Bears Seek Interview with Eric Washington for DC Per Report

The Bears are considering another defensive coordinator candidate with past ties to the organization from the Lovie Smith era.

The Bears asked permission to interview Buffalo Bills defensive line coach Eric Washington for their defensive coordinator position, according to a report by Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

Washington was the Bears defensive line coach when they went to the NFC Championship Game in 2010. He had been hired by Lovie Smith as an assistant in 2008 and was promoted for 2010 before leaving in 2011 to be Carolina Panthers defensive line coach for three years when former Bears player and defensive coordinator Ron Rivera became Panthers head coach.

Washington is more qualified in terms of experience as a defensive coordinator than the other two candidates reported, former Bears player and assistant Chris Harris and Titans defensive line coach/assistant head coach Terrell Williams.

Neither Harris, who is defensive passing game coordinator and safeties coach for the Titans, nor Williams, have been a defensive coordinator. Washington did it for two seasons for the Panthers under Rivera and the Panthers finished 15^th and 23^rd on defense, 19^th and 31^st in scoring defense. They were 12^th and 29^th against the run and 18^th and 13^th against the pass.