Bills' McDermott expects to fill in calling defensive plays

PHOENIX (AP) — Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott will be pulling double duty in also serving as the team’s defensive play-caller in Leslie Frazier’s absence in the 2023 season.

“It’s heading towards me really at this point,” McDermott told reporters at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix on Monday.

McDermott’s announcement was not unexpected given his lengthy defensive background, and comes one month since the Bills announced Frazier is taking the 2023 season off from coaching with plans to return in 2024.

McDermott spent six seasons as the Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator before being hired by Buffalo in 2017. Before that, he held the same role for two seasons in Philadelphia.

Frazier served as Buffalo’s only defensive coordinator during McDermott’s tenure.

In taking over the play-calling duties, McDermott noted the depth of experience spread through his defensive staff and it is capable of handling part of the responsibility.

Buffalo’s defensive staff includes two former NFL coordinators in line coach Eric Washington and newly hired senior defensive assistant Al Holcomb.

“I’ve got tons of confidence in the guys we have around me that if I need to toss it to them from time to time, I can do that,” McDermott said.

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