Tag: Brent Vieselmeyer

Commanders hire veteran assistant for remainder of the season

Ron Rivera adding some help for the secondary for the remainder of the season.

The Washington Commanders fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer Friday — one day after a 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. The loss dropped Washington to 4-8.

Head coach Ron Rivera announced he’d take over Del Rio’s responsibilities as the defensive play-caller. Additionally, Rivera said assistant secondary coach Cristian Garcia would be elevated on an interim basis to replace Vieselmeyer, while senior defensive assistant Richard Rodgers would assist Garcia and help Rivera with game planning.

On Tuesday, the Commanders surprisingly announced an outside hire. Washington hired Jim Salgago for the remainder of the season to help Garcia with the defensive backs. Salgado spent the 2023 season as the cornerbacks coach for Michigan State but had spent the previous six years with the Buffalo Bills.

Rivera spoke about Salgado’s addition on Wednesday.

“Jimmy’s a guy that did internships with us before in the past,” Rivera said. “He’s a coach I’ve known for quite some time, and a couple of times, I’ve tried to hire him. He ended up in Buffalo. He was with [Buffalo Bills Head Coach] Sean [McDermott] and [Former Buffalo Bills Coach] Leslie [Frazier] and that system, which is similar to some of the things that we do. And so, when he was at Michigan State most recently, and when the season was over, the word was they were going to change their head coach, so I reached out to him after the season was over to find out what his status was. He was available, so we got him [and] brought him in. He’s going to come in, he’s going to work with the defensive backs, and he’s just going to finish the year out for us, and then we’ll go from there.”

It’s unusual to see a team bring in a coach from the outside this late in the season, but the move is a short-term one to help the Commanders finish the season.

 

 

Commanders’ Rivera a big help to owner Josh Harris

Ron Rivera made life a bit easier on Josh Harris last week.

In the last week Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has certainly made new owner Josh Harris’ job easier.

Washington lost 31-19 at home last week to the anemic N.Y. Giants. Then turned around on Thursday and looked even worse (much worse) at Dallas, being embarrassed 45-10 on national television.

What was Harris to do? How was Harris to respond Friday?

Enter head coach Ron Rivera.

Rivera reportedly contacted Harris with his plan Friday morning and Harris gave the nod to Rivera to proceed with his plan. Gone are defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmayer.

As a result, Harris did not have to fire two coaches with five games remaining. Even more, instead of the constant speculation of when and what Harris was going to do, asserting his authority over the mess. The speculation is now removed; Harris can wait another five games and begin cleaning house.

I hate to say it, but the Cowboys also revealed that they had no respect for the Commanders going into last week’s debacle. I mean, Dak Prescott even went to head coach Mike McCarthy asking if he could eat turkey on the sideline during the game.

What’s more, Jerry Jones and McCarthy went along with it. No respect! They view Washington as a clown show. So, with the game easily in hand, there was Prescott on the sideline eating his turkey. It certainly helps Harris discern how the Commanders’ team is viewed around the league.

Speaking of no respect, which players has Harris himself, already determined must go? The linebackers can be seen weekly, chasing after receivers with the ball in their hands.

Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes sure get picked on by other teams don’t they? Imagine what Rivera will attempt to scheme for Miami when the 8-3 Dolphins come to town Sunday?

Tua Tagovailoa has completed 69.8% of his passes in 2023. He has passed for 22 touchdown passes, along with ten interceptions. Rivera will need something to impact the Dolphins passing game. Tua’s passer rating is 103.7, and his QBR is 59.5.

Rivera will have his hands full with the Dolphins offense, and perhaps he will be focused on having to develop the defensive game plan himself.

Will Rivera still insist on telling us this week about the “growth and development” of his young guys?

A good and bad weekend for the Commanders

Some good news regarding the 2024 NFL draft for the Commanders.

Week 12 of the Commanders 2023 regular season brought plenty of good and bad.

First, the bad, so we can close with the good and be encouraged.

After scoring to reduce the Dallas lead to 14-10 with under two minutes remaining in the first half, the Commanders never scored again, losing 45-10 on the nationally televised Thanksgiving Day embarrassment.

Friday morning, Ron Rivera, after saying last week he would make no changes to his staff, fired both Jack Del Rio and Brent Vieselmeyer. It was not pretty, as Rivera virtually saved himself, guaranteeing he would remain for the remainder of the season. It was bad for both players and coaches. The Commanders have lost five of their last six and are now 4-8.

The good news?

The Packers and Titans won, upping their records to 5-6 and 4-7, respectively. The N.Y. Giants defeated the Patriots, providing the Giants their fourth win. However, the Commanders have lost twice to the Giants and moved up ahead of the Giants in the 2024 draft order. The Rams improved to 5-6, moving lower away from the Commanders as well.

Just six weeks ago, the Commanders were sitting at 3-3 in the middle of the draft order. But Washington moved up this week to its now current draft order position of fifth!

That’s right, fifth! Here is the current 2024 NFL draft order:

  • 1. Chicago (from Carolina)
  • 2. Arizona
  • 3. New England
  • 4. Chicago
  • 5. Washington

Commanders Wire would not encourage the Commanders to tank/lose deliberately. After all, obtaining the second overall selection in 2020 didn’t bring Washington any great dividends.

