The Chicago Bears have put most of their focus on overhauling their offensive coaching staff. However, they needed to fill one big spot on the other side. Defensive coordinator had sat vacant most of the season after Alan Williams stepped down. Matt Eberflus took over those duties and managed to turn the defense around. However, he knew he’d need more help if he was going to handle the job long-term. That meant finding Williams’ replacement. After speaking to four candidates over the past week, the Bears found their man in Buffalo Bills defensive line coach Eric Washington.
It isn’t a surprising hire. Washington worked under Lovie Smith, Ron Rivera, and Rod Marinelli during much of his early career. All of them ran variations of the Tampa-2 defense, which Eberflus runs. He was a natural choice because of that experience. That said, his value goes far beyond scheme familiarity. Washington is also renowned as one of the better defensive line specialists in the NFL. Former defensive end Corey Wootton believes this will be a massive advantage for the organization, especially the younger guys.
None more so than Gervon Dexter.
Eric Washington has worked wonders with young defensive tackles.
He helped Henry Melton get off the ground during his rookie year in 2010. In Carolina, he turned Kawann Short into a two-time Pro Bowler. Since joining the Bills, he’s gotten excellent seasons from guys like Kyle Phillips (9.5 sacks in 2019) and Ed Oliver (9.5 sacks in 2023). Few are more qualified than him to handle the development of Dexter. It’s not hard to see why Eberflus targeted Washington specifically. A strong interior pass rush is vital to the success of this defensive system.
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Dexter flashed a ton of promise for the Bears this season. After a slow start, he finished with 2.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hits on the year. He had 29 pressures overall, which was fifth-best on the team. Pretty good for somebody several draft experts felt had no future as a viable pass rusher. The Bears saw it differently. His size, power, length, and athleticism were rare. If they could be harnessed with proper coaching, he has the capacity to become a monster. Eric Washington is uniquely qualified for that job.
