1 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Commanders Today Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: offseason festivities continue for head coach Ron Rivera. Team owners, executives, 3 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: and coaches gathered in South Florida this week to prepare 4 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: for the upcoming season. I had the chance to talk 5 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: with head coach Ron Rivera to discuss this offseason, the 6 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: Commander's new QB one, and the upcoming NFL draft coach 7 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: Sonny Florida. Are you aware how cold it is right 8 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: now up in DC? Yes? Because every time I call 9 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: back home and talk to my kids, all I hear 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: is that it is freezing out here. Yeah, sometimes it's 11 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: not bad to be the head coach and have to 12 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: come down to these things in West Palm. Beautiful scenery 13 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: here at the Breakers. Have you stopped and pause though 14 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: it all yet? No? You know, I'm on the competition committee. 15 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: So I got here and I hit the ground working. 16 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: We started on Sunday and we've been going ever since. 17 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: What do you get from being on the competition command 18 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: I know you've quite a few years now, like why 19 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: take that step and what does it take? What do 20 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: you get from it? Well? I really do believe it's 21 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: about you know, trying to help and better the league 22 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: and create positive situations for the NFL. UM. One of 23 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: the things I do take from it is is I 24 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: get an insight into the rules, get a better feel 25 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: for those things. I think that helps me. UM. I 26 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: think it it for us in terms of what we 27 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,559 Speaker 1: try to develop and help with more than anything else. 28 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: Is you know, like right now we've got the whole 29 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: thing with the inclusion, you know, trying to make sure 30 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: that people are getting opportunities, UM, you know, to be coaches, 31 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: to be um to be front office people in this league, 32 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: and we want to make sure it gets opened up 33 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: to everybody. As a minority coach, yourself as having one 34 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: of the first females on your coaching staff, I guess 35 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: the new rule wants to have a minority or a 36 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: female that works with the offensive coordinator. Do you believe 37 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: that that'll work? Is this a good step in the 38 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: right direction? Well? I do think it's a good step 39 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: in the right direction. Will the work Only time will tell. 40 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: But you know what we've seen and everybody realized recognize 41 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: it that one of the quickest pipelines to get advancement 42 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: this league is through the quarterback position. So if you're 43 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: coaching that position, if you're coordinating on the offensive side, 44 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: you've created probably the best pipeline for people to get 45 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: chances to take the next big step. So yeah, I 46 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: hope it works. I believe it can. But right now, 47 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: only time will tell us what would this mean internally 48 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: for Washingtons. You already have Jennifer King there and I 49 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: know when we first brought her and you said you 50 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: wanted her to learn multiple rooms before she just kind 51 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: of got that permanent position with the running backs. Could 52 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: this be an elevation for her? Maybe something else? Um, 53 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: it's probably gonna be something else. Um. You know we're 54 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: gonna get We're gonna get Doug involved. You know, we've 55 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: thought about this for a few weeks to be honest, 56 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: when we first got wind of it, and so we 57 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: started mapping it out. I sat down with Jason and 58 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: Doug and we talked about how can we best find 59 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: the best suit of candidate for that position. And we're 60 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: gonna we're gonna continue to finish, you know, that process 61 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: that we are. We're going to start pretty soon again. 62 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: It's all about taking those steps because something needs to 63 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: be done for sure, and that's where it happens kind 64 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: of right here. Um, do you find this Is it 65 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 1: friendly environment for you or is it like, wait, you're 66 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: my competition. I didn't like that play that you pulled 67 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: on us. That's a little bit about little both. I 68 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: mean it's pretty friendly for the most part. And you 69 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: get an opportunity meet a loz you guys. I mean 70 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: it's hard to put a name to a face because 71 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: you know, we didn't get a chance to interact the 72 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: last couple of years, and there's been a lot of 73 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: changeover and that's really kind of the nature of this business. 74 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: So getting an opportunity to meet guys, see guys spent 75 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: a little bit of time with him as cool. Do 76 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: you guys talk about the moves made in free agency, 77 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:29,519 Speaker 1: because it seems like this free agency it was a 78 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: little bit of the march madness compared to most very much. 79 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,119 Speaker 1: So we have we a lot of guys have talked 80 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: too at Guys have talked about you know, why did 81 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: we do this or you know we had to do that, 82 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: and you sit there going wow, you know, the cap 83 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: is right now having a major impact on a lot 84 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: of decisions that we make as a league and as teams, 85 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: and and and you know, we went through the same thing. 