Yet, with Sam Howell maturing and playing fairly well, the Commanders fan base can encouraged regarding the next draft.

As it stands now, Washington will own the following selections in the first three rounds:

  • 5
  • 36 (from Chicago)
  • 38
  • 69
  • 100 (from San Francisco)

 

Ron Rivera: Commanders ‘going to do things a little differently’

Ron Rivera said there would be some changes for the Commanders on defense.

The Washington Commanders fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio on Friday, one day after Washington’s 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Head coach Ron Rivera also fired defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer.

Rivera will assume Del Rio’s role as Washington’s defensive play-caller, while assistant defensive backs coach Cristian Garcia replaces Vieselmeyer for the remainder of the season.

Often, when a team fires a coach, whether a head coach or coordinator, during the season, there’s only so much you can change. After all, you’ve spent the entire year learning one scheme.

The Commanders currently rank dead last in scoring defense and aren’t far behind in total defense. Nothing they did this late in the season would significantly impact the remainder of this season.

Rivera met with the media Friday afternoon and discussed the coaching changes.

“I made a decision this morning,” Rivera began. “I relieved Jack Del Rio and Brent Vieselmeyer of their duties. We’re going to be moving forward, going to do things a little differently. It was very tough, difficult decisions because those are two really good men, good football coaches, guys that have had a lot of success in this league. And just unfortunate the situation, circumstances, but did feel that change was something that we needed to do going forward. Really to see if we can shake some things up and get some things started.”

What stood out here? Rivera saying, “They were doing to do things a little differently.”

What is something Rivera could do with five games remaining? The Commanders have struggled at every level of the defense — before and after the trades of Chase Young and Montez Sweat — but the secondary has been particularly bad.

Rivera can simplify some of the coverage concepts, as the Commanders have had opposing wide receivers running free and unchecked through the secondary for easy big plays all throughout this season.

Washington has several young players in the secondary on rookie contracts. The Commanders need these players for the future, but many have regressed this season under Del Rio and Vieselmeyer’s leadership.

Why did Rivera decide now was the right time?

“Well, more so anything else is, it’s one of those things that as you watch things happen and unfold last night, it was kind of that snowball; it just kind of started again,” Rivera said.

“It just kept going, and I was concerned and spent a lot of time last night and early this morning trying to go through this in my mind and just trying to figure out what else can be done, and it just seemed that shaking some things up made sense.”

It’s probably too little too late for this season and for Rivera, but it was absolutely the correct decision for multiple reasons.

 

Commanders’ Rivera distances himself from Del Rio, Vieselmeyer

Rivera had said repeatedly there would be no staff changes.

Ron Rivera will now be the head coach through the remainder of the 2023 season.

You see, this morning, Rivera and new owner Josh Harris dialogued, and Rivera apparently recommended that changes be made at defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Consequently, Rivera did what he said he would not. He said he would not fire any of his staff. With only five games remaining, Rivera “recommended” these changes be made?

Ron Rivera actually recommended Jack Del Rio and Brent Vieselmeyer be publicly linked to the failure and be the fall guys to take the blame. With only five games remaining?

At this point, I think it wise to consider the two vantage points of Harris and Rivera. For Harris, if this is truly how it went down, then he is simply allowing his head coach to work through a season with those for whom he feels it is best for the success of the team.

On the other hand, for Rivera, he is making Del Rio and Vieselmeyer the fall guys with only five games remaining.

Coach Ron, didn’t you just tell us last week you would not be making such changes?

This raises the question, “Who actually initiated this conversation and moved that the DC and DB coach should be removed?” Did Harris inform Coach Ron that something must be done, so make a move?

Then again, if this actually arose with Coach Ron, I am not impressed. Why? Well, over the last few weeks, his demeanor has greatly changed. He has visibly been discouraged and tired.

The reality of this team having a losing season had set in on Rivera. Thus he knows he is finished following this season.

So, if he knows he is done after this season, why single out others with only five games remaining in your tenure as coach-centric CEO of the Commanders’ football operations?

Wouldn’t it say more of Rivera if he actually kept his word and went down with the ship in five weeks, rather than dismissing Del Rio and Vieselmeyer?

Commanders promote Cristian Garcia to coach DBs for the remainder of the season

Who is Cristian Garcia?

The Washington Commanders made some long-awaited changes Friday, firing defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer after an ugly 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

Washington’s defense is last in the NFL in scoring defense by over two points. The Commanders have allowed 30 or more points in seven of their 12 games this season.

Head coach Ron Rivera will handle Del Rio’s role as defensive play-caller for the remaining five games, but who will fill Vieselmeyer’s role as secondary coach?

Rivera announced Friday that Cristian Garcia, who was Washington’s assistant defensive backs/nickels coach, will now serve as the interim DBs coach. Veteran coach Richard Rodgers, currently the senior defensive assistant, will work with Garcia and Rivera in their new roles.

