Commanders’ Dan Quinn Offers Brutally Honest Take On Business Side Of NFL
Every offseason, the fans of all 32 NFL teams hope star players walk through the doors while the franchise is also able to retain key players too, and for the Washington Commanders, the past few weeks has seen some moving and shaking happen. Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil were both traded for in blockbuster moves that instantly upgrade the Commanders at key spots, but some players had to be let go. Two in particular were tough. Edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. and receiver Olamide Zaccheaus are now with the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears, respectively. Both played key roles in the Commanders’ success last season, but now find themselves out the door and on other teams. But why? “Sometimes the football and the business, they intersect,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “But those two, I love them and way past football, and that’s for life. Both of them made a huge impact on my life and will always be
supporting of them, but that is part of it. You hear it’s a business, and that is true, and there’s certain times of year where those things intersect, and that’s part of it. “We all recognize that together, you wish everybody could be back all the time, but that’s not how it goes.” We often see players, who have been key to their team’s success, like Fowler Jr., who led the Commanders in sacks, be allowed to leave via free agency, which some see as odd, but Quinn states the business side played a part.
Former Kansas City Chiefs star guard Joe Thuney was a salary cap casualty and was traded to the Bears, so these kinds of moves happen all the time, and more often than not, it’s purely a business decision. Related: Commanders Offer Tantalizing Deebo Samuel Scouting Report So yes, the Commanders were able to get two star players in that will elevate the offense, but that comes at the expense of other players. And that, my friends, is the business side of football.
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Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn identifies areas of improvement for Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in 2025.
Commanders Coach Reveals Hidden ‘Big Deal’ In Free Agency Update
The Washington Commanders are coming off a successful first season under the new regime led by head coach Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels. After winning 12 games, plus two playoff outings and making it to the NFC Championship game, the Commanders’ rebuild has been fast-tracked after a year that saw them go from NFL laughingstock to NFC power.
However, that is one season, and the culture that Quinn and his core group of players have created will keep them in good shape moving forward. But for Quinn, he has noticed one thing when looking back on the year and this offseason that has stood out to him, and it shows that the franchise is in a good spot. “One of the things that I did look back to see the amount of players that wanted to re-sign,” Quinn said. “I think it clearly demonstrated how much they love to play football together and so that made me happy to know that so many players, the brotherhood
they created together, that made me happy. I knew we were hitting in the right spot that people wanted very badly to be back and part of it, they sensed what it can be here. “So to see those that many players want to be back like that’s a big deal.” That is the sign of a great franchise – players want to stay. With the Commanders no longer seen as the easybeats of the NFL, general manager Adam Peters improved the roster with the trades for Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel to give the offense some serious firepower. Yes, there are some issues defensively, but they can be addressed via the draft as the Commanders look to improve on what was a stellar year in 2024.
