Daily Slop – 26 Feb 24: Bieniemy learned from Ben Johnson: “I was not fired. I…chose not to stay”

A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East and the NFL in general

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Pro Football Talk

Eric Bieniemy says he chose not to stay with the Commanders

Among other things, he says he could have stayed with the Commanders.

“I have no regrets with the Commanders,” Bieniemy wrote, via ESPN.com. “Contrary to what some think and what has been put out in the media, I was not fired. I actually just chose not to stay. Learned a lot and that is always a good thing.”

It’s unclear whether he was offered the position of offensive coordinator on Dan Quinn’s staff, or some other job.

Riggo’s Rag

Eric Bieniemy admits defeat as NFL head coaching window shuts

Eric Bieniemy’s head coaching dream has died.

Bieniemy’s coaching methods were met with skepticism by some players. Too much pressure was placed on inexperienced quarterback Sam Howell thanks to a lack of offensive balance. There was a stubbornness and unwillingness to adapt to the modern-day pro that caused complications.

When Ron Rivera was fired after another disappointing campaign, the writing was on the wall for Bieniemy. No head coaching offers arrived. Coordinator positions filled up without his skills being considered. It seemed as if the league gave up on him.

The Commanders have moved in a completely different direction. They were more than entitled as Josh Harris’ ownership looks to lay more stable foundations for sustainable growth. The fact nobody else around the league wanted Bieniemy also spoke volumes.

Many thought he would go back to the Chiefs, especially after speaking to the team before their AFC championship battle with the Baltimore Ravens. It doesn’t look like an offer was forthcoming. Bieniemy is continuing on his path, with the same ethos that got him this far to begin with.

If Bieniemy’s head coaching window in the NFL was diminishing before, it’s all but closed right now. One could forgive the play-caller for feeling a little aggrieved about how things turned out. However, remaining so steadfast in his ways – almost stuck in them – ended up being his undoing.

Fox Sports

The Commanders are recalibrating. Their 3-item checklist begins with a new QB

What about Howell? Multiple NFL sources believe several teams would be interested in trading for the 23-year-old who threw for 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns in 17 starts last season (albeit with an NFL-worst 21 interceptions). They could potentially get a third-round pick for him — maybe more — if they decide they’re willing to deal him sometime around the draft.

A team like the New York Jets, who know they’ll need a quarterback of the future when their experiment with 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers ends, would be wise to make a call.

Riggo’s Rag

Could the Commanders instigate bidding war for Sam Howell?

There is reported interest in the Commanders signal-caller.

Some speculation has also emerged about Howell taking his chances elsewhere. According to Ralph Vacchiano from FOX Sports citing sources, there could be plenty of interest in the gunslinger if the Commanders start taking calls. He named the New York Jets specifically as a team to watch.

“What about [Sam] Howell? Multiple NFL sources believe several teams would be interested in trading for the 23-year-old who threw for 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns in 17 starts last season (albeit with an NFL-worst 21 interceptions). They could potentially get a third-round pick for him — maybe more — if they decide they’re willing to deal him sometime around the draft. A team like the New York Jets, who know they’ll need a quarterback of the future when their experiment with 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers ends, would be wise to make a call.”

– Ralph Vacchiano, FOX Sports

This could arguably be the best-case scenario for Washington. Several suitors for Howell means general manager Adam Peters might be able to instigate a bidding war for the player. Something that typically drives up the price and in some cases, sees an organization overpay to seal the deal.

Peters won’t want to show his hand too early regarding his plans for football’s most crucial position. He’ll want to keep other teams guessing – especially since the Chicago Bears taking Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall is rapidly becoming a done deal. Maintaining and perhaps even enhancing leverage before striking is the best course of action.

Of course, keeping Howell around also comes with benefits attached. He’s got a cheap fifth-round rookie contract over the next two seasons. Even if he ends up being a backup, it makes sound financial sense.

Sports Illustrated

Commanders Run Game to Get ‘Boost’ With Kliff Kingsbury?

The Washington Commanders have a new offensive coordinator in Kliff Kingsbury and with the quarterback being the major focus, could the former Arizona Cardinals head head also improve the run game?

