Chicago Bears to hire Eric Washington as defensive coordinator, per report

The Bears have found their defensive coordinator.

According to a report from the NFL Network, the Bears are expected to hire Eric Washington as defensive coordinator. Washington has been a Buffalo Bills assistant coach since 2020. Last season he served as assistant head coach/defensive line coach.

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus will continue to call plays for the defense, per the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Washington replaces former Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams, who resigned unexpectedly just two weeks into the 2023 season.

Washington has 17 years of NFL coaching experience. The 54-year-old coach began his coaching career at the college level, including a stint as Northwestern’s defensive line coach from 2004-07. His NFL path began as a defensive assistant for the Bears in 2008. He worked for the Bears for three seasons, including a promotion to defensive line coach in 2010.

Washington then followed Ron Rivera to the Carolina Panthers, where he worked as both defensive line coach (2011-17) and later defensive coordinator (2018-19). When the Panthers fired Rivera and his staff, Washington headed to Buffalo to work with coach Sean McDermott.

Washington has never worked with Eberflus, but he has spent his career coaching in similar systems under Lovie Smith and Rivera.

The Bears defense improved significantly as the 2023 season went along. With Williams’ sudden departure, Eberflus called plays for the defense beginning in Week 2 and continuing through the rest of the season. Following some early struggles, the defense found its stride after adding star pass rusher Montez Sweat in a trade-deadline deal with Washington.

With the defense finding success while Eberflus was calling plays, it’s no surprise that the head coach will continue to do so in 2024.

The Bears have now filled both their vacant coordinator positions. Earlier this week they hired former Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to be their offensive coordinator. Washington will oversee a defensive coaching staff that remains largely intact following the 2023 season. The defensive coordinator position was the only vacant role.