Eric Bieniemy says Stefen Wisniewski should be ready to help Chiefs soon

Eric Bieniemy has no doubts about Stefen Wisniewski’s ability to jump right back in and help the Chiefs.

Despite a player’s familiarity with a team’s concepts, coaching staff, or teammates, sometimes it can prove difficult for an incoming player to make himself at home with a new franchise. Eric Bieniemy says there’s no reason to worry about Stefen Wisniewski’s return to the Kansas City Chiefs at all.

The Chiefs recently re-signed Wisniewski to the team’s practice squad, and it’s likely only a matter of time until we see him back on the active roster for the first time since last season. For the first part of the 2020 season, Wisniewski was with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team with which he signed this offseason instead of rejoining the Chiefs for a chance to defend the title. Given his lifelong love of the Steelers as his hometown team, the dream to play at home was simply too much to pass up.

Unfortunately for Wisniewski, 2020 has been a tough season for the offensive lineman. Not only was he injured during the very first game of the year but he was subsequently placed on injured reserve and then released with a settlement. From there, he was a free agent wondering where or if he might play again. The Chiefs came calling soon thereafter and Wisniewski was signed to a new deal nearly two weeks after he’d been waived by the Steelers.

On Thursday, reporters asked offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy about the addition of Wisniewski back to the active roster. Bieniemy said he “looks just like Wis” and went on to give a confident statement about the lineman’s ability to slide right back in with the team.

"“Wis is gonna do anything and everything to make sure he’s getting himself back ready to play, to get himself right where he needs to be in case we need him to plug in right away. He’s a sharp kid. He understands the system. Coach Heck does a great job with those guys. On top of that, that o-line group is a tight knit group, so I’m sure those guys with the chemistry have just fell right back into place.”"

Wisniewski is not yet with the active roster, but given the o-line concerns of recent weeks, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see him not only promoted to the 53-man roster but also given snaps with the starting line sometime in the next game or two. The Chiefs face the Broncos on Sunday night at home in Week 13 and then travel to face the Miami Dolphins in Week 14.

Wisniewski first joined K.C. in the middle of last season as well and went on to become a starter at left guard down the stretch, including the team’s entire postseason run to a Super Bowl win.