WASHINGTON — Though no practices have been held, nor games played, the Redskins new defensive coordinator, Jack Del Rio says he can confidently say he feels good about his new team.
Washington’s defense is coming off a season it would like to forget, and that’s why Coach Del Rio is "spending a lot less time looking back and a lot more time looking forward." It doesn't hurt that the future now includes Chase Young.
"I think the sky’s the limit for him in terms of what he’ll bring us," Del Rio said. "We obviously have big designs, we think he’s a really good player and we’re looking forward to getting him involved. Everything we’ve gathered in terms of trying to make the decision to take him where we did indicates that he’s a guy that loves football and that’s going to be a great teammate for us."
When looking at guys that can make an impact in a defensive unit, Del Rio believes there’s one quality that can set a player apart, and it’s something he plans to build within his players.
"I think you have to be tough," he said. "The toughness part is not just physical. A large part of that is mental, and that is where we are going to see a lot of growth. We will work hard at that, in terms of mentally being tough and physically being able to tackle people."
While Del Rio isn’t looking too much in the rearview mirror at 2019, he is working on fixing some of the bigger issues, starting with communication.
"That was one of the issues that is apparent when you look at tape," Del Rio said. "I also believe this: In 2020, everyone here on defense -- all the players, and all the coaches -- we all put our signature on what you see and how we perform. We are all responsible. I don’t think you could put it on any one person, I think it is a collective effort, and we will be stressing that from day one."
Speaking of communication, Jack Del Rio is quite the communicator on Twitter, where he'll give you a glimpse into his thoughts, but he said his kids still keep him in check. His handle is @coachdelrio and it's worth a follow.