INDIANAPOLIS 鈥 The NFL offseason moves quickly, and the draft is inching closer. The NFL scouting combine is taking place this week, and with it, came Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott鈥檚 meeting with the media.
A good bit of McDermott鈥檚 Monday press briefing covered changes to the Bills鈥 coaching staff, as well as his thoughts on the current state of the team.
Bills coach Sean McDermott speaks during his postseason news conference on Jan. 30. As for a possible extension for running back James Cook, McDermott is leaving that up to general manager Brandon Beane.
McDermott confirmed the firing of special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley, a move reported earlier this month. At his end-of-season news conference in January, McDermott had voiced his confidence in Smiley and said that he would be back. Shortly after, reports came out that Smiley had been fired. McDermott clarified that he wanted to fully sort through the decision before finalizing it.
鈥淵eah, I did. I can confirm that,鈥 McDermott said Monday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hard business, right? Unfortunate part of the business, but a hard part of my job. And those decisions are hard decisions. And so, I know what I said after the season there, and for me, it鈥檚 wanting to take my time and go through it and making sure that I fully evaluate the position, but also where we need to go with that position.
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鈥淎nd so that was the reason for the timing on it.鈥
With that move came hiring Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator. A veteran coach, Tabor joins the Bills after a stint with the Carolina Panthers from 2022 to 2023. McDermott discussed how he鈥檚 known Tabor for years, and he has been keeping tabs on his development. With Tabor available, it was time to make a change.
鈥淚 would say probably one that was higher up on my scale was experience, veteran experience,鈥 McDermott said on what he was looking for.
McDermott likened it to when the Bills brought in offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, who also came with plenty of experience.
鈥淲hen you can get a coach like that, they鈥檙e hard to come by, number one. So, when you can get your hands on one, I think you鈥檝e got to take the swing, and that鈥檚 what I decided to do.鈥
The Bills also announced Monday the hiring of three additional coaches: Ryan Nielsen as a senior defensive assistant, Mike Pellegrino as nickel coach and Jason Rebrovich as assistant defensive line coach.
For Nielsen, McDermott said that he will help the defense as a whole, but his 鈥渕ain focus鈥 is going to be the defensive line.
鈥淲hen you can put good coaches around yourself as a head coach, it鈥檚 who have been there and done that at a high level,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淚t bodes for good things in the future.鈥
In addition to the hirings, McDermott confirmed that the Bills have moved on from head strength and conditioning coach Eric Ciano, and that the team is in the process of interviewing candidates for the opening.
McDermott said Monday it was too early for him to discuss any of the draft prospects.
鈥淯sually, thankfully, because we played later in the year, in the playoffs, but also because I like to come in with a blank slate for the most part, and then make my own evaluation and opinion on the player,鈥 McDermott said of his approach.
As far as the current Bills, running back James Cook has posted his feelings on how much he should be paid moving forward. Asked about Cook, McDermott mostly stuck to football, and called Cook a 鈥済reat example of one of the joys of that comes with coaching.鈥 But as far as an extension? McDermott is leaving that up to general manager Brandon Beane.
鈥淭he business part is going to take care of itself,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淏randon, I know, is on top of that, and you will be on top of that moving forward.鈥
McDermott is hoping some players will make the kind of jump that Cook did from Year 2 to Year 3. With tight end Dalton Kincaid, McDermott noted that Kincaid worked through injuries this past season, but still needs to get 鈥渟tronger and more durable for us to be out there even more.鈥 McDermott said that has been an ongoing conversation with the second-year tight end.
For rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman, McDermott acknowledged a 鈥渞ocky鈥 season after he returned from his wrist injury. But McDermott is still confident in the Bills鈥 recent second-round pick.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for him to learn from those moments of adversity, and come back and have a really, really, really strong offseason and get himself going into the start of season two here,鈥 McDermott said.
McDermott also confirmed that cornerback Christian Benford cleared concussion protocol after the season ended.
