The Washington Commanders defense is giving up a ridiculous 28.7 points per game right now, and they just brought in a familiar face to try and stop the bleeding. Longtime defensive assistant and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks is joining their staff, though it is not exactly a full-time commitment, which is wild considering how bad things are looking in D.C.
A Part-Time Fix for a Full-Time Problem
So, what’s the deal here? Wilks is coming in as a *part-time* assistant. Yeah, you read that right. He is not even working with the team on gamedays. His schedule is Sundays through after practice on Wednesdays, all to help with defensive game-planning. The word is this move isn’t an indictment on defensive coordinator Daronte Jones or a panic response to their recent struggles. Apparently, this was in the works even before the season kicked off, with Wilks only officially starting last week. But with a defense getting shredded like this, you have to wonder if a part-time coach is enough to move the needle.
Wilks brings a ton of experience, no doubt. He has been a defensive coach in this league for decades, even starting with Washington back in 2005. He has bounced around, spending time with the Bears, Chargers, and Panthers before the Cardinals gave him a shot as head coach in 2018. That gig only lasted one season, though, a tough 3-13 campaign. Since then, he has been a defensive coordinator for the Browns, Missouri Tigers, the San Francisco 49ers, and most recently, the New York Jets, who fired him last December. He was even the 49ers’ DC when they made it to the Super Bowl in the 2023 season, and he served as the Panthers’ interim head coach in 2022. The guy has seen a lot, but a part-time role for a struggling defense? That is certainly a choice.
The Commanders Are in a Hole, Can Wilks Dig Them Out?
Right now, the Commanders are sitting at a dismal 1-4-1 on the year. They just got handed a 23-17 loss by the 49ers on Monday night, and that has them dead last in the NFC East race, even if the division is still considered “wide open.” The defensive stats are grim, too. They are near the bottom of the league in almost every category: 354.5 yards allowed per game, 254 passing yards allowed per game, and those 28.7 points allowed per game. Oof.
It also highlights the situation Daronte Jones is in. This is his first-ever job as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, having been hired after a four-year stint as the defensive backs coach in Minnesota this past offseason. He is clearly in over his head, and a seasoned veteran like Wilks could definitely help. The question is, how much help can a 57-year-old part-timer really provide when the team is bleeding points every week and staring down the barrel of the midway point of the season? Will this be enough to get them back on track? We will all be watching to see if Wilks can somehow inject some life into this defense, even if it is just a few days a week.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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