4 Cowboys free agents Dan Quinn can bring with him to Washington

The NFL head coaching carousel has taken its final spin, as Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has accepted an offer to become the new head coach of the Washington Commanders.

This will be Quinn's second bite at the head coaching apple after he spent over five years coaching the Falcons from 2015-20. Quinn had some success in Atlanta, most notably reaching the Super Bowl in 2017, but his final record was a modest 43-42.

Just as his time coaching Pete Carroll's defense in Seattle led to him landing the Falcons job, Quinn's turn as defensive coordinator of the Cowboys has once again made him one of the most sought after names in the interview process, but he's walking into a situation in Washington in which patience will be required.

Commanders owner Josh Harris must be a fan of HGTV, because since taking over control of the team from the widely reviled Daniel Snyder, he's stripped the Commanders down to the studs. Top pass rushers Montez Sweat and Chase Young were traded away midseason to accrue extra draft capital, and though the team only has a few solid pieces in place, the opportunity and the means are there to completely renovate the franchise going forward.

Washington has the most cap space in the league and a bevy of quality draft picks with which to build the team. Now, they finally have a head coach, and Quinn no doubt will be able to exert his new influence on how the Commanders use their many resources.

While the thought of drafting some of the top young prospects and spending lavishly on the cream of the free agent crop is enticing, sometimes it helps to bring in guys you already know you can trust. The Cowboys have a slew of quality players whose contracts are up. Here are four Quinn can bring in from his old team to get settled in his new home right away.

4) Dorance Armstrong, defensive end

Quinn is a defensive coach, but when he tries to find the pass rushers in Washington's defensive meeting room, he's going to look like the John Travolta meme from Pulp Fiction. Montez Sweat is enjoying his new four-year, $98 million contract in Chicago, while Chase Young will be one of the top available free agents. So who's going to get the quarterback on this team?

One option is Dorance Armstrong. The pass-rushing specialist has spent his entire six-year career in Dallas, and he has especially thrived under Quinn's tutelage. In three seasons with Rod Marinelli and Mike Nolan as his defensive coordinator, Armstrong totaled only 2.5 sacks, but with Quinn, his production has skyrocketed.

Armstrong has 21 sacks in the past three years, and he could do even more with an expanded role in Washington. He's only 26 years old, so Washington can feel good knowing that he'll be in his prime for the duration of his new contract.

It's true of every player on this list, but it needs to be said. If Quinn can successfully recruit any of his former Cowboys to the Commanders, it would not only improve his roster, but weaken the roster of his new division rivals. Taking Armstrong out of Dallas would allow teams to use even more manpower to stop, or at least try to slow down, Micah Parsons.