3 Bills Eric Washington Could Lure to the Bears This Offseason
The Chicago Bears have spent the early part of the 2024 offseason revamping their coaching staff. Starting with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, the Bears are looking for fresh faces to come in and get this franchise back into the postseason.
Now, Matt Eberflus has also added a new defensive coordinator into the fray, hiring former Buffalo Bills assistant head coach and D-line leader Eric Washington as his new defensive coordinator.
Washington is coming from a Buffalo Bills team that is set to watch a lot of pending free agents walk in the 2024 offseason. Josh Allen’s cap hits are going to start rising. Even with a number of restructures and extensions given out, the Bills might have a much quieter offseason than their fan base is hoping for.
Their loss could be the Chicago Bears’ gain.
Who are a handful of Buffalo Bills players that could end up following Eric Washington to Chicago to play for the Bears in 2024?
1. Leonard Floyd, EDGE
How about we start with a little bit of a reunion?
Once upon a time, the Chicago Bears spent a first-round pick on Leonard Floyd, who was supposed to come in from Georgia and give them a dynamic presence off the edge immediately. Unfortunately, expecting immediate results from young players is rarely good practice in the NFL. Floyd struggled in his formative years with the Bears, combining for just 18.5 total sacks in his first four NFL seasons.
He ended up signing with the Los Angeles Rams in the 2020 offseason and setting a career-high with 10.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, and 30 total pressures. Floyd finally started to come into his own in his fifth NFL season, and all he’s done since leaving Chicago is have consistent success off the edge.
Over the last four seasons with the Rams and Bills, he’s got 39.5 combined sacks, 78 QB hits, and 123 total pressures.
Perhaps with Washington on board, the Bears could convince the veteran Floyd to come back to Chicago and finish where he started, giving the Bears a much-needed veteran boost off the edge opposite Montez Sweat.