The Commanders‘ Anthony Lynn has now officially interviewed with the Buffalo Bills for their head coaching job.

Lynn came to the Commanders as part of Dan Quinn’s original staff, hired in the 2024 offseason. Lynn is currently on the Washington staff, serving as the offensive run game Coordinator/running backs coach for the last two seasons under Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator.

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Lynn apparently interviewed well in 2017 with the Chargers, who had just moved from San Diego to Los Angeles. The Chargers then chose and hired Lynn to be their head coach, and improved quite well in Lynn’s first two seasons. The previous two seasons, 2015-2016, saw the Chargers struggle to 4-12 and 5-11 seasons. During Lynn’s first two seasons, the Chargers enjoyed 9-7 and 12-4 seasons. However, in Lynn’s next two seasons, the Chargers spiraled backward, posting 5-11 and 7-9 records. Subsequently, Lynn was fired and replaced by Brandon Staley.

Lynn certainly has four years of NFL head coaching experience, and that is four more than Philip Rivers, Joe Brady, and Lou Anarumo, who also interviewed by the Bills for the job. The Bills have also interviewed former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll. He was the head coach for four seasons (2022-2025), with his first season bringing the Giants’ only winning season in recent years.

What does all of this mean for the Commanders? Well, it goes back to the Rooney Rule. You see, not only does the NFL require teams to interview at least two minorities for GM, head coach, and coordinator position openings, but if a team loses a minority executive or coach to another team, that team would receive a third-round compensatory pick for two years.

Consequently, we all know the Commanders need draft choices to rebuild their roster full of holes. They don’t possess a draft pick in either the second or fourth rounds this upcoming draft. But, if the Bills were to hire Anthony Lynn as their head coach, the NFL would then reward the Commanders with two third-round compensatory draft choices.

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So, do you see both sides of the equation? Losing Lynn could be detrimental to young OC David Blough (age 30), who will need experienced coaches around him. On the other hand, might Commanders fans hope Lynn is hired as the next head coach of the Buffalo Bills?

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Anthony Lynn officially interviews with Bills