Commanders coaches and defenders see optimism emerging from revamped defense

Commanders defensive passing game coordinator Jason Simmons began his research on Emmanuel Forbes Jr. before joining Washington’s staff.

As the Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator, Simmons studied incoming prospects ahead of the 2023 draft. Forbes set an NCAA record with six of his 14 career interceptions returned for touchdowns while at Mississippi State.

“Everyone loved his playmaking ability,” Simmons recalls.

The previous Commanders regime had enough respect for Forbes to select him 16th overall last year. After a competitive training camp, Forbes started Washington’s first two games. The rookie was later benched at halftime of a Week 5 loss to Chicago and didn’t play the following week against Atlanta. When Forbes returned to the lineup, he rarely found his old form.

Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., Simmons and defensive backs coach Tommy Donatell joined Dan Quinn’s new staff to help drill the secondary. When Forbes’ game tape turned on, it showed the cornerback getting manhandled by physical receivers like Philadelphia’s AJ Brown. The rangy defender also shied away from contact in the run game.

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Understanding a player’s strengths and weaknesses is important. To help Simmons gauge how he could best help, the veteran defensive backs coach started by getting to know the person.

“I want to know what makes (Forbes) tick. I want to learn how his mind works,” Simmons said. “I want to know what his triggers are. I want to know the competitive nature of the guy. That’s how you get to a point where you know how to coach guys.”

Coaching the young talent at cornerback and safety will get more attention than usual this season. Washington’s defense collapsed in 2023 after ranking in the top 10 in points allowed, passing yards allowed and expected defensive points in 2022. Several factors contributed to the collapse. Defensive backs coach Chris Harris left last offseason for a lofty role as passing game coordinator with the Tennessee Titans. Coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio replaced Harris with assistant defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer, who was hired in 2020 despite minimal NFL or college experience.

It’s the players on the field, but questionable coaching has contributed greatly to the decline.

The Commanders’ defense ranked last in points (30.5), touchdown passes (39), passing yards allowed (262.2) and opposing quarterback rating (105.7), according to TruMedia. Del Rio and Vieselmeyer were fired after Thanksgiving amid a season-ending eight-game losing streak. The group’s top cornerbacks and safeties, Kendall Fuller and Kamren Curl, left in free agency.

By hiring Quinn, the Dallas Cowboys’ three-season coordinator, he added another defensive-minded head coach to the team. Quinn’s coaching resume includes the vaunted “Legion of Boom” secondary that led the 2013 Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. He brought in his defensive backs coach, Whitt, for the coordinator job in Washington after Dallas had the NFL’s interceptions leader in 2021 (Trevon Diggs) and 2023 (DaRon Bland).

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Projection of the commanders’ defensive depth map prior to the training camp

Simmons, a 10-year NFL safety, began his coaching career with Green Bay in 2011 and served as the Raiders defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach from 2022-2023. Donatell filled those dual roles for the 2023 Los Angeles Chargers. They will mentor Forbes and safety Quan Martin, Washington’s first two selections in the 2023 draft.

The significant roster turnover included the acquisition of safety and 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up Jeremy Chinn and the drafting of second-round nickel cornerback Mike Sainristil. Free-agent cornerback signee Michael Davis is the only projected starter or high-rotation player with more than four years of professional experience.

As last season showed, a player’s potential must be properly shaped. Whitt stressed this point during his press conference in February.

“(We) have some guys on that back end that are intriguing,” Whitt said. “That’s why we brought in Jason Simmons and Tommy Donatell, to get those guys … to believe in the techniques that we’re going to teach them and the scheme that we’re going to put them in.”

The entire team seemed very involved with the new staff during the organized team activities.

“I was really excited that we hired Dan Quinn, and I’m really excited about my defensive coordinator, the cornerback coaches and everyone else,” Forbes said.

We can’t forget the implosion of the secondary last year, but “the only thing we can do first is put last year behind us,” Simmons said. “Everybody has a clean slate. Everything (now) is about competition.”