[W]hat [could] Kingsbury…do in the run game with Brian Robinson Jr. and Co.? The Commanders ranked 27th for rush yards per game last season as Sam Howell didn’t get much help in his rushing attack, but could that change under Kingsbury?

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra has looked at the Commanders running back room and thinks that improvement could be on the way.

“The Commanders’ run game disappointed under Eric Bieniemy but could get a boost with Kliff Kingsbury taking over,” Patra writes. “In his first three seasons in Arizona, Kingsbury’s offense ranked in the top 10 in rush yards each year and was top seven in attempts twice.”

Sports Illustrated

3 Free Agent Offensive Tackle Targets Commanders Should Sign

The Washington Commanders need some offensive line help and there are a number of free agents who might be able to help.

THE BEST OPTION: JONAH WILLIAMS, CINCINNATI BENGALS

Possessing the best combination of youth and experience Williams once asked for a trade before ultimately buckling down and getting to work as the Bengals’ right tackle.

With left and right tackle experience Williams is likely looking for a return to the left and the money that comes with protecting most quarterback’s blindsides.

Spotrac projects he’ll demand $10.8 million annual average value and a four-year deal would take him to his 30-year-old season.

According to Sports Info Solutions Williams had a blown block percentage that ranked 42nd among 64 qualifying tackles, so he’s far from a perfect or the only option for Washington to pursue.

Podcasts & videos

New Commanders ST coach was drafted by Jimmy Johnson and won Super Bowls for Bill Belichick

Brian Robinson Jr FULL 2023-24 Highlights | Washington Commanders | El Toro (prod.strongsilentype)

Exiting the QB abyss: who and what the Commanders should and will do in 2024

NFC East links

Blogging the Boys

Why this odd CBA rule keeps the Cowboys from placing a franchise tag on Tyler Biadasz

If the Cowboys were going to franchise any of their 2024 free agents, it’d probably be Tyler Biadasz. But this peculiar provision in the CBA makes it unlikely.

You could see where Biadasz fits either of the typical franchise tag models. If the Cowboys do want to make him their starting center for years to come, they’d typically franchise him to secure rights and then continue negotiating throughout the offseason. Or if they were just focused on stability for the “all-in” 2024 season, they’d give him the tag for a season and worry about the future next year.

The exclusive franchise tag pays a player the average of the top-five salaries at his position. If it was based on what centers make, that average would be roughly $13 million. The NFL’s highest-paid center, Jason Kelce, averages a little over $14 million a year on his deal. While $13 million would be steep for Biadasz’s services, Dallas might be willing to do it for a one-year stop gap while they focused on other roster needs.

But here’s where it all crumbles. For some reason, the CBA doesn’t differentiate between offensive line positions with the franchise tag. So whether you play tackle, guard, or center, the tag is based on the top-five salaries of all offensive linemen. That means a projected $19.9 million cost for the 2024 franchise tag, thanks mainly to those pricey, elite left tackles.

It’s an odd provision when you consider that the CBA splits hairs between wide receivers and tight ends, which has led to conflicts in past years with high-volume TEs who think they deserve WR money. With such a huge disparity between center salaries compared to tackle and even guards among offensive linemen, you’d think the CBA would apply similar logic.

So no, the Cowboys won’t be using the franchise tag on Tyler Biadasz. It’s not because he wouldn’t make sense by some measures, but this odd handling of offensive linemen in the CBA just isn’t equitable. Whether or not that contributes to Biadasz leaving Dallas this offseason remains to be seen.

NFL league links

Articles

Over the Cap

NFL Sets Salary Cap at $255.4M

This increase, which should represent the influx of new television money, is, on a percentage basis, very similar to how the NFL cap increased the last time the new television contracts hit the salary cap and then the cap grew at a steady pace until Covid hit. So if we are guessing on the future I would say a $23-$26M increase in cap will become the new norm.

As far as what this does around the NFL? Not much. With the exception of the teams in really bad salary cap shape (i.e. Bills, Saints) who get a reprieve the relative buying power of each team remains the same. Tenders will increase over expectations as will proven performance escalators and rookie contracts.

The interesting thing will be how much does this change the asking prices of players in free agency. In the past the increase in the cap has not had that kind of spike in wages, at least immediately. Most positions at the top do not increase at a significantly greater rate than the salary cap (normally those on the lower end see big jumps and then it catches up to the top), but we have also never seen a jump like this.

