How Commanders DC Daronte Jones Will Get His Defense to Improve

Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones is looking to get the best out of his players.

In order to do that, he may need to rely on players to step up in positions they haven't been in before. Jones is confident in being able to challenge his players to reach new heights.

"Every player sees themselves differently than we as coaches and you as media may see them, right? And so, as rightfully so, but that getting to know that player first starts with, I want to go back to me finding out what's their why," Jones said. "How they're motivated? Is it external motivational or internal motivations? That opens the lines of effective communication.

"And then when those lines of effective communications open, and now we can kind of tap into what you can and cannot do based off of your strengths, and then have an open dialogue of, this is what I see that you do well, these are things, these are areas I think you can improve in. How do you see that? And then come to a kind of an agreement and then move forward from that point on. But I think it's definitely a, it's a constant open line of communication. You got to have communication."

Daronte Jones Wants Commanders to Buy What He's Selling

Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones against the Los Angeles Rams. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jones has clearly won over head coach Dan Quinn with his philosophies. It's why he ended up getting the job over several other candidates. Jones believes the key to getting the best out of his players is to build relationships with them.

“Well, for them to buy into what I'm coaching, they have to one, buy into who I am as a person and that I genuinely have their best interest at heart. And how do they do that is for me, getting to know the person and not the player. That's me getting to know, again, their upbringing, how they got to where they are, the people that matter to them in life.," Jones said.

"That's me asking them about, ‘Hey, how's your mom? Or how's your loved one? Or How's your child? How did they do in that basketball game?’. And you start to develop that relationship. And when you develop that relationship, they realize that ‘You know what? He cares more than just if I make this play or not. He's really invested in me. And so, because he's invested in me, I can now become invested in him and what he's teaching and buying in.’"

Quinn very much believes in building relationships with his players, which is how he's found success in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Commanders. The hope is that his coaching staff can double down on that in the upcoming season, where it can lead to a return to the playoffs.

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