Joe Whitt Is The Cowboys’ Top Choice To Be Their DC; Are Commanders In?

Joe Whitt, a Dallas and Atlanta assistant to Dan Quinn, seems more likely to stick with the Cowboys than go with Quinn to Washington. The Cowboys are turning within to find a replacement for Quinn, who signed on as Commanders HC. According to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Whitt, who has served as the Cowboys’ secondary coach for the previous three seasons, has emerged as the front-runner to succeed Quinn as DC. Since 2007, Whitt has served as an NFL assistant. Whitt’s contract is up for renewal in one year, according to Calvin Watkins of the Morning News.

But Whitt might have two choices in the NFC East. Given Whitt’s history with Quinn, it stands to reason that the new Commanders leader would consider him a top contender to relocate to Washington and take over as its DC. According to Steve Wyche of NFL.com, that possibility shouldn’t be discounted. It’s thought that in interviews, Quinn brought up Whitt as a DC candidate, according to ESPN.com’s John Keim. Since it would be a promotion to a coordinator position, the Cowboys would be powerless to stop it, but they can persuade Whitt to stay by offering him a job in DC.

It might be challenging for the Cowboys to bring in a defensive coordinator from outside the franchise. Mike McCarthy will be the uncommon head coach to start a season as a lame duck, despite the fact that the team boasts one of the best defensive cores in the NFL. Following the Packers’ wild-card upset, the Cowboys are not anticipated to extend their fifth-year head coach, whose job security took a serious hit.

Whitt, 45, played for the Packers for ten seasons (2009–18) before having a one-and-done season in Cleveland under Freddie Kitchens. In 2020, Quinn hired Whitt to serve as the defensive pass-game coordinator and secondary coach for the Falcons. A year later, after Whitt was signed by Dallas as their DC, Quinn went back to him. Under Whitt, the Cowboys’ secondary has played well; two cornerbacks, Devon Diggs and Daron Bland, have been recognized as first-team All-Pros. With 11 interceptions in a season, Diggs became the first cornerback to do it since the Cowboys’ Everson Walls in 1981. Bland also set a record with five pick-sixes this season, breaking the previous record. Under Whitt’s leadership, the Cowboys also resolved their long-standing safety concern by awarding Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson, and Malik Hooker three midlevel safety contracts.

Quinn was followed from Atlanta by defensive line coach Aden Durde, who positioned the England-born assistant as a DC candidate in Dallas or Washington. Al Harris, the coach of the cornerbacks, is another possibility, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Durde has also surfaced as a potential hire for the Rams’ DC position.

The Cowboys have ties to Commanders HC Ron Rivera, who was just sacked, if an outside hire is to be considered. Vic Fangio was hired by the Eagles after the latter’s interview. Even if this course would help Rivera get back on his feet, given his recent firing in Washington, one has to wonder if the seasoned coach would accept a position under a lame-duck head coach. However, the Commanders and Cowboys successfully traded defense

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