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Commanders officially in business with Eric Bieniemy hire
Many questions have been asked about the direction of the Washington Commanders' future this offseason. But with the hiring of new OC Eric Bieniemy, we now have answers.
Sources: The #Commanders and #Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy are finalizing a deal for him to be their new offensive coordinator. Ron Rivera’s first choice all along. Should be official tomorrow. https://t.co/f4WTR2AtDi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 17, 2023
Bieniemy is well-known as the former offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2018 through 2022, where he helped win two Super Bowls including this past year.
It's been wondered as to why Bieniemy hasn't been given a head coaching opportunity yet. The primary argument against him is that it's not hard to win when you work for one of the greatest head coaches of all-time (Andy Reid) and have one of the most talented quarterbacks of all-time (Patrick Mahomes).
Nevertheless, Bieniemy's hiring in Washington is a slam dunk for the Commanders. Regardless of how he pans out, it's the type of move that proves the team is serious about trying to win.
Furthermore, it's a sacrifice by HC Ron Rivera that shows he is willing to put the team's best interests over his own job security. Bieniemy could very well be in position to take over the helm should Rivera find himself on the hot seat.
The worst case scenario for Washington here is that they swung for the fences and missed. It happens, just like signing a high-profile free agent player sometimes backfires.
But the best case is that Bieniemy is able to help the Commanders escape from mediocrity. He could prove instrumental in the development of QB Sam Howell, who Rivera has said will likely be the team's starter in 2023.
No matter how you slice it, this is a massive get for Washington,
More must-reads:
- The 25 worst NFL teams who still made it to the postseason
- It's time for the Bengals to meet their disgruntled star halfway
- The 'NFL MVPs' quiz
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Vikings UDFA making serious push to not just make the roster, but earn serious playing time after impressive start to training camp
When it comes to the Minnesota Vikings, their biggest issue is currently at cornerback. Right now, Byron Murphy Jr. is the top guy and that's not going to change. He has earned not only the money that comes with being CB1, but his play has earned him the role. Isaiah Rodgers is slotted in as CB2 and Jeff Okudah right now is the CB3 when the Vikings play in nickel packages. After those three, Mekhi Blackmon is the most likely CB4, but one player's performance over the last two days has made a major impact and could make that decision a little bit harder. Dwight McGlothern is standing out in training camp When the Vikings added Dwight McGlothern as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL Draft, he was one of two players they signed who was a top 200 player on Arif Hasan's consensus board. The former Arkansas Razorback had transferred from LSU and showed flashes at both schools. One of the biggest reasons why he was undrafted was due to his size and issues with concussions. He profiled like an intriguing option at outside cornerback, especially with his height and solid linear movement skills. There were some limitations to his game, including the explosive metrics coming in very subpar, but there is a lot to like. Despite being on the active roster all of last season, he didn't play very much, but thrived against the Chicago Bears the first time he got extensive run. Going into training camp, McGlothern was going have a lot of opportunities to earn an improved spot on the roster, including possibly getting into the rotation. The last two training camp practices, McGlothern has made his presence known by getting interceptions on back-to-back days, including this beauty from Tuesday. The best way for a player like McGlothern to make the roster is to make plays to earn opportunities in better spots. Well, McGlothern has done just that, and if he continues to make waves, could find himself in a great spot come September.