86 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: You know, we get Carson Wentz m. Carson's salary obviously 87 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: is what it is. It does have an impact on 88 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: our salary cap. It does impact how we view players, 89 00:03:58,080 --> 00:03:59,839 Speaker 1: and what we have to do now is figure out 90 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: and work on best ways to get some of our 91 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: other players taken care of. How much when you watch 92 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: was kind of going on in free agency, does it 93 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: impact your plan and can you anticipate like some of 94 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: the salaries going some high and some of the key 95 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: players moving as they are, and that's exactly what happens. 96 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: You have to anticipate how it's going to impact not 97 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,039 Speaker 1: just this season, but the next season, in the season 98 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: after that going forward. So you really got to make 99 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: decisions that are going to impact your future. And you know, 100 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: when you make a play like we did and we 101 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: bring a Carson in, it does change our plans because 102 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: one thing that we always looked at was let's find 103 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: a guy in, let's draft him and then build around that. 104 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 1: And with the players coming out of this year's draft 105 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: and everybody's strong need for a quarterback and us picking 106 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: at eleven, we felt one things we really had to 107 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: look at is trying to obtain a veteran guy, and 108 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: that's what we did in grabbing Carson. You told me 109 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: heading into this time period that getting a quarterback was 110 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: the number one priority and you had your options. So 111 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: you go out and you get Carson. What is that 112 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: next step? What is the next priority to be able 113 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: to address here? Well, I think the biggest thing, Julie, 114 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: is to make sure we have the offensive people in place. 115 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: Can we protect him? Do We got to make sure 116 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: that that offensive line is four to fight and we're 117 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: going to continue to look at that to make sure 118 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: we do have the right pieces in place. Didn't this 119 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: about the playmakers? Do we have enough playmakers around him? 120 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: You know? Will those guys coming back from injury be 121 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: ready to play for us once we get into the 122 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: into training camp and then get into the regular season. 123 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: So we've got to look at all those things to 124 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: make sure that that fits our offensive attitude, our offensive philosophy, 125 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: and our offensive scheme. You have the draft coming up, 126 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: eleventh overall pick, and I've been out to a couple 127 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,039 Speaker 1: of Pro Bowls as well. I imagine free agency and 128 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: those moves again are shifting what you might want to 129 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: do in the draft where are you in your plans 130 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 1: and kind of knowing what you want to do with 131 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: that spot in the six picks you have overall, Well, 132 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: the biggest thing as we've gone through all these pro 133 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: days is really getting a closer look at some of 134 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: the guys that we've targeted, and quite honestly that several 135 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: have gone to There's been a couple of guys that 136 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: have stood out that we did have some questions about 137 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: and feel really good about. So and we're not done. 138 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: I'm going to hit the road again once we we 139 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: we finish up here tomorrow, I'm gonna take a couple 140 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: of days and then we'll be hitting the road again. 141 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: You said three to five years to change the culture, 142 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: you're now entering year three. Where are you from where 143 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: you anticipated and expected this team to be? Well initially 144 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 1: are Initially when we finished seas, Julia I was a 145 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: little concerned obviously because we hadn't had a quarterback question 146 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: answered yet. Coming out of this past week, feeling pretty 147 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 1: good about where we are, feel very comfortable, very confident, 148 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 1: and who Carson Wentz is and who we believe he 149 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: can be for us. So we're pretty excited about that. So, 150 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 1: um am I where I believe we can be now 151 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 1: I do. I feel pretty comfortable, pretty confident. We've just 152 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: got to make sure we make some really good decisions 153 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 1: in the next month and a half and going forward, 154 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 1: wish are the absolute best. It's uh, you're doing all 155 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: the work. We just sit back and watch, looking forward 156 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: to see where this team does go in year three 157 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 1: with you, so hopefully you get to enjoy a little 158 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 1: bit of West Palm Beach. Almost not all meetings locked inside. 159 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: No they're not. They're not, Julie, But thank you all right, 160 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: thanks co for my full conversation with Coach Rivera. Be 161 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 1: sure to tune into Washington Football Today weeknights, five thirty 162 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: and ten pm on NBC Sports Washington. And while you're 163 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: at it, be sure to follow us on all of 164 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 1: the Commander's social media platforms for the latest on the team.