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McDermott confirms he's calling the defense

Bills head coach Sean McDermott confirmed that he will call defensive plays in the 2023 season with coordinator Leslie Frazier taking a year off.

PHOENIX — Sean McDermott is taking matters into his own hands. 

Responding to the first question at the AFC coach breakfast at the NFL meetings in Phoenix, he confirmed what many had assumed or expected.

He'll call the defense in 2023. 

"We've got good coaches on staff, as I've mentioned before we're not gonna go outside to fill that role it's heading towards me, at this point I'm gonna be the play caller and but at the same time, tons of confidence in the guys that we have around me that if I need to toss it to them from time to time I can do that."

This follows the news that dropped at the NFL combine that defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who had been McDermott's defensive coordinator since he became head coach in 2017, was taking a year off from coaching. 

During his tenure, Buffalo's defenses have ranked near the top of the league's statistical categories during the regular season. They have failed them in each of the last three postseasons that include divisional playoff losses to the Bengals and Chiefs, as well as an AFC Championship loss to Kansas City. 

There have been issues with both the pass rush, and the execution of coverages. 

McDermott was defensive coordinator in Carolina before becoming head coach in Buffalo. 

"It's been done before.  It's what I did coming up to do.  It's something I'm very comfortable with.  The key here is I have a very good staff around me. 

That includes Al Holcomb, who was hired as a senior defensive assistant earlier in the offseason.  He had been interim defensive coordinator in Carolina before Frank Reich became head coach of the Panthers. 

"I think everyone has slightly their own way.  Their signature if you will.  I learned years ago... unless you really doing it yourself it's never going to be exactly the same... We're all a little bit different and that's what comes through in the plays and sometimes that's good."

NOTE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that the Bills are signing free agent safety Taylor Rapp to a one-year deal. The Rams drafted Rapp in the second round in 2019.  He has 48 career starts. 

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