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GREEN BAY, Wis. – New Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is moving quickly to assemble his coaching staff, while Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is still searching for a defensive line coach.
On Wednesday, the Cowboys announced the hiring of Aaron Whitecotton as their defensive line coach. Whitecotton was among three candidates who had interviewed for the same position in Green Bay. However, both he and Kacy Rodgers, who recently moved from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Detroit Lions, are no longer available.
That leaves former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington as the only publicly known candidate still in contention.
LaFleur is looking for a replacement after firing Jason Rebrovich.
Washington appears to be a strong contender.
Before taking over as the Bears’ defensive coordinator in 2024, Washington spent four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He served as their defensive line coach in 2020 and 2021, took on the additional role of senior defensive assistant in 2022, and was named defensive line coach and assistant head coach in 2023.
“He is a great communicator with elite leadership skills, and he will enhance our current defensive staff,” former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said upon hiring Washington. “His track record speaks for itself, with coordinator experience and deep expertise in coaching the defensive line.”
During Washington’s tenure, Buffalo ranked first in points allowed, eighth in sacks, and 21st in yards allowed per carry.
“He has a real presence,” said Rod Marinelli, who coached Chicago’s defensive line in 2009 and was the team’s defensive coordinator in 2010, when Washington first entered the NFL coaching ranks. “He’s incredibly detailed and has a great way of working with people while maintaining a strong leadership style. He was eager to learn pass rushing techniques as he transitioned from college to the NFL, and I always respected his work ethic. He put in the hours and focused on the details, so you could tell he had the potential to be really good.”
The Packers need to improve their pass rush. In 2024, their defensive linemen, including first-round picks Rashan Gary (7.5 sacks), Devonte Wyatt (5.0), Lukas Van Ness (3.0), and Kenny Clark (1.0), combined for just 16.5 sacks—fewer than Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, who recorded 17.5 sacks on his own.
“I thought there were times this year we were able to rush with four,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “That’s the ideal approach for most teams. But there were also stretches where we weren’t effective enough, and everyone recognizes how much that impacts a football team.”
Former Bears defensive lineman Corey Wootton described Washington as an “old-school” coach—exactly the type needed to develop a young defensive line.
Aside from Clark, who just completed his ninth season, and Gary, who finished his sixth, the Packers’ defensive front is largely inexperienced. Kingsley Enagbare and TJ Slaton, both third-year players, are among the most seasoned members of the unit.
LaFleur might also consider promoting from within. Vince Oghobaase, who served as Rebrovich’s assistant last season, has significant experience. He was Jeff Hafley’s defensive coordinator at Boston College from 2020 to 2023 and previously worked as an assistant defensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 and 2017.
“I had the chance to work with Vince in San Francisco, and his football knowledge, energy, and dedication to players immediately stood out to me,” Hafley said after hiring Oghobaase in 2020.
“At Ohio State, he trained under one of the best defensive line coaches in all of football, Larry Johnson, and gained valuable experience as UCLA’s defensive line coach.”
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