Daronte Jones and the Washington Commanders were finalizing a deal on Monday to make him their defensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract was not completed and nothing had been announced by the team.
ESPN was first to report that Jones and the Commanders were close to an agreement.
Jones has spent the past three seasons as the defensive passing game coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and also has served as that club's defensive backs coach. He's been working under defensive coordinator Brian Flores in Minnesota, which ranked No. 3 in total defense in 2025 and was among the top 10 teams in takeaways three times while Jones was there.
In joining coach Dan Quinn in Washington, Jones replaces coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., who was stripped of play-calling duties during this past regular season and fired at the end of the season.
Quinn temporarily took over as the defensive play-caller but now brings in Jones to try to rebuild a unit that was among the worst in the NFL while the Commanders went 5-12 a year after going 12-5 and making it all the way to the NFC championship game. One data point: No team in the NFL allowed opponents to gain more yards than the Commanders did.
Jones, 47, was born and went to high school in Maryland. He has plenty of college coaching experience, including working as LSU's defensive coordinator in 2021 — when he called plays — and has spent about a decade working on NFL staffs, including with the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and Vikings.
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FILE - Minnesota Vikings passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Daronte Jones speaks with a player while wearing a "Salute to Service" shirt during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Nov. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File)
FRIBOURG, Switzerland (AP) — Canada beat Slovenia 3-1 to make it five wins from five games at the ice hockey world championship on Friday.
Emmitt Finnie led with a goal and an assist and Denton Mateychuk and Dylan Cozens also scored. Jet Greaves stopped 13 shots as Canada outshot Slovenia 32-14.
Mateychuk, playing in his first worlds, skated to the top of the left circle before shooting past Slovenia goaltender Zan Us at 11:07 in the opening period.
Cozens added the second from the slot with 6:46 remaining in the middle period for his third goal in Switzerland. Sidney Crosby bagged his sixth assist at the tournament.
Finnie made it 3-0 by deflecting in a shot by Morgan Rielly from the blue line in the final period.
Rozle Bohinc scored a consolation goal for Slovenia with 1:05 left.
Canada tops Group B in Fribourg with Slovakia trailing by three points. The teams meet on Sunday.
Canada has won four games in regulation and one in overtime.
In a Group A in Zurich, Germany downed Hungary 6-2 for its first victory at the worlds after four defeats. Leon Gawanke sparked the Germans with a hat trick.
Later Friday, Finland played Britain in Zurich and Sweden faced Italy in Fribourg.
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Canada's Sidney Crosby, left, vies for the puck against Slovenia's Miha Bericic, right, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Canada's Emmitt Finnie, left, clashes against Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us, right, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Canada's Dylan Cozens, second right, celebrates his goal with his teammates Canada's Canada's Macklin Celebrini, left, Sidney Crosby, left, and Canada's Denton Mateychuk, right, centre, after scoring during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us, left, concedes his second goal past Slovenia's Blaz Gregorc, right, and Canada's Sidney Crosby, center, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Canada's Emmitt Finnie, right, clashes against Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
