{"id":8982,"date":"2026-08-12T13:10:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T13:10:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8982"},"modified":"2026-08-12T13:10:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T13:10:06","slug":"behind-its-mad-scientist-coordinator-commanders-defense-works-to-improve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8982","title":{"rendered":"Behind its \u2018mad scientist\u2019 coordinator, Commanders defense works to improve"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne signs autographs Aug. 1 during training camp. (Scott Taetsch\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

To be clear, the Washington Commanders already needed their defense to be significantly improved this season. Nonetheless, the pressure for that to come to fruition just increased exponentially.<\/p>

Read more One game after a superb performance, Nationals pitchers falter against the Cubs<\/a><\/p>\n

That\u2019s because the loss of Laremy Tunsil lowers the ceiling for the offense. As much as the Commanders believe in offensive coordinator David Blough\u2019s scheme, a healthy season from Jayden Daniels and the addition of talented pass catchers in Stefon Diggs and Chig Okonkwo to help the unit improve, sustained offensive success still begins with the offensive line.<\/p>\n

Tunsil, who\u2019s the O-line\u2019s best pass protector and<\/i> run blocker, could miss the entire 2026 season due to a torn left triceps. Washington is confident in third-year offensive lineman Brandon Coleman\u2019s ability to step in at left tackle, but there\u2019s no replacing a player of Tunsil\u2019s caliber.<\/p>\n

To make matters worse, center is also a question mark for Washington. Nick Allegretti, who\u2019s currently out with a calf strain, is set to be the starter but has spent most of his career at guard. It\u2019s just difficult to feel good about this group right now. Perhaps the offense plays at an elite level anyway, but that\u2019s probably wishful thinking.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where the defense comes into the picture. If they play like one of the NFL\u2019s best units this season, then an offense that\u2019s merely good would put the Commanders in the mix to become a playoff team again.<\/p>\n

For defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, that\u2019s the standard he expects them to meet. In trying to get there, he\u2019s utilizing a straightforward approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cStressing the fundamentals and techniques,\u201d Jones said Tuesday. \u201cTackling. Defeating blocks. Elite communication is one of our standards: everyone being on the same page. Trusting their brother next to them. That\u2019s our standard, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re working towards.\u201d<\/p>\n

The defense was bad at everything last season. They couldn\u2019t stop the run, rush the passer or hold up in coverage. Not only did that lead to hiring a new coordinator in Jones, but the defense also has four new starters and much improved depth.<\/p>\n

That talent upgrade has already been apparent through training camp, particularly with the performance of the defensive front. They\u2019ve been consistently disruptive both against the run and in the pass game.<\/p>\n

Jones hasn\u2019t tipped his hand much in terms of coverage structures or some of the other more intricate layers of his system. The Minnesota Vikings skewed heavily toward zone coverage during his stint there as defensive backs coach from 2022-2025, but they also used a variety of zones and alignments to mix things up.<\/p>

Read more They got traded to the Nationals. Here\u2019s what happened next.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s like a mad scientist, the way he explains how to disguise, and the things for the DBs,\u201d defensive tackle Daron Payne said Aug. 1. \u201cIt\u2019s much harder than what the D-line got to do. I can say that.\u201d<\/p>\n

In practice, the difference that has stood out the most is the switch to a 3-4 base defense. The Commanders will use five-man fronts at a much higher rate than they did last season.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to change the math up front,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThere\u2019s five offensive linemen, so you don\u2019t want to give anybody a play off. That\u2019s the thought process of it: just occupying more gaps up front.\u201d<\/p>\n

Something else that players have noted is the uptick in aggressiveness on defense. The aim is to create more splash plays \u2014 sacks, tackles for loss and turnovers \u2014 and make opposing offenses uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is aggressive,\u201d defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw said last week. \u201cEverybody is aggressive on this defense, bro. And if you\u2019re not aggressive, you going to see what it look like. And you ain\u2019t got no choice but to sink or swim with that. And I\u2019m loving it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones\u2019 defense is complex, but players have said that he\u2019s done a job making the process of learning it a simple one. His focus has been on explaining the \u201cwhy\u201d behind each assignment and call. He noted his background as a high school coach and teacher has helped him in that area.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would attribute that to my teaching in the Louisiana high school system,\u201d Jones said. \u201cWhen you create a lesson plan, you have to pretty much hit on everyone\u2019s learning styles because everyone learns differently. And so, whether I\u2019m an audio learner or a visual learner, I\u2019m a reading-and-writing learner or a kinesthetic learner, you got to be able to tap into each person\u2019s learning style within that lesson plan so that everyone feels connected. And so, we try to do that as coaches so that you\u2019re hitting on every player in that room. And then you get out and you walk through, and that\u2019s our process.\u201d<\/p>\n

The defense\u2019s performance in games remains to be seen, but the group appears to be trending in the right direction. There\u2019s a lot riding on that ascent continuing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a coach, you just want to look at the progress and see, \u2018Are we ascending in the right way?\u2019 when it comes to that,\u201d Jones said. \u201cAnd, again, it\u2019s not perfect by a long shot, but it\u2019s much better than what we were, so that means there\u2019s progress. … As long as we\u2019re not going backwards and continuing to move forward, then we\u2019re on the right path to getting to what we want eventually.\u201d<\/p>

Read more Close Trump aides \u2014 but no Cabinet officials \u2014 made secret catering truck move<\/a><\/p>\n

Observations<\/b><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If the Commanders defense plays like one of the NFL\u2019s best units this season, then an offense that\u2019s merely good would put the team in the playoff mix. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8980,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nBehind its \u2018mad scientist\u2019 coordinator, Commanders defense works to improve - Moving Insider USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8982\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Behind its \u2018mad scientist\u2019 coordinator, Commanders defense works to improve - 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