The Bears have requested permission from the Buffalo Bills to interview their assistant head coach and defensive line coach Eric Washington, according to reports.
Washington, 54, has been an NFL coach since 2008 when he started with the Bears. He started as a defensive assistant before he was promoted to defensive line coach in 2010. He worked with the Panthers between 2011-19 before moving to the Bills in 2020 to the present day.
Along with Washington, the Bears have interviewed at least two other candidates for the position: Terrell Harris and Chris Harris. The difference between Washington and those two candidates is Washington is the only candidate with experience as a defensive coordinator.
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Washington was the Panthers' defensive coordinator for two seasons (2018-19). During those seasons, the Panthers' defense ranked 20th (23.9 points allowed per game) and 31st (29.4 points allowed per game).
In all likelihood, Eberflus will bring in a qualified candidate, potentially a first-time defensive coordinator. The key for Eberflus is not to hire someone who could overstep him since he has the keys to the defense.
Stay tuned to see who the Bears bring in to be Eberflus' right-hand man.
