Eric Bieniemy Coach Choice: Commanders vs. Ravens - & Lamar Contract?
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FEB 8 EB'S CHOICE? Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is out of contract after his coaches against the Eagles in the Super Bowl and according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, it's the Commanders and Ravens who consider Bieniemy a "prime candidate" for their coordinator openings.
Which spot is more attractive? It might depend on two things: One, where does he have more authority to call plays, something that isn't central to his role in Kansas City? And two, Bieniemy would logically like to join a team with a star QB in place.
Washington doesn't have that. But Baltimore only has it if the Ravens and free agent Lamar Jackson settle on a contract, something the two sides have been wrestling with for almost two years.
FEB 6 SNYDER HOME ON MARKET Another sign that Dan Snyder is planning on selling the Washington Commanders has come to fruition.
According to Washington Business Journal, Snyder's home in Potomac has hit the real estate market for a pricy $49 million.
Rumors of Snyder selling the Commanders have been circulating for months, and this is probably one of the biggest signs that he is ready to move on from Washington.
First comes the home, then comes the franchise?
FEB 3 EB TO DC? The Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy? Makes sense.
Commanders owner Dan Snyder paying him top-dollar? Makes for ... debate.
According to NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay, Bieniemy could land a salary “north of $2.5 million.” ... and there will be competition for his services, presumably at such a price.
Head coach Ron Rivera recently met with owner Dan Snyder and the idea of a staff “budget” came up; that is not unusual - they are after all running a business here. But what makes this situation unusual is that the Commanders are up for sale.
So ... would Snyder write a giant check for a coordinator who might not be "his coordinator''?
As with so many other things at Commanders QB, it's complicated.
FEB 2 RIVERA AT PEBBLE BEACH Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera is trading his headset and playbook for a set of golf clubs this weekend at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament.
Rivera is among 33 celebrities participating in the event. Other celebrities include NFL quarterbacks Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers and even former Washington signal caller Alex Smith, but even those outside of the gridiron are taking part.
Actors Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Bill Murray are taking part and musicians Macklemore and Darius Rucker are also on the lineup.
FEB 1 BEATHARD PASSES Bobby Beathard, the long-time NFL executive and architect of title teams in Washington, has died at the age of 86.
A 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Beathard was involved with the 1972 Dolphins team that finished undefeated, and enjoyed his grandest success in Washington, where he won two Super Bowls as he served as general manager from 1978 to 1988 during the era of coach Joe Gibbs in 1981.
Washington won the Super Bowl in 1982 and 1987.
JAN 31 SEAN PAYTON TRADED TO BRONCOS; DEMECO RYANS HIRED BY TEXANS
The Denver Broncos are acquiring Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints as their next head coach, according to sources.
Payton, 59, spent 15 seasons coaching the Saints and led them to nine playoff appearances, including a win in Super Bowl XLIV.
Payton is heading to the AFC West to coach Russell Wilson and turn the Broncos around for a first-round pick in this year's draft, and a second-round pick in next year's draft. The Saints will also give the Broncos a 2024 third-round pick.
The Houston Texans are also filling their head coach vacancy. They've hired San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to a six-year contract, according to sources.
JAN 29 EAGLES BEAT 49ERS IN NFC CHAMPIONSHIP The Washington Commanders will watch their NFC East rival play in Super Bowl LVII in two weeks time.
The Philadelphia Eagles have claimed the first spot in the Super Bowl after a 31-7 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers' game was defined by injuries to quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson as the Eagles cruised to a win thanks to 148 rushing yards.
The Eagles will play the winner of the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs game.
JAN 29 BIENIEMY WAIT? Are the Commanders dragging their feet? Or just patiently playing by the rules?
Coach Ron Rivera has yet to hire an offensive coordinator to replace the fired Scott Turner, and the AFC title game on Sunday may be one reason why. The Commanders have put in a request for permission to interview Chiefs assistant Eric Bieniemy and according to NFL Network he’s “emerged as a potential key candidate” in D.C.
