Commanders Coach Eric Bieniemy 'Driving Factor' to Signing OT Andrew Wylie
The Washington Commanders got busy early in the NFL legal tampering period addressing arguably its most glaring need by agreeing to terms with former Kansas City Chiefs right tackle Andrew Wylie.
Signing a three-year $24 million contract with the Commanders, Wylie will reunite with offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Eric Bieniemy.
And that, Wylie says, was the point all along.
"To have the opportunity to continue working under his offense is just incredible to me," Wyle said. "That was for sure the driving factor."
Wylie said he doesn't know yet whether or not he'll play right tackle or another position on the offensive line.
In his five NFL seasons, Wylie has played all of the guard and tackle positions, giving him the versatility organizations like Washington's commonly seek out in free agency.
That fact is leaving a little bit of a question mark over what his role with the team will be. And that question equals NFL Draft flexibility, just the way the Commanders want it to.
While he may not know where he'll be on the offensive line, he does know Bieniemy better than anyone currently covering the Super Bowl-winning coach with his new team.
"He's a very intense guy and he needs things his way," Wylie said of Bieniemy. "It's going to be a culture change for sure, and I'm just looking to carry it on."
Bieniemy's offenses in Kansas City have scored a lot of points in the five years he was coordinating it for head coach Andy Reid.
According to Wylie, Bieniemy was the driving force of that offense and the reason he wanted to follow him here to Washington.
He credits Bieniemy, Reid, and Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck with his success and who he's become as a football player.
But Wylie also knows he's going to be looked at as a second-hand teacher to the rest of the offensive line as they adjust to Bieniemy, his offense, and look to transfer their winning ways to the Commanders.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82 and on the Locked On Commanders podcast.
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