Dan Quinn has done what he could after replacing Joe Whitt Jr. as play-caller, but the head coach knows the Washington Commanders need a full-time defensive coordinator, so it’s handy Quinn already knows a terrific candidate, one the Commanders are tipped to have “significant interest” in hiring as Whitt’s permanent replacement.
It’s Chicago Bears secondary boss Al Harris, according to Commanders film analyst and Substack writer Mark Bullock. Formerly of The Athletic and The Washington Post, Bullock expects “Quinn to show significant interest in making Al Harris his new defensive coordinator this offseason.”
Bullock was responding to an excerpt from an article for CBS Sports by Jonathan Jones. He pointed out how “Harris, Chicago’s team’s defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator, has overseen a unit responsible for a league-leading 21 interceptions. A coach the past 13 years, Harris was previously with the Cowboys. In his final four years in Dallas, the Cowboys had the most interceptions in the league with 72 between 2021 to 2024. He had Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland as first-team All Pros. Today, the Cowboys have the second-fewest interceptions in the league this season.”
That’s an enviable track record of taking the ball away, something the Commanders haven’t done with any kind of earnest on Quinn’s watch. Fortunately, he knows all about Harris, who was on staff when Quinn called defenses for the Cowboys.
The way Harris has restored an opportunistic flair to the Bears’ pass defense has him primed for a step up to overseeing a whole unit. This is a natural match Quinn and the Commanders must strongly consider.
Al Harris Has the Right Credentials
A Commanders defense with a mere seven interceptions and just two fumble recoveries to its credit needs a change in approach. Specifically, better teaching in the art of forcing turnovers.
Enter Harris, whose credentials in this area are first-rate. The Bears have now snatched 22 picks on his watch, returning two for touchdowns, with the latest scoring theft coming against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17.
This play showed the benefits of Harris’ approach to bingeing on the ball. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson was aggressive enough to jump the route and play the ball, while linebacker T.J. Edwards was well-positioned and used good eyes to take advantage of the tipped pass.
Sound play at both ends shows the Bears’ commitment to hunting the ball in the passing game. It’s how they’ve collected interceptions in bunches, a trait Quinn’s group has found difficult to replicate.
Dan Quinn’s Commanders Are Still Turnover-Shy
Quinn’s coaching background is rooted on defense, with a strong history of coordinating turnover-feasting units. He did it with the Cowboys and more famously with the legendary ‘Legion of Boom’ unit that powered the 2013 Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl title.
There’s been a notable absence of the Quinn magic since he took the play-sheet from Whitt. Both coaches have struggled to coax big plays from a grouping lacking bluechip talent.
It’s been obvious up front, where there’s an absence of dominant pass-rushers, save for 36-year-old situational ace Von Miller. The Commanders have also suffered from a spate of injuries on the back end, where four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore and versatile safety Will Harris have missed significant time.
Quinn faces other problems beyond personnel. There are issues with scheme, involving how the Commanders attack pass-protection, along with being ill-equipped to support an over-reliance on man coverage.
Mixing in more zones helped at times, while a raw but gifted interior pass-rusher enjoyed a breakout game on Christmas Day. Those things are proof the Commanders can get better defensively, but it will need a dedicated coordinator to manage the improvement.
Harris is the most logical candidate for Quinn to consider, even if the last time he hired a defensive backs coach with ties to the Cowboys hardly worked out well for Whitt.
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