The early lessons focused on developing consistency in performance and improving discipline with their eyes and feet. “That’s what makes a good defensive back line,” Simmons continued. “It’s not about the heroic plays. It’s about guys who can go out there and be consistent.”

Forbes rarely smelled stability in Year 1. He was averaging 20.1 yards per catch — with 20 receptions on 27 targets — through Week 6 and ranked fifth-worst overall with 16.3, according to Pro Football Focus. Seeing the 6-foot-1, 180-pound corner avoid attacking ball carriers contributed to the coaches not playing him in Week 6 in Atlanta. Despite those lows, Forbes retained confidence, a critical trait for any cornerback. He stood tall and answered questions after bad outings or when reporters checked in after practice. That faith remained for the new coaches to see.

“He’s a real man’s man. He’s definitely confident,” Simmons said. “It’s real confidence. I’m impressed with his maturity. He gets it and wants to get better.”

Whitt warned reporters that he would reveal little about the defensive scheme or rotations because “the advantage we have right now is that people don’t know, and we’re going to keep that advantage until they do.” The closed-door angle included details about Forbes’ development.

“But I can tell you that the kid works his butt off,” Whitt said, “and I’m happy with where he’s at. I can tell you that 100 percent, because if he wasn’t, I’d tell you. I’m not going to come out here and make fun of anybody.”

Quinn and Whitt’s aggressive, blitzing scheme should give Forbes more opportunities to steal the ball. In 2023, he had 11 pass breakups but just one interception.

“The first part is really the ball skills and, in that spot, being able to turn the ball over,” Quinn said of Forbes. “And that’s, I would say, his superpower.”

Quinn said the cornerback with the desired size and speed is now “certainly bigger than he was,” which should help Brown and other receivers on defense. Forbes showed more assertiveness at times this summer, tackling receivers off the line. He also worked with the punt returners in camp.

“(Forbes) has been working hard on that this offseason to see that weight go up,” Quinn said. “That position alone, man, it really takes athleticism, ball skills and that size to defend some of the bigger players.”

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Forbes isn’t the only secondary member looking to return to its previous form. After a year of operating primarily in the slot, the staff moved 6-foot-3 cornerback Benjamin St-Juste back to his natural outside position. That shift, and the presence of new tutors to talk through key points, is why the fourth-year pro has breakout potential despite allowing the second-most receiving yards (871) among cornerbacks last season, according to PFF. St-Juste inexplicably has just one career interception despite being credited with 27 passes defensed.

Davis, who spent his first seven seasons with the Chargers, will challenge Forbes as the other outside starter. Sainristil, the likely slot starter, could help out on the perimeter if needed. Otherwise, cornerback depth comes from coach-’em-up candidates like intriguing undrafted free agent Chigozie Anusiem and holdout Christian Holmes.

Safety could be the strength of the secondary. Simmons coached Chinn’s first two seasons at Carolina, when the towering 6-foot-3 safety threw two interceptions, two touchdowns and three forced fumbles. The next two seasons were nothing but goose eggs in those categories. Personnel changes have led to Chinn’s playing time dropping from more than 90 percent of the snaps in his first three seasons to 39 percent in 2023.

With Washington, Chinn projects as a significant contributor and the projected starter alongside Martin, a versatile free safety. Martin was the rare defensive back who improved in the second half of last season after receiving zero defensive snaps through the first five games. The growth has continued this spring.

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— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 12, 2024

“Quan has experience playing nickel and down by the line of scrimmage. Jeremy can come up top and play over the tight end,” Quinn said. “I’m impressed with … their communication.”

Forbes called this season a “fresh start.” Other defensive backs could make the same claim. There are few proven pieces and history is full of potential turning into false hope. Training camp gives Quinn, Whitt and Simmons time to mold these corners and safeties for Week 1.

Considering the way the players have worked with the new staff in the beginning, this group could prove to be the biggest surprise for the team.

“I’m impressed from where I saw us at the beginning of the offseason program to where we are now,” Quinn said. “I feel like there’s an identity that comes with the group.”

(Photo by Emmanuel Forbes: Greg M. Cooper/Associated Press)