Todd Bowles

NFC Coaching Rumors: Bucs, Bowles, Kafka, Martindale, Lions, Falcons, Cardinals

January 27th, 2025 at 9:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Liam Coen‘s Buccaneers divorce has become one of the most memorable staff separations in recent years. In addition to the Bucs’ OC search, multiple additional fallout items have emerged from Coen backtracking on an extension agreement to accept the Jaguars’ HC offer. Some around the league are now wondering how willing coordinator candidates will be to join up with Todd Bowles, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones writes. Bowles has evaded firing rumors for multiple seasons, though it was quieter on that front in 2024. While it is a bit odd that he continues to win division titles (3-for-3 in that regard), the rumors about the veteran HC’s murky status in Tampa persist.

On that note, Jones adds the Bucs should not be expected to let any coaches out of their contracts to follow Coen to Jacksonville. Bowles, Jason Licht and assistant GM Mike Greenberg attempted to reach Coen on Thursday, when he was supposed to sign his Bucs extension. Coen had already delayed the signing. The one-and-done Tampa Bay OC had even fibbed about a personal matter to continue his Jags negotiations, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicated during a Pat McAfee Show appearance the Bucs were plenty irked about his exit process.

Here is the latest from the NFC side of the coaching carousel:

The Bucs have completed four interviews with outside candidates, but an internal Coen replacement option has surfaced as well. Pass-game coordinator Josh Grizzard is on the radar to be promoted, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes. Grizzard, 34, has been in the NFL since 2017 and joined Bowles’ staff to work under Coen. The Bucs thought they had avoided a scenario in which they use a fourth OC in four seasons, via the Coen agreement, and Mayfield will now have a sixth play-caller since the 2021 campaign. An internal promotion would help ensure some familiarity.
Mike Kafka is still in the running for the Saints‘ HC job, though Kellen Moore and Mike McCarthy may be more likely to land the job. If the Giants’ OC were to pull an upset and jump from a 3-14 team to another club’s top coaching job, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes he would be expected to bring Wink Martindale with him as DC. Kafka and Martindale worked together in New York for two seasons, before the latter’s explosive 2024 exit. Martindale, who spent the 2024 season as Michigan’s DC, interviewed for the Colts and Falcons’ DC jobs this month.
Acting swiftly to fill the void created when Kelvin Sheppard made the jump to replace Aaron Glenn, the Lions are elevating another recent NFL linebacker. Detroit will promote Shaun Dion Hamilton to its LBs coaching post, 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz tweets. Hamilton attempted to make the Lions’ active roster in 2022 but instead found a job on their coaching staff. Dan Campbell hired Hamilton, an ex-Washington defender, as an assistant. He moved up to assistant LBs coach in 2023, and at 29, is climbing the ladder again.
The Falcons are making two hires for Jeff Ulbrich‘s defensive staff. They added Mike Rutenberg as pass-game coordinator and Nate Ollie as D-line coach. Rutenberg will follow Ulbrich from the Jets, having coached their linebackers for four seasons. The Robert Saleh hire oversaw the development of Quincy Williams from waiver claim to All-Pro, while Ollie was also on Saleh’s first Jets staff. The Colts hired him as D-line coach in 2022, and he landed with the Texans as assistant D-line coach last year.
The Cardinals are losing their linebackers coach to a college coordinator role. Virginia Tech hired Sam Siefkes to be its next DC. Jonathan Gannon had hired Siefkes after two years as a Vikings assistant. Prior to that, he had served in the college ranks, heading up Wofford’s defense. Additionally in Arizona, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the team is not bringing back D-line coach Derrick LeBlanc. On the Dolphins’ staff before heading to Arizona in 2023, LeBlanc had spent nearly two decades at the college level.

Liam Coen Fallout: Jags, Bucs, Baalke, Bowles, Contract, Glazers, Rooney Rule

January 24th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Buccaneers become the first team to lose their offensive coordinator in back-to-back years since the 2013-14 Ravens, that development came after it initially looked like the NFC South team had reached an agreement to retain Liam Coen. A Jaguars front office decision certainly looks to have changed Coen’s plans.

