Turning around a shaky Washington Commanders defense will only happen if head coach Dan Quinn finds young playmakers who can replace ageing and underperforming veterans, so his prediction about second-year linebacker Jordan Magee has exciting implications for the future of the unit.
Quinn views Magee, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, as an eventual middle linebacker. The switch would make Magee a potential successor for 35-year-old Bobby Wagner.
Speaking to reporters, including ESPN’s John Keim, on Friday, December 12, Quinn explained how Magee filled in well for an injured Wagner during practice. Specifically, Quinn applauded Magee’s handling of “the experience, the calling it, the communication.”
Getting all of those things right is crucial for any pro mike linebacker, and Quinn believes Magee is “somebody who would be able to do that for sure.”
Those comments fit with Magee’s own ambitions to be the main man in the middle for the Burgundy and Gold.
Jordan Magee Targeting Bobby Wagner Role
Magee sees his future as the eventual signal-caller for Washington’s defense. It’s a bold ambition, but the 24-year-old knows what the role demands.
He pointed out “it starts with me controlling everything. You’re talking so much [pre-snap] and then you have to come back to the huddle and call the play. It’ll wear on you so you have to have that conditioning,” per Keim.
Magee also revealed he’s even taking lessons from Wagner: “He was telling me to control the huddle, control your breathing and always be confident because they’re going to listen to you. He’s been working with me since last year about it, just having that presence and command.”
Wagner can pass on a wealth of knowledge as a 10-time Pro Bowler likely destined for a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Yet despite his pedigree, Wagner’s on-field performances have declined rapidly this season.
The 14-year veteran has been a liability in coverage because he no longer boasts the sideline-to-sideline speed to handle the demands of Quinn’s schemes. What the coach needs are younger athletes with greater range to cope with life at the second level.
Dan Quinn Still Trying to Reshape Commanders Defense
Quinn hasn’t been able to improve things since taking over calling plays, but he can still play an important role in reshaping this defense for the better. It’ll involve accelerating the transition to younger, more active starters at key spots, beginning with Magee.
The latter has long been touted as a ‘backer with qualities comparable to some of the best at his position. Magee’s modern traits can reinvigorate what’s become a sluggish front seven, just like a trade for a recent first-overall draft pick would put some oomph into a weak pass rush.
Quinn can no longer ignore the need for the Commanders to get younger and more dynamic along the front seven. Finding ways to get intriguing prospects with upside like Magee more involved is the natural starting point.
It would be a tough transition from Wagner, but the Commanders can’t delay the inevitable for much longer.
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