Garcia was hired by Washington in 2021 as a defensive coaching assistant. One year later, he was named as a defensive quality control assistant before being promoted to his current role earlier this year after former secondary coach Chris Harris left Washington for the Tennessee Titans. Vieselmeyer was promoted from assistant DB coach to fill Harris’ position.

“Richard Rodgers will continue as a senior advisor on the defense and continue to work in the defensive backs room with Cristian Garcia who we’re going to elevate to the position,” Rivera said.

“Richard will work with the defensive backs, but he’ll also work with me on some of the game-planning issues as well. And then everybody else will remain in their positions as we go forward and see how these things go. We’re going to work today, we’ll work tomorrow, and we’ll talk about how we’re going to do things as a defense, and we’ll go from there.”

Garcia played linebacker at the University of Florida, where he was a teammate of current Washington assistant quarterback coach Luke Del Rio. He began his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant at UNLV in 2018, a role he held for two years.

In 2020, Garcia moved to Georgia Tech, where he again served as a grad assistant for one year before coming to Washington in 2021.

Any change Washington makes at this point in the season is unlikely to help the on-field product over the final five games. But the Commanders secondary is a mess, so perhaps a different lead voice could help several of Washington’s struggling young defensive backs.

Commanders owner Josh Harris releases statement on firing of Jack Del Rio

Josh Harris said Rivera recommended defensive staff changes.

The Washington Commanders fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer on Friday, one day after giving up 45 points to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

It was the latest embarrassing defensive performance by Washington’s defense, leaving Rivera with almost no choice but to make a move.

After Rivera released a short statement thanking Del Rio and Vieselmeyer for their contributions, owner Josh Harris also released a statement saying he spoke with Rivera on Friday morning, and the coach informed him he felt it was in the best interest of the team to make changes to the defensive staff.

We can speculate about Harris forcing Rivera’s hand, but does it matter? Del Rio and Vieselmeyer had to go. The Commanders had poured many resources into the defense, and it was the worst unit in the NFL. A significant part of the defensive struggles occurred in the secondary. Despite returning virtually everyone and adding a first and second-round pick to the mix, the secondary regressed badly under Vieselmeyer in 2023.

Social media reacts to Commanders firing Jack Del Rio

Social media reacts to Del Rio and Vieselmeyer’s firings.

The Washington Commanders finally made a move on Friday, firing defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer after losing 45-10 to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

This wasn’t about one game. Washington’s defense, which was supposed to be a team strength in 2023, is an unmitigated disaster. The Commanders have allowed 30 or more points in seven of the 12 games they’ve played this season and are last in the NFL in scoring defense by almost 2.5 points.

In every game, the Commanders have opposing wide receivers roaming free in the secondary, with defenders nowhere close. Washington allows multiple big plays per game and has struggled to apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

We took to X — formerly Twitter — to see what the fans and media were saying.

 

Commanders fire DC Jack Del Rio, DBs coach Brent Vieselmeyer

Commanders fire Jack Del Rio and Brent Vieselmeyer.

The Washington Commanders fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer, according to a statement released by head coach Ron Rivera.

The Commanders are coming off an embarrassing 45-10 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. Out of 12 games this season, Washington’s defense allowed 30 or more points eight times. The defense was supposed to be a team strength in 2023, coming off a top-10 season in 2022. In some metrics, the Commanders were in the top five.

Del Rio, a former NFL linebacker and two-time head coach, came to Washington with Rivera in 2020. In two of his four seasons, the Commanders had a top-10 defense and struggled in the other two seasons.

Vieselmeyer also landed in Washington in 2023 as the assistant defensive backs and nickel coach. He was promoted to defensive backs coach in February when Chris Harris took another job with the Titans.

Vieselmeyer’s only NFL experience came with the Raiders from 2015-17, when Del Rio was the head coach. Since Del Rio was let go from the Raiders, Vieselmeyer was an analyst at Kansas for one season and was the head coach at Santa Margarita High School in California in 2019.

Washington’s secondary has regressed this season under Vieselmeyer despite adding a first-round pick (Emmanuel Forbes) and a second-round pick (Quan Martin) to the roster.

What coaches are saying about Commanders rookie CB Emmanuel Forbes

What are your impressions of Forbes through three weeks?

Washington Commanders rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes has three games under his belt. The first-round pick has had his share of ups and downs through the season’s first three weeks.

Forbes has one interception, which he could’ve run back for a touchdown if he hadn’t slipped. He also missed another one, something Forbes never did in college. He gave up a big catch at Denver and against Buffalo.

However, as a whole, Forbes has adjusted well early in his career. Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste have played most of the snaps at cornerback, but Forbes has participated in 57% of Washington’s defensive snaps.

According to Pro Football Reference, opposing quarterbacks have a 61.1 rating when throwing in Forbes’s direction. That’s excellent. Of course, it doesn’t tell the entire story. Quarterbacks have completed six of 12 passes against Forbes, again, a good number. But those six receptions have totaled 158 yards, an average of over 26 yards per reception.

Forbes still has to grow, but the early signs are encouraging. Washington coaches spoke about Forbes this week and are highly encouraged by his progress.