Commanders' defensive future is shifting before the answers are clear

"According to reports, the Washington Commanders have held three interviews for their open defensive coordinator job since the regular season ended. Perhaps the most significant aside from Gannon is Joe Cullen. He is 58 and has coached in the NFL for 15 seasons, most of them working with defensive lines. He has served under respected coordinators like Leslie Frazier, Wink Martindale, and Steve Spagnuolo."

"Assembling a coaching staff in the immediate aftermath of an NFL season is a bit of a juggling act. Waiting too long can box a team out as the most attractive candidates are snapped up. On the other hand, as the churn across the league plays out, new candidates may appear on the market. And some of the most appealing defensive minds may not be available until their teams are eliminated from the playoffs."

"That issue didn't exist with Cullen, Patrick Graham, and Dennard Wilson, as their teams missed out on the postseason. But Quinn may have his eye on someone else who is currently unavailable. He may have to be patient if he wants a particular candidate. Right now, only one other NFL team is actively interviewing for a defensive coordinator. That is the arch-rival Dallas Cowboys, who fired Matt Eberflus at the end of the recently concluded regular season."

The Washington Commanders have held three interviews for the open defensive coordinator position and scheduled another this week with Jonathan Gannon meeting Dan Quinn and staff. Joe Cullen, 58, is a prominent candidate with 15 NFL seasons largely coaching defensive lines and experience under coordinators Leslie Frazier, Wink Martindale, and Steve Spagnuolo, plus one season as Jacksonville's coordinator. The team faces urgency to fill the role to address pressing personnel matters. Assembling a staff involves timing tradeoffs: waiting risks losing top candidates, while turnover across the league can create new opportunities. Some appealing defensive candidates remain unavailable until playoff eliminations conclude.

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