New Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington: 'We're going to build the best pass rush in football'

(670 The Score) New Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington set a high standard and made a bold proclamation Thursday at his introductory press conference at Halas Hall.

“We’re going to be a team that generates pressure with our front four,” Washington said. “We’re going to build the best pass rush in football.”

Washington won’t call the defensive plays – head coach Matt Eberflus will retain that responsibility – but he’s excited about his new job and added that he’ll “do everything that the coordinator is doing without actually calling the defense.”

First on the to-do list is improving the pass rush. The Bears only had 30 sacks in 2023, which ranked second-to-last in the NFL. They improved in that department after acquiring standout edge rusher Montez Sweat from the Commanders in a midseason trade (he had six sacks in nine games with Chicago), but the Bears also know there’s so much room to grow in that department. Chicago was 20th in the NFL with 97 quarterback hits in 2023, according to Pro Football Reference.

Before joining the Bears, the 54-year-old Washington had been the Bills' defensive line coach since 2020 and also served as the assistant head coach in Buffalo this past season. The Bills ranked fourth in the NFL with 54 sacks in the 2023 season. Washington previously served as the Panthers' defensive coordinator from 2018-’19.

“(Generating pressure) happens to be an area, fortunately, that I’ve had tremendous success with,” Washington said. “We have the personnel to get that done. We’ve got size, speed, quickness, length, Montez. I remember Montez through the pre-draft process when I was in Carolina. I really admired the traits, the mindset, all of those types of things. You look at the people that we already have here, I mean, it’s just exciting.”

This is Washington’s second stint with the Bears, as he was a defensive assistant and defensive line coach from 2008 to 2010 with Chicago.