Buffalo Bulletin: Eric Washington Named Assistant Head Coach

The Buffalo Bills have promoted defensive line coach Eric Washington to assistant head coach. The move is a surprise, not in that it happened, but who it happened to. It’s been met with immediate disapproval from the fanbase. Many don’t believe Washington is the man for the job; Many more point to other candidates who would have been preferable hires. Regardless, the move is final and Sean McDermott will have a new #2 for 2023.

Familiar Faces

Though we may not love the selection, it’s an easy choice for Sean McDermott. The Buffalo Bills employ many staff as ‘Senior Defensive Assistants’. Some hold other roles also, and there are many contributors to the Bills defensive game plans. Washington was promoted to that role last offseason, in addition to his DL coaching duties. Once Leslie Frazier was gone, McDermott needed a defensive-minded assistant again.

Of those senior assistants, there are none more familiar with Sean McDermott’s defense than Eric Washington.

When McDermott was hired to be the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator in 2011, Washington was one of the first names to be added to his staff. He worked under our head coach for six seasons in Carolina, and the defensive line was a powerhouse for much of that span. It was aggressive, tough, and proved McDermott was worthy of a shot at head coach. The pair coached in a Super Bowl together, allowing only one offensive TD in that game. All in all, they’ve got a decade of coaching together under their belts. But was Washington the right guy for the job?

Was Eric Washington the Right Hire?

Since coming to Buffalo in 2020, Eric Washington has been given a wealth of resources, and a long leash. He earned that opportunity, and many believed it was a great hire. Since then, however, there have been issues.

It’s a fallacy to simply assume that Washington has failed. We think that because a large amount of cap space, draft capital, and more were given to the defensive line, it must mean that our lack of dominance in that area is a coaching fault. Perhaps it’s true. Then again, how can we assume it’s one or the other? We need someone to blame for our disappointment, and it’s convenient to blame a coach. They aren’t the players we love to root for, and they don’t have a tangible impact on each play in the eyes of a fan.

However, those aforementioned investments are tangible. When you select a player early with great traits from the draft, you sign a number of high-profile free agents, and you spend a massive amount of the salary cap on one area, there is a set expectation for improvement. From an isolated point of view, it does seem that Eric Washington hasn’t fulfilled his role effectively.

The team hasn’t had a player with double-digit sacks since 2016 (Lorenzo Alexander, 12.5). We haven’t had a highly successful run defense in his tenure. This defense has excelled, but the defensive line hasn’t been the cause, rather a liability.

What This Means for the Defense

What’s done is done, though. Now that he’s taken on this role, we should prepare for some changes, albeit minor ones.

We cited Sean McDermott’s aggressive nature from his days with the Carolina Panthers. That may be part of the reason behind this promotion. With yet another offseason of defensive line investment, are we preparing for a return to the more blitz-happy days of our coach’s early career?

The acquisitions of Poona Ford and Leonard Floyd, as well as the growth of Greg Rousseau and the imminent return of Von Miller, may lean to a heavier blitz rate than we’ve previously witnessed. It’s an idea solidified by the extension of Ed Oliver.

More realistically, however, this is not an issue of change, but one of trust. McDermott is not looking to make sweeping changes all over the defense with this hire. He just needs someone he can look to in moments of importance, someone he trusts and understands. In that regard, there was no-one more qualified on this staff than Eric Washington.

Like this piece? Check out the previous Buffalo Bulletin on the reaction to the ‘Stefon Diggs Drama’.

The Buffalo Bulletin on Buffalo Fanatics is a weekly editorial by Iestyn Harris. Check back regularly for hot topics, riveting discussion, and, occasionally, some actual insight.

Featured Image Credit: Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK; Composite By Iestyn Harris