A New Era in Buffalo: Bills Hire Pete Carmichael as Offensive Coordinator
Joe Brady chose experience and familiarity when selecting his Offensive Coordinator, and I am all for it. Pete Carmichael was announced as the first-year head coach's new OC on January 30th (I’m late wrapping this one up). I will be honest, I did not know who this was leading up to the announcement. I was hearing the flashy names like Davis Webb and some familiar (to me) names like Anthony Lynn and Brian Daboll (never believed this was happening).
So who is Pete Carmichael? He started in the collegiate ranks as an Assistant Offensive Line Coach for the University of New Hampshire in 1994 and spent the following five years at Louisiana Tech as a Quarterbacks Coach. In 2000, he got his first crack at the NFL as a Tight Ends Coach for the Cleveland Browns. He went to Washington for the 2001 season in a Quality Control role before spending four years with the San Diego Chargers as an Offensive Assistant with Drew Brees at Quarterback.
Drew Brees left San Diego after the 2005 season to sign with the New Orleans Saints, and Carmichael accompanied him as Sean Payton’s Quarterbacks Coach (06-07) before adding Passing Game Coordinator to his title for the 2008 season. In 2009, Carmichael became the Saints' Offensive Coordinator and held that role for 15 seasons, the longest tenure in NFL history.
Carmichael spent two seasons as OC with the Saints under Coach Dennis Allen before joining Sean Payton in Denver for the 2024 season as his Senior Offensive Assistant.
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“I’m from the Sean Payton tree, his aggressiveness, his mindset,” Brady said of what stood out from New Orleans. “And there’s so many elements that I believe that we can continue to grow our offense with the pieces that we have, and I look forward to that.”
Why This Hire Makes Sense
Joe Brady has made it clear that he will continue to call plays as the Head Coach and referred to his time in New Orleans as being from the “Sean Payton tree” regarding his offensive approach and coaching style. Both of these factors played a significant role in tabbing Carmichael as his OC.
Carmichael has 30 years of coaching experience, but has only served as the play-caller for three of those seasons. He has called plays intermittently for parts of other seasons. Now he comes to Buffalo in the same capacity for Joe Brady. He has a proven record of success at implementing game plans and working with offenses without having to call the plays on game day.
New Orleans had 14 consecutive seasons with a total offense ranking in the top 10, top 5 in 8, and a top 5 scoring offense in 8 while Carmichael was there. They also produced seven first-team AP All-Pros during his tenure. Buffalo has had one offensive player named a first-team All-Pro in the last 35 years, and it wasn’t Josh Allen.
Pairing an OC that spent nearly two decades working with Drew Brees with your MVP quarterback is a nice addition to the staff and should only help Allen continue to progress as he enters his ninth season. From an athletic standpoint, Brees in his prime was nowhere near Allen. Allen is not the anticipatory, precision passer that Brees became under Carmichael. I am hopeful that this pairing will bring Allen’s game to a new level in 2026 and beyond.
New Offensive Ideas
There are three improvements to the offense that I am hoping we see with Carmichael’s addition to the staff. Bills running backs utilized in the passing game, more deep passing plays, and more tempo.
When I think of the Saints’ offenses from Carmichael’s time, I remember Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara being mismatch nightmares for opposing defenses as pass catchers in their offense. Sproles spent 3 seasons in New Orleans and averaged 101 targets and 77 receptions over that time. 40% of his career catches came in that stretch of his 14-year career. Kamara eclipsed 80 receptions four times and averaged 72 receptions a season under Carmichael. The Bills need to do the same with their running backs. James Cook is probably the closest in playing style to Kamara, but Ray Davis and Ty Johnson have proven to be dangerous pass catchers when given the opportunity.
The deep passing game has to be brought back to the Bills’ offense. We saw flashes of it at the end of the season with the late signing of Brandin Cooks, who spent three seasons in New Orleans with Brees and Carmichael. Now the Bills need to go out and find another deep threat to help take the top off defenses. The Saints made household names out of Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, and Lance Moore. I want to see the Bills bring in a WR1, but I also think they can add a player with deep-threat ability who won’t break the bank and can add a new dimension to the offense.
Tempo. The Saints’ offenses controlled games by dominating the time of possession while sprinkling in tempo when they had defenses on their heels. When the Bills have played in this style, they have excelled. Thinking back to their comebacks against Baltimore and Cincinnati, the fast pace seems to slow the game down for Allen and increase the offense's explosiveness. If Carmichael can harness this and work it into the offense to use when they want to, rather than when they need to, it's another new level we could see unlocked in the Bills’ offense.
Potential Roster Additions
Greg Dortch - Dortch is a shifty slot receiver who reminds me of what Lance Moore brought to the Saints’ offenses. This would be a low-risk, high-potential addition the Bills could bring in.
Rashid Shaheed - Shaheed was the hot name at the deadline linked to be on the Bills’ radar, but was traded to Seattle. He is a more expensive option, with an expected AAV in the $14 million range. In years past, I would have been against this kind of move. With a new mind at OC and the potential for change in the passing game, I am open to bringing in this style of player and treating them as an asset rather than a sunk cost, as with similar signings, i.e., Deonte Harty.