Bieniemy, who is also on the insources say. He also was request list of the Jets, Titans and Ravens, will work today in Chiefs vs. Bengals, after which Washington hopes to get a visit.
JAN 28 FOSTER COMEBACK? Former Washington Commanders linebacker Reuben Foster hasn't played in the NFL since 2018, but he's trying another comeback ...
This time in the USFL.
Last time we checked in on Foster, the Seattle Seahawks hosted him for a summer workout. That didn't work out, but Foster, now 28, this week will sign with the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers in another comeback attempt.
He was taken in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, despite an injury risk, and then in 2018 was dealt a two-game suspension after committing a weapons offense and a misdemeanor drug offense. Weeks later, Foster was arrested for domestic violence and the 49ers cut him shortly after
In 2019, Washington claimed Foster off waivers shortly after he was cut by San Francisco, but he never played a down as a member of the organization as during his first practice in 2019, Foster suffered a torn ACL and was placed on the injured reserve list. Still recovering from the injury a season later, he was placed on the PUP list at the beginning of training camp in 2020 ... and there wasn't much positive movement there before he was released.
JAN 20 LENO NAMED FINALIST FOR ALAN PAGE COMMUNITY AWARD Washington Commanders offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr. is one of five finalists for the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award, the "highest honor" the Players Association can give to someone.
Leno, along with Damar Hamlin (Buffalo Bills), Jonathan Jones (New England Patriots), Darren Waller (Las Vegas Raiders) and Devin White (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) are on the shortlist for the award.
Each player will receive a $10,000 donation to their charity of choice. The winner of the award will be announced on Feb. 8.
JAN 19 INTERNATIONAL HOSTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2023 The NFL announced that the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots will each play international games during the 2023 regular season.
The Bills and the Titans will each play a game at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Jaguars will also being playing in the UK. And the 2023 season will also see the Chiefs and Patriots both play regular-season games in Germany.
The Commanders are scheduled to play the Patriots on the "road" next season, meaning that the game could take place in Germany. If the Commanders are tabbed to play the Patriots in Germany, it would mark just the second time Washington would head overseas for a game.
JAN 16 COWBOYS ELIMINATE TOM BRADY, BUCCANEERS The NFC East has three teams in the Divisional Round after the Dallas Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-14 Monday night at Raymond James Stadium.
With the win, Tom Brady's season comes to an end before he hits free agency this spring.
The Cowboys play the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night at 6:30 p.m.
JAN 15 NFC EAST RIVALS TO MEET IN DIVISIONAL ROUND The New York Giants are on to the Divisional Round after beating the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
With the win, the Giants now face the Philadelphia Eagles next week in the Divisional Round.
The Dallas Cowboys are set to play Monday night against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to land the fourth and final spot in the next round.
JAN 14 NFL WILD CARD SATURDAY The beginning of the NFL playoffs kicked off with a bang Saturday.
After the San Francisco 49ers came back from trailing at halftime to win by three scores, the Jacksonville Jaguars managed a 27-point comeback (third-largest in NFL history) to beat the Los Angeles Chargers at home.
The lopsided start in the first half came thanks to five Jaguars turnovers … including four Trevor Lawrence interceptions.
But … the Chargers found a way to blow their four-touchdown lead to lose 31–30 in Jacksonville.
Lawrence rebounded by throwing three second-half touchdown passes to pace the comeback for Jacksonville.
The 49ers will host the highest-remaining NFC playoff team, while the Jaguars await their opponent based off of Sunday’s results.
JAN 13 JEREMY REAVES NAMED ALL-PRO Washington Commanders defensive back Jeremy Reaves was named as a First-Team All-Pro on special teams.
Reaves, 26, is a fifth-year pro who hadn't made the 53-man roster out of training camp in any season before this year. However, his talents were recognized by Ron Rivera and the coaching staff during training camp as he made the final team and balled out as one of the top special teams players in the league.
