Washington Commanders offensive David Blough received praise from a beat writer who covered him as a player. Blough, at age 30, is just three seasons from his days as an active player. The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, who covered Blough during his days as a backup quarterback in Minnesota, appeared on 106.7 FM on January 27 to discuss the Commanders’ coordinator.
According to Alec Lewis who covers the Vikings for The Athletic, he believes that David Blough could be one of the “sneakiest” hires of the offseason. pic.twitter.com/w846UgLqYo
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“I think it is, in my opinion, one of the sneakiest hires in the entire cycle in the NFL, obviously covered David here and talked to him a lot over the years. I always thought he was unbelievably sharp in understanding offenses and leadership.”
During the interview, Lewis details a story in which, as the practice squad quarterback with Minnesota, Blough managed to teach the entire Vikings offense to newly acquired starting tight end T.J. Hockenson in four days. The duo played together with the Lions, so the Vikings relied upon that familiarity to teach their scheme. Lewis cites that as a prime example of why the hiring not only makes sense but could pay dividends for the Commanders.
Blough OC Hire Brings Familiarity, Maintains Relationships
After a five-year playing career that included nine games and 242 career attempts, Blough moved into the coaches’ box in Washington. In his first season as the quarterbacks coach, immediately following his playing days, Jayden Daniels enjoyed a rookie season, completing 69% of his passes with a 25:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. That season, the Commanders made the playoffs, upset the heavily favored Detroit Lions, and advanced to the NFC Championship game.
Daniels connected with his coach early on through competition. The coach inspired his player to maintain competitive fire during both games and practice. As a former quarterback, Blough can relate to the position and the mental process needed to play at the highest level.
Since becoming offensive coordinator, Blough has kept Daniels surrounded by competitive position coaches. He hired Danny Etling as assistant quarterbacks coach. Etling played with Blough at Purdue. Keeping continuity with the quarterback is a top priority.
GettyWashington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels throws a pass against teh Seattle Seahawks during a November 2, 2025 game.
Commanders’ Offense Must Avoid 2025 Pitfalls
While the Commanders’ 2024 season was brilliant, Washington’s 2025 season started off much rougher by comparison. One of the major issues was injuries to Daniels that limited him to only seven games. However, one of the team’s better aspects was the rushing attack.
While backup Marcus Mariota did run for 297 yards, it was the solid play of the running backs that allowed Washington to move the ball. Three running backs (Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez, and Jeremy McNichols) each ran for over 200 yards. To keep Daniels upright and possibly run less, the team must continue to focus on the running game.
Helping Blough Could Involve Adding to WR Corps
Additionally, finding receivers with game-breaking speed could help gain separation. While No. 1 wideout Terry McLaurin boasted a 15.3 yards per reception statistic, veteran Deebo Samuel garnered just 10.3 yards per catch. Moreover, Samuel’s skill set looks rather redundant. On a team with a stable of running backs and the potential draft capital to add more, they do not seem to need him in the backfield. The Sporting News’ Bill Barnwell addressed the issue.
“Even if you prorate out Samuel’s six games with Daniels under center, we end up with 99 catches for just 850 yards, which tells you how much of Samuel’s production came on screens and lateral throws around the line of scrimmage,” Barnwell writes. “His average target with Daniels on the field traveled just 4.5 yards in the air, which would rank 65th out of 67 wideouts in terms of target depth over a full season.”
GettyWashington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel before a December 20, 2025 game.
The Commanders paid Samuel $17.5 million. Under those circumstances, they probably expected more. While the team doesn’t have any draft picks between No. 7 and No. 145, they have $68,844,031 in cap space according to Spotrac.
Blough’s Offense Could Hold Key to Dan Quinn’s Job
By hiring two first-time coordinators, the head coach could’ve leveraged his job security. However, Blough knows what the offense can be and will place his own stamp on the team by integrating his vision. With ample cap space to spend, it remains to be seen whether the Commanders will give their new offensive coordinator the tools to succeed in 2026.
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