The Washington Commanders are finalizing a deal to hire Daronte Jones of the Minnesota Vikings as their next defensive coordinator, a source told ESPN on Monday.
Jones will take over for Joe Whitt, who was fired earlier this month after two seasons with Washington. The Commanders will have two inexperienced coordinators in 2026 after replacing Kliff Kingsbury with David Blough on offense shortly after the season ended.
The Commanders finished 5-12, one year after going 12-5 en route to a spot in the NFC Championship Game.
Jones had interviewed with five teams during this hiring cycle, and a source with one team called his interview “impressive.” One person who has coached with Jones said last week that it was “just a matter of time” before he landed a defensive coordinator’s job.
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Jones has coached in the NFL since 2016, except for one year as LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2021. He joined the Vikings’ coaching staff in 2022, working with the defensive backs. He was named Minnesota’s pass game coordinator a year later and remained in that role through this season.
Washington coach Dan Quinn had sought an experienced coordinator and interviewed several who fit that description: Jonathan Gannon, Teryl Austin, Brian Flores, Joe Cullen, Dennard Wilson and Patrick Graham.
Jones called plays while with LSU. He also worked under Flores as well as notable defensive coaches such as Mike Zimmer, Vance Joseph and Marvin Lewis.
Jones was born in suburban Washington, D.C., and played his college ball at nearby Morgan State. He coached in college from 2001 to 2016 — with a two-year stop as a high school coach and one year in the Canadian Football League.
Washington’s defense needed an overhaul. The Commanders ranked 27th in scoring and last in yards this past season. Quinn took over the playcalling duties from Whitt entering the Week 11 game against Miami. Washington had surrendered 34 or more points in four of its previous seven games before that move.
The Commanders are expected to emphasize finding young defensive talent this offseason, whether in free agency or the draft, where they own the seventh pick.
