The NFC East is going to look a lot different next season, and that doesn't even include the personnel changes that are to come via free agency and the NFL Draft.
Just in terms of coaching, the Giants hired John Harbaugh and gave him the keys to the franchise, the Eagles are searching for a new offensive coordinator, and Dan Quinn's Commanders have now brought in a new OC and a new defensive coordinator after a 5-12 finish.
The division is shaping up to be a dogfight next season, and Dallas Cowboys fans were given another reason to sweat after Quinn and Washington hired Vikings defensive passing game coordinator Daronte Jones to replace Joe Whitt Jr. as defensive coordinator.
Source: Commanders are finalizing a deal to hire Vikings defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones as their defensive coordinator.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 27, 2026
Jones has been one of Brian Flores’ most trusted defensive coaches the past three seasons, and he also has coached… pic.twitter.com/SZKKFocpgO
Commanders and Dan Quinn hiring Daronte Jones should make Cowboys fans sweat
If Jones' name sounds familiar, that's because he was a finalist for the Cowboys' defensive coordinator job.
In fact, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Jones finished second in the running behind Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Parker. Had Parker not knocked his in-person interview out of the park, Jones might very well be Dallas' new DC.
Jones spent the last three seasons as Brian Flores' right-hand man in Minnesota. That the Commanders will now have some of Flores' schematic DNA is not a fun thought. Not to mention, Parker has also coached under Vance Joseph and Mike Zimmer, so he has no shortage of ties to the most respected defensive minds in the game.
READ MORE: Cowboys DC Christian Parker wastes no time gutting Matt Eberflus' leftovers
Now, none of that means that Jones will step in and fix Quinn's defense overnight. While it badly needed a schematic overhaul, it also needs new personnel all over the field.
Ex-Cowboy Dorance Armstrong is their best pass rusher, and he's rehabbing a torn ACL. Veterans Marshon Lattimore, Preston Smith, Von Miller, and Bobby Wagner are all dead wood. Cornerback Mike Sainristil took a noticeable step back in year two, and 2025 first-round pick Trey Amos is recovering from a broken fibula. It's not an enviable position.
Quinn and Peters have work to do to put Jones in a position to succeed, but they also have the requisite ammunition, as Washington ranks sixth in the NFL with a projected $63.4 million in cap space, per Over The Cap.
At a minimum, the Commanders should be far more competitive in 2026 with Jones running the defense. Combine that with Jim Harbaugh’s expected Giants turnaround, and the Cowboys suddenly have even less of a margin for error this offseason.