Buffalo Bills OC Pete Carmichael excited to work with Joe Brady again

Since the Buffalo Bills lost to the Denver Broncos in this past season’s Divisional Round of the playoffs, it’s been anything other than status-quo at One Bills Drive. Gone is head coach Sean McDermott. In his place is Joe Brady, promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach in a move that surprised many observers.

To those outside the building, it felt too similar to status-quo in ultimately promoting Brady, but a look deeper reveals that Buffalo’s latest group of coaches is anything but the same old same old of the last nine seasons. Brady has begun assembling a nuanced team of coaches, both those relatively new to their respective roles, and others who have a wealth of experience.

Earlier this week, new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael had his first turn at the microphone since being hired by new Bills head coach Joe Brady. Immediately, Carmichael acknowledged his excitement in finally being able to get back to working with Brady — something the two did as part of Sean Payton’s coaching staff with the New Orleans Saints.

Carmichael understands how fortunate he is to be stepping into a role that allows him to work with quarterback Josh Allen, saying “(a)ll the years I was in New Orleans, when Drew Brees was there I was a good coach, so yeah, I’m pretty excited about that,” well aware that Allen is fully capable of making a bad play look brilliant.

In terms of play calling, Brady will continue to do that, but Carmichael was asked about his role in that process, to which he leaned in on his experience with Payton and the Saints:

“I think the main thing is, when you talk about things that might come up with the head coach that he’s got to deal with and he’s not able to be in the room, that the message that he wants portrayed whether it’s to the coaching staff, the team, whoever — that I’m portraying the exact same message that he would want the players to hear. Maybe: ‘How are we running this route?’; ‘How are we blocking this scheme?’ But he wants to make sure that the communication is as if he was in the room saying it.”

A popular topic at One Bills Drive since Stefon Diggs was sent packing, outsiders want to know what the team values in a wide receiver and how they intend to succeed at the position. Just a few minutes into his first presser, Carmichael was offered this very bridge, and he obliged, responding to what he believes “makes a good wide receiver”:

“I think there’s got to be some multiple guys and like each receiver might have a different, let’s just call it a different route tree or a different thing that they bring to the table. So, each receiver’s not gonna be great at every route — maybe there’s, ‘hey this receiver’s great in the slot’ and he can do some of those things. But I think the important thing when you have the room is your ability as a coaching staff is to make sure you’re putting those guys in those spots where they can have success and you’re not asking them to do things that maybe aren’t their specialty. But you know, you’re always looking for, I mean in an ideal world you’re always looking for size, speed. But I think that you know when you come across with the whole group it’s really saying ‘okay who fits our scheme, and how do those players fit our scheme.’”

When Carmichael was with New Orleans, he played a key role in the development of running back Alvin Kamara. Carmichael was asked how he might help Bills running back James Cook III become a similar player as a true dual-threat nightmare for opposing defenses.

“I think he’s already proven that he’s done some of those things, right? He’s pretty good, so maybe my goal is just not to screw him up. But, no, you know, just any great player wants to [be asked] ‘hey what’s something that, you know, you might see?’ And then you just give him a little coaching point or have an opportunity to talk to him and visit with him. But, just anything that he might be able to use, whether there is something that, you know, [similar to Kamara] ‘hey Alvin used to do this,’ or whatever. But I think I’m real excited about the player.”

In a follow-up, Carmichael further explained:

“You know, I think that part of that may just be as a coaching staff, giving him those opportunities, but then as you’re game planning during the week you’re making sure that ‘hey, there’s enough in there for him,’ that those opportunities are going to happen. You know, there’s some teams where you feel you might feel better about your matchups inside with your running backs and your tight ends as opposed to on the outside. And then there’s some weeks where — so I think it can vary week to week, but just giving him those opportunities getting the ball in his hands.”

Catch up now with all Pete Carmichael had to say in his first press conference, embedded below.