ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Joe Brady isn't the only person settling into his first offseason as coordinator.
"At this point, it's still pretty surreal," said Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich about his new role.
Bobby Babich, with the Bills as a defensive back and linebacker coach, now overseeing the entire defense as the DC.
"He did a lot of talking before here as the linebackers coach and now he's doing it from a defensive coordinator position," said edge rusher Von Miller. "You know, he's always been a great coach since I got here, and he's always had really great things to say in front of the defense and now it's his full-time job."
At just 40 years old, the Bills defense has seen Babich's youthful energy the past seven seasons. It's something the defensive players are excited to see continue.
"Just a lot of energy really," said Bills defensive back Cam Lewis. "He's very detail-oriented, so just bringing that juice factor into it and his football IQ is the highest that I've seen in any of the coaches that I've been a part of or been with."
Sean McDermott, who called defensive plays last year in a dual role as head coach, still hasn't confirmed if Babich will call plays in his first year as coordinator. We'll have to wait until training camp for an answer on that.
As for an answer on whether Babich is ready for that responsibility? He gave a passionate response.
"You're constantly trying to prepare yourself for when you get into this position but until you actually do something… you are never ready," Babich said. "I don't have the ego to sit up here and say, I'm ready."
Babich went on to add: "I'm vulnerable enough to say that I'm as prepared as I can possibly be and I'm going to continue to learn every day, every part of this process. So I'm going to continue to learn. I'm going to make mistakes, at whatever that this job entails. It's gonna happen, just like players make mistakes, like anybody new at a position makes mistakes."
However it shakes out, Babich has just one goal in mind as he assumes his new role.
"I'm as prepared as I can possibly be. I've got a great mentor upstairs who I've had for a multitude of years who I can lean on. I'm really, really, really excited for this opportunity, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help this team win a Super Bowl... I just want to be part of something special here in Buffalo."