Commanders News: Josh Harris group, stadium, Sam Howell and Eric Bieniemy

Eric Bieniemy presence in Commanders draft plans

Eric Bieniemy's presence across the Washington Commanders has been a significant asset throughout the offseason. There's a lot riding on his high-profile move from the Kansas City Chiefs for all parties, so it's important for the offensive coordinator to be heavily involved in the pursuit of progression.

Bieniemy is getting more say in personnel than ever before. Something that was evident in free agency and also played a big role in the team's process before and during the 2023 NFL Draft.

When asked about Bieniemy's influence, Ron Rivera stated via Sports Illustrated the respected figure was heavily involved. Had it not been for his thoughts on running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., the Commanders might have gone in a different direction with their sixth-round selection.

"He was involved, he was engaged Every time there was an opportunity to discuss, he'd come in, we'd talk about it and we'd show him. With the running back, he came in, he was emphatic about it. He said, Hey, here's a guy that we all had good grades on. He's sticking out like a sore thumb. That's an opportunity and maybe some people only view him as a first and second down back and initially that's kind of how we talked about it. But when you listen to him talk about coaching him up to become a potential third down guy, you get excited."

- Ron Rivera via Sports Illustrated

Bieniemy's vibrance and infectious enthusiasm have also been prevalent across Washington's first few days of on-field team activities. A trend that can hopefully continue long into the future.