Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has officially assumed control of the team’s defensive play-calling duties from coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., following another defensive collapse in their Week 10 loss to the Detroit Lions. Unfortunately for Quinn, he’s stepping into a challenging situation — and now, another major setback has struck his already battered defense.
The Commanders’ season has been riddled with devastating injuries, which have deeply affected their defensive performance. While Quinn has refused to blame these issues publicly, it’s no secret that they’ve severely weakened a group that wasn’t performing at a high level even when healthy.
Just last week, the Commanders lost veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore to a season-ending ACL tear suffered against the Seattle Seahawks. Now, they’ve been hit again — this time with news surrounding standout rookie Trey Amos, who had quietly been one of Washington’s most reliable defensive backs all season.
Amos exited early in the Lions game and didn’t return, sparking immediate concern. Unfortunately, those fears were confirmed after Quinn revealed that the second-round pick from Ole Miss sustained a fractured fibula. Depending on the extent of the injury, Amos could miss the rest of his rookie campaign, a devastating blow for both the player and the team.
With Amos now sidelined, the Commanders’ cornerback depth looks alarmingly thin. The current starting trio of Mike Sainristil, Jonathan Jones, and Noah Igbinoghene is in place largely by necessity, while Antonio Hamilton Sr. stands as the lone backup on the active roster. The team might be forced to call up Tre Hawkins III, Darius Rush, or undrafted rookie Car’lin Vigers from the practice squad to fill the void.
This situation is far from what the Commanders envisioned entering the season. What was once expected to be a team strength has quickly turned into a glaring weakness — one opposing teams, including the Miami Dolphins, will almost certainly target in the coming weeks.
For Quinn, the task ahead is daunting. Taking over play-calling responsibilities was a last-ditch effort after Whitt’s unit failed to deliver results. Now, he’ll need to spark improvement without both of his top corners, while also dealing with injuries and suspensions across the defensive front — including Daron Payne’s one-game ban for his altercation with Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Though Trey Amos still has a promising future once fully recovered, his absence leaves a major void in a defense already struggling to find its identity — and it’s up to Quinn to somehow hold things together.
