Will Commanders Next Coach Be Offensive or Defensive?

Washington Commanders managing partner Josh Harris and general manager Adam Peters weighed in on the head coaching search.

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Commanders introduced new general manager Adam Peters on Tuesday, and as he sat next to managing partner Josh Harris the duo received several pointed questions about their plans for the future of the franchise.

Among them were inquiries about the NFL Draft approach and thoughts on the Commanders' roster and quarterback situations, which Peters and Harris answered mostly in generalities pointing to the hiring of a new head coach as the next critical step.

And so, the two were asked what so many have been wondering. Which side of the ball is the new coach going to come from?

August 19, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers vice president of player personnel Adam Peters before the game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. The Broncos defeated the 49ers 33-14 / Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

“We're looking for the best leader for this team, for the Washington Commanders," Peters said. "And so, we have set criteria that we're going to have it be aligned in that vision. And it's not going to be in a box. It's not going to be offense, it's not going to be defense. It's going to be the best leader for this organization.”

It's a grand idea, that leaders and not offensive or defensive roots create championship teams. 

While Peters has spent most of his career working for teams that employed offensive-minded coaches, the latest being San Francisco 49ers guru Kyle Shanahan, he got his start with defensive-minded Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

Having that view of things and seeing it done right despite differing backgrounds is important, and likely to impact the decision that is ultimately made. 

But Harris added there's another dynamic to finding the right leader for the locker room, and that's finding the right one for the community.

“Both of us are, in essence come from the model that we're stewards for the city, and that we're on a mission to deliver success to Washington," Harris said. "And so obviously, hiring a coach that is on the mission with us, that is all in. That himself or herself can track the best people. All of those things and then hold them accountable and obviously ultimately comes with a certain amount of IQ, football intelligence. I think IQ matters. I think it matters increasingly, so I think that all of those things will be important, but ultimately, a partner where the three of us can be aligned and work for the city on behalf of the city to win.”

Adam Peters Reveals Appeal of Commanders GM Job

The ideals sound great on paper, and now the two are taking on the task of finding the coach that best embodies them. 

Harris and Peters also emphasized running the team was going to be a collaborative effort, not something done by one person or even through a singular point of failure.

It's going to be a patient approach, but a focused one, with a clear mission to return the Commanders to winning form and re-establish Washington at the center of the NFL universe.