Commanders 'Diligent' in Draft Scouting Process, Says Ron Rivera

The Washington Commanders' diligence in the 2023 draft will shape their season.

After missing the playoffs in back-to-back years, the Washington Commanders are facing a make-or-break draft this weekend.

Entering his fourth year as the Commanders head coach, Rivera noted that his team's ability to do its homework and figure out how a player is going to fit into their system is more important now than ever.

"You have to really be even more diligent now because of what you do, it really has to fit and the player has to fit," Rivera said. "If you don't get that, you'll find out and that's the tough part because a little bit of this is projection." 

Those projections go for all three phases of the game. With Jack Del Rio entering his fourth year as defensive coordinator and Nate Kacroz also entering his fourth year as special teams coordinator, it at least gives Washington some consistency with what they're looking for.  

"You're trying to project whether or not the guy will fit in what you do offensively, defensively, or even special teams," Rivera said. "That was one of the conversations we've been having in our meetings is will some of these guys fit when they have to play special teams as well.” 

The one area that Washington might need the most diligence in projecting a player's fit is on offense with new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. With Bieniemy coming from the Kansas City Chiefs, the Commanders may find themselves looking at similar players as the defending champs in the draft. 

If that's where the team's diligence leads them, Rivera may have his team heading in the right direction.   

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