ASHBURN, Va. (AP) 鈥� After ranking last in the NFL on defense last season, the Washington Commanders revamped that side of the ball with and the coaching staff.
Two weeks into training camp, the unit looks completely different from a year ago. is a big reason why.
Jones has spent his first six months on the job not only installing a new system but also overhauling the team’s entire defensive identity.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you too much of the secret sauce,鈥� pass rusher Odafe Oweh said. 鈥淒aronte has a great defense, but it鈥檚 a complicated defense.鈥�
Jones, 47, was hired from Minnesota after excelling under Brian Flores, who oversaw a defense known for its complex disguises and loaded fronts. Plenty of that has carried over to Washington, where Jones has deployed fronts with three, four and five linemen and mixed and matched along the way.
Strong communication between Jones and his players is vital to make this work, and he has constantly preached that to them since arriving.
鈥淓lite communication is one of our standards,鈥� Jones said after practice Tuesday. 鈥淓veryone being on the same page, trusting in their brother next to them 鈥� that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e working towards.鈥�
Since hiring Jones, the Commanders have added multiple players with versatile skill sets to fit his scheme. It鈥檚 no coincidence that free agent and K鈥橪avon Chaisson, along with , have stood out. They are all super athletic and can play multiple spots.
Players appreciate that Jones’ system allows them to take risks.
鈥淗e鈥檚 given me a lot of freedom and understanding 鈥� picking my spots, when to take chances,鈥� Oweh said. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had in the past except for the Chargers.”
Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw enjoys 鈥済etting to play everywhere.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 loving it,鈥� Kinlaw said. “I鈥檓 loving how I鈥檓 getting to just give guys different looks and be all over the place, man. I think it鈥檚 going to play to my strengths well.鈥�
Jones has coached at every level during his two-decade coaching career, from high school through multiple college levels and the pros. He believes his teaching ability is one of his biggest strengths, which he attributes to working in the Louisiana high school system.
鈥淲hen you create a lesson plan, you have to pretty much hit on everyone鈥檚 learning styles because everyone learns differently,鈥� Jones said. “We try to do that as coaches so that you鈥檙e hitting on every player in that room.鈥�
Jones understands that there will be ups and downs throughout camp. His defense was consistently getting the better of the offense early on, but the two sides have been much more even since the pads came on.
Measuring success is different than day-to-day results.
鈥淔rom coaches, we want to see that ascending course,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淎s long as we鈥檙e not going backwards and we continue to move forward, then we鈥檙e on the right path to getting to what we want eventually.鈥�
On Wednesday, Jones鈥� defense will have its first chance to face a different opponent when the Miami Dolphins arrive for a joint practice ahead of the teams’ preseason game Friday night. Jones鈥� main priority is that his players bring the energy level and fundamentals required to be successful.
鈥�(I) just want to see guys with great effort, guys competing, and all while doing so with great effort, great technique,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we鈥檙e looking for, but the competition is going to be there, so that鈥檒l be great for us to see and just see who can do what.鈥�
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