything like that, and he should honestly be getting head-coaching opportunities in the near future. This would be my favorite hire of the entire coaching cycle, but it would also be hard to accomplish.
He’s the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are in the playoffs, so they would have to wait to interview him. His head coach is Liam Coen, who very likely doesn’t want to lose him anytime soon, and the move could be blocked. You can’t make a lateral move when making a hire, but he very likely doesn’t call the plays with Coen running the offense.
The Commanders would have to hire him as the offensive coordinator, move on from Brian Johnson, and give Udinski the Assistant Head Coach title as well, or some kind of promotion.
Udinski is my pick as the next up-and-coming young mind at just 29 years old who will take over the NFL as a head coach. I’d love for him to be the Commanders’ next head coach in the near future. He has helped Trevor Lawrence bounce back this year, and the offense has been explosive with his fingerprints all over it. Udinski also turned water into wine with the Vikings in 2024 and ranked top-10 in every major category with Sam Darnold and the offense.
Darnold hit career highs in completion percentage, yards, and touchdowns with Udinksi. They also scored 432 points last year, which was the Vikings’ third-most in franchise history.
Udinski is the next big thing in the NFL, and would have the easiest path to becoming a head coach on the Commanders and full control of the offense, which he doesn’t have right now, just a very big part of it.
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