Reaves was also named to the NFC Pro Bowl team and a Players' Selection First-Team All-Pro.
JAN 9 WASHINGTON SIGNS FUTURES The Washington Commanders announced that they’ve signed nine players to futures contracts on Monday for the 2023 season. The list:
CB Troy Apke
DE William Bradley-King
WR Alex Erickson
CB DaMarcus Fields
QB Jake Fromm
G Nolan Laufenberg
WR Kyric McGowan
T Aaron Monteiro
G Keaton Sutherland
Fromm, 24, was a fifth-round pick by the Bills out of Georgia in 2020. Buffalo waived him coming out of the preseason and in 2021, he got on the field with the Giants. He's spent time on the Commanders practice squad since then.
JAN 7 SCHERFF, JAGS MAKE PLAYOFFS The Washington Commanders may not be in the playoffs this year, but a familiar face will be.
After the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans Saturday night, offensive lineman Brandon Scherff punched his ticket to the playoffs. He started every game for the Jaguars this season.
Scherff played for Washington from 2015-21, and now makes his third playoff appearance.
JAN 5 HAMLIN AWAKE Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is no longer in a coma, awake and showing more signs of improvement, according to teammate Kaiir Elam.
Hamlin has been in the hospital since Monday night after suffering cardiac arrest in the MNF game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
JAN 4 SAM HOWELL STARTS Despite earlier reports Washington would start Taylor Heinicke at quarterback in Sunday's season finale, it was rookie Sam Howell seen taking first reps when practice began on Wednesday.
Furthermore, when the passers and receiver broke away to throw routes, Howell was throwing to starters like Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Jahan Dotson.
Ron Rivera confirmed in his press conference that Howell would start the Week 18 finale against the Dallas Cowboys.
JAN 4 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS GOING BACK TO HEINICKE One week after quarterback Carson Wentz replaced Taylor Heinicke as the team's starter, it's being reported Washington is reversing course.
While Heinicke is expected to be the starter, the same report says rookie Sam Howell will also get playing time, making his NFL debut in the final week of the regular season.
As of now, the team has yet to confirm.
All of this would suggest that
Carson Wentz is getting benched (again) ... even as coach Ron Rivera is saying he has "no regrets'' about the fateful decision to start Wentz in last week's playoff-hopes-killing loss to the Browns.
The 7-8-1 Commanders are probably wise to begin the experiment with the rookie Howell, as there is little else to be accomplished here against 12-4 Dallas, which is playoff-bound and still trying to win the NFC East.
JAN 3 NFL HAS NO ANSWER FOR BILLS-BENGALS RESUMPTION The NFL released a statement Tuesday afternoon in regards to the continuation of the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game.
All Week 18 games will currently be played as scheduled.
JAN 2 MNF SUSPENDED AFTER SCARY FALL The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals are currently suspending play after one of the scariest moments in NFL history.
Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field with 5:58 left in the first quarter.
There is no timetable for when the game will return to action.
JAN 2 COMMANDERS PLAY COWBOYS LATE The Washington Commanders will play the Dallas Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday, the NFL announced today.
The NFC East games are the only games not on the west coast slated for the later time slot.
Sunday Night Football will be between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on NBC.
JAN 1 COMMANDERS ELIMINATED The day started with the Washington Commanders controlling their own playoff destiny, but it ended in the worst outcome possible.
By virtue of the wins from the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, the Commanders are eliminated from the playoffs.
At 7-8-1, the Commanders hold the 10th seed in the NFC with no chance of getting in the top 7.
JAN 1 WENTZ WOBBLY Carson Wentz is the "new'' Commanders starter today ... and it isn't working.
He has opened 2 of 6 for 13 yards with two interceptions in a little more than a quarter.
That's right. At home against the Browns, Wentz has ... two completions. And two interceptions.
And some in the audience at FedEx are already chanting for a change to Taylor Heinicke.
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