NFL analyst says teams should be 'extremely scared' of this franchise in 2025
While the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders have garnered a lot of attention lately, there is one NFC team that has quietly been flying under the radar. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a one-score game to the Lions in the divisional round in 2023 and followed that up with another one-score loss to QB Jayden Daniels and the Commanders last season, proving how close they have been to the ultimate prize in the two seasons with Baker Mayfield under center. In an appearance on ESPN's "Get Up" Tuesday morning, analyst and former player Ryan Clark offered high praise for Mayfield and what the Buccaneers are capable of. "Baker Mayfield is a top-10 quarterback in this league," Clark said. "Baker Mayfield is a football player. And when I say that, I know people at home are gonna be like, 'Duh, he gets paid to play football.' No, not all quarterbacks are seen as football players. Not all quarterbacks are embraced in the locker room as one of us." Clark sees the Buccaneers as a team the rest of the league should be paying attention to because of who they have returning and the close calls in the playoffs the last two seasons. "This is a team that's been on the cusp the last two years," Clark said. "Now you think about some of the pieces they've added, the confidence in their quarterback and the way that he plays, and Todd Bowles with another year to understand winning at a high level at the head coach position. This is a team you better be extremely scared of because they're stacked and they're confident." Mayfield has been sensational during his time with the Buccaneers. Although he did throw 16 interceptions, Mayfield accounted for the third-most passing yards (4,500) in the league last season and has thrown the most TD passes (69) in the last two seasons, per StatMuse. To add even more incentive for Mayfield, the team restructured his contract, which is set to expire after the 2026 season, to include $30M in guaranteed salary for that season. The Buccaneers return a lot of production on both sides of the ball, in addition to bringing in first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka, who topped 1,000 receiving yards twice at Ohio State and accounted for 26 total TDs. While Tampa Bay allowed the 17th-most points per game (22.7) last season, it returns the majority of its defensive production. On top of that, the offseason acquisition of veteran LB and two-time Pro-Bowler Haason Reddick, who agreed to terms on a one-year deal, should be a welcomed addition for a franchise that had some question marks on defense last season. The Buccaneers are projected to have the sixth-easiest schedule in the NFL this season and have the best chance to win the NFC South for the fifth consecutive season, according to ESPN Analytics. If Mayfield can cut back on his turnovers and the defense can create more pressure on opposing QBs, the Buccaneers could be a threat in the NFC once again as they look to put their recent nail-biting losses in the postseason behind them.
It's time for the Bengals to meet their disgruntled star halfway
As Trey Hendrickson prepares to end his holdout, it's time for the Cincinnati Bengals to meet their star edge-rusher halfway. On Tuesday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Hendrickson plans to end his holdout amid a prolonged contract dispute by reporting to Bengals camp on Wednesday despite still seeking an extension. "Reporting to camp stops the $50,000 per day fines and also serves as a good-faith gesture to try to jumpstart negotiations," Schefter wrote. Hendrickson is owed $18.7M in 2025. Last season, Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks (17.5). He originally signed a four-year, $60M contract with the Bengals during 2021 free agency and later signed a one-year extension in July 2023 to keep him Cincinnati through 2025. With no guarantees beyond this upcoming season and the edge-rusher market exploding recently, Hendrickson certainly has a valid argument to demand an extension. Meanwhile, Cincinnati has few (if any) good reasons not to reward their best defensive player. Hendrickson, 30, has been one of the league's most prolific pass-rushers since joining the Bengals. Former agent Joel Corry, writing for CBS Sports, brushed aside concerns about a potential drop-off in production while pointing to Pittsburgh Steelers edge T.J. Watt's recent contract extension. As Corry noted, Watt, who became the league's highest-paid non-quarterback when he agreed to a three-year, $123M extension earlier this offseason, is roughly two months older than Hendrickson. "Hendrickson also accounted for 48.6% of Cincinnati's sacks last season while Watt was responsible for 28.8% of Pittburgh's," Corry wrote. On Monday, Schefter shared that the main sticking point in Hendrickson's contract dispute is guaranteed money, with the Bengals hesitant to provide any guarantees beyond 2025 on a potential three-year deal. As productive as Hendrickson has been for the Bengals — his 57 sacks since 2021 only trail Watt and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett — the front office should be doing everything in its power to ensure he finishes his career in Cincy. Hendrickson ending his holdout is the first step to the sides reaching a resolution. The next is the Bengals giving him an extension commensurate to his production.
Former Detroit Pistons NBA 1st-Round Pick Signs With Team In Japan
Stanley Johnson most recently played in the NBA during the 2022-23 season when he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs. He finished that year with averages of 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest while shooting 53.3% from the field and 45.0% from the three-point range in 30 games. On Tuesday, the news was announced that Johnson is signing a deal with a team in Japan (h/t HoopsHype). Via BasketNews: "Stanley Johnson, the eighth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and a former Lakers forward, has officially signed with Nagasaki Velca in Japan's B.League " Johnson was the eighth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft (out of Arizona) by the Detroit Pistons. He has also played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans over eight seasons. His career averages are 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest while shooting 39.1% from the field and 30.5% from the three-point range in 449 games.
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