This is one of the earliest times I can recall the cap being announced. Usually it comes at the tail end of the combine or sometime later. My guess would be because the number was going to be so large the league wanted to get ahead of this before the combine so contract discussions can focus on using the right numbers rather than working with lower figures and having it blow up in everyone’s face a week later and rendering a lot of the work pointless.

This does make for an interesting free agency period. Usually players sign during the open negotiating window and free agency is done before it officially even begins but if teams are not willing to push the top of the market it may be a year where the agents and teams clash more over value. This also should make the franchise players really dig in on holding firm on signing an extension since there is little benefit to signing now unless the team is going to really make a great offer. So it might make for a crazy couple of weeks,

Front Office Sports

Sham Gods: The Rapidly Growing World of Sports Impersonators on X

• Shaky rules, fake insiders, and fabricated trade demands are defining the current era of X.
• ‘We always used to make fun of the blue check marks. … Now you don’t know who is legitimate and who is not,’ says Kevin Kinkead, editor of Crossing Broad.

In December, an X account impersonating ESPN reporter Adam Schefter posted that Panthers owner David Tepper was on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s client list and that “internal discussions” were underway to remove Tepper. That lie stayed up on X for six hours and compiled more than 2 million views as ESPN feverishly tried to get hold of anyone at X to get the post taken down, a source at the network tells FOS.

“This is completely false,” the real Schefter wrote under his imposter’s post. “X needs to respond to defamatory untrue statements like this.”

Elon Musk’s decision to bastardize verification badges has led these kinds of accounts to flourish. The blue check became more ubiquitous and lost some of its meaning once Musk opened it up last year to anyone willing to part with $8 a month.

Current X rules state that users “may not pose as an existing person, group, or organization to mislead others [by misrepresenting] their identity by using at least two elements of another identity, such as the name, image, or false claims of affiliation with another individual or organization in their profile or posts.”

But those rules leave room for the existence of an account like “Wesley Steinberg,” which—blue check mark and all—uses a picture of a Southern California attorney, purports to be an “NFL and NY Giants Insider,” and has fooled many. While that account uses another person’s photo, it isn’t impersonating the lawyer but rather an NFL insider, without claiming to work for a specific media outlet.

The account has fooled so many there’s now a term for it: getting “Steinberg’d.” And, with the state of X’s verification, that account and others will likely continue to trick people.

One of Steinberg’s most recent tweets claimed that the Bears were going to trade the top pick in the NFL draft and that USC’s Caleb Williams, the likely No. 1 pick, has “no interest in playing in Chicago.”

That Steinberg post about Williams has garnered 10.6 million impressions and still does not have a Community Note—the main backstop on X where users submit a correction that strips monetization for false or misleading information.

“It was just a bit of a joke between me and some friends trying to make them laugh, then it kept growing and sort of took on a life of its own,” the person behind the account said in a direct message on X. “People seemed to enjoy it so I kept going with it.”

“The only thing I’d say is be careful who you follow and check out the work of the person in the past,” says Calvin Watkins, a longtime Cowboys reporter for The Dallas Morning News and the current president of the Pro Football Writers of America. “If they just started an account under an insider’s name like in the last month, it’s probably phony.”

NFL.com

Competition Committee discussed XFL kickoff, could propose version for vote at Annual League Meeting

Rich McKay, the chairman of the Competition Committee, did not commit to a change definitely happening in 2024 and would want the new rule ready for consideration a month from now if it’s to be proposed — rather than hashed out during meetings between coaches and owners — according to Battista.

Part of the reason for another desired change to the kickoff formula is to find the best balance between safety, including the reduction of high-speed collisions, and maintaining returns as a part of the game.

Only 22% of kickoffs were returned last season. As noted by Battista, all 13 of the kickoffs in Super Bowl LVIII resulted in touchbacks.

The aforementioned XFL model has the kicker kicking from the 30-yard line, while the rest of the kickoff team begins at the opposite 35-yard line, separated from 10 members of the receiving team by 5 yards. Apart from the kicker and the returner, none of the other special teamers are allowed to move until the ball is fielded.

To approve a rule change to something closer to the XFL model will require 24 votes in favor — a high bar.

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