AFC East Shakeup: Leslie Frasier taking 2023 season off from coaching Bills defense

BOSTON -- As Buffalo's defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier has guided a top-six defense in four of the last five seasons for the Bills. Frazier, though, won't be doing that in 2023.

The Bills announced on Tuesday that Frazier, 63, will take the 2023 season off from coaching, with the intention of returning to coaching in 2024.

The team offered no further details.

Frazier has not just been the defensive coordinator since 2017 but also the assistant head coach in Buffalo under Sean McDermott since 2020. A former NFL defensive back who led the famed 1985 Chicago Bears defense in interceptions, Frazier entered the NFL coaching ranks in 1999 under Andy Reid. He's coached for the Eagles, Bengals, Colts, Vikings, Buccaneers, Ravens and Bills, spending parts of four seasons as Minnesota's head coach from 2010-13. He spent two years as Tampa's defensive coordinator after that before spending one year as the Ravens' secondary coach in 2016. He joined the Bills the year after that and has remained there for six seasons.

Since 2018, the Bills have ranked second, third, 14th, first and sixth in yards allowed, while having the No. 1 or No. 2-ranked scoring defense three times since 2019.

The team hasn't named a replacement, though the Bills hired Al Holcomb as a senior defensive assistant.

The Patriots have certainly had their struggles against Frazier's defenses, particularly since Tom Brady left New England. In seven meetings since 2020, the Patriots have averaged just 16.4 points per game, going 1-6 in that time.