When the Jaguars fired Trent Baalke not long after Coen declined a second interview, the AFC South club contacted its top candidate and asked he would reconsider in light of the GM shakeup, according to ESPN.com. Baalke’s presence was believed to be a deterrent for certain coaching candidates this year, and while Coen was among them, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco indicates the GM was not the main reason Coen initially declined a Jags second meeting. That said, Coen’s Wednesday call “embarrassed” the Jaguars, who abruptly changed course as a result.

Upon firing Doug Pederson on Jan. 6, Shad Khan called a full-on overhaul — which a Baalke ouster would have meant — “suicide” for the organization. Yet, barely two weeks later, he was gone. The Jags had seen Ben Johnson express issues with their setup, as Baalke was running a search that could have ended with him out the door — depending on the hire. That undoubtedly would have influenced the four-year Jags GM to go in certain, safe directions. Instead, he is out and Coen will now have a major say in who replaces the embattled exec.

Coen told GM Jason Licht he sought a record-breaking OC sum to stay in charge on offense, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes, with Fox Sports’ Greg Auman indicating the Bucs were prepared to pay him would close to $4.5MM per year. We heard Wednesday the number would have been in the Vic Fangio neighborhood among top coordinator salaries. Coen will make much more with the Jags, who have been tied to authorizing “Johnson-level money.” Bucs ownership approved Coen’s raise but did not with to continue a negotiating battle with their one-year OC, Breer adds. Though, the sides were not done talking money.

The initial Tampa Bay offer emerged before Coen’s virtual interview with the Jaguars, which the Glazer family encouraged him to take. Bucs ownership, however, said its offer to Coen was contingent on him not taking a second Jaguars interview. (However, even had Coen signed a Bucs contract, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds NFL rules would have prevented the Bucs from blocking any further Jags meetings.)

Certainly realizing he had a great chance at the Jags job, Coen again asked the Bucs for more money. Tampa Bay ownership responded, per Breer, by confirming no additional raise would come. Although the Bucs wanted a Coen answer on their initial proposal by Monday, he stalled until Wednesday. During that wait, a report indicated the Bucs were prepared to lose Coen. Though, this was all before the Jags’ Baalke decision. Baalke’s previous presence in Jacksonville looks to have kept Tampa Bay’s offer to Coen viable.

Coen, 39, informed the Bucs he was staying and would sign an extension. That did not deter the Jags, who were the only team believed to be seriously considering Coen. This would have stood to limit Coen’s leverage. After all, he has not stayed with the same employer since the 2018-20 seasons, his first stint with the Rams, and his Rams OC stay did not go well in 2022. The Cowboys, Raiders and Saints did not interview Coen. But the Bucs talks doubled as his other option, strengthening his stance in this Florida battle.

Reports Thursday indicated the Bucs were unable to reach Coen, who was to sign the deal Wednesday afternoon, but he asked Licht if he could instead do so Thursday. By Thursday morning, the Bucs had not heard from him. Assistant GM Mike Greenberg contacted Coen about the contract of another offensive assistant. That call went unanswered, as did Licht and Todd Bowles efforts to reach the 2024 Bucs OC, per Breer, who adds Coen’s agent then informed the Bucs his client was dealing with a personal matter. After more Bucs attempts to reach Coen failed, he told Bowles of the personal matter Thursday afternoon while also informing his boss he was still considering the Jacksonville job. A Jags source then tipped off the Bucs Coen was in Jacksonville.

This component does not exactly make Coen’s handling of the situation look great, though Breer indicates the Jags wanted Coen to keep his belated Duval County visit secret. But he has successfully moved up the coaching ladder — albeit in a roundabout manner — with the extraordinarily rare chance as a rookie HC to effectively choose his GM. Kyle Shanahan had this opportunity in 2017, but he had certainly climbed to a higher NFL perch by the time the 49ers gave him that power. Coen is a two-time NFL OC, though the ex-Sean McVay hire only has two years on the job (and two more in college, at Kentucky).

Coen’s delay also gave the Jaguars the chance to meet the Rooney Rule requirement. They had interviewed multiple minority candidates already, but only one of those meetings (Robert Saleh‘s) was in-person. While Coen was negotiating, the Jags met with Raiders DC Patrick Graham, who could have canceled his meeting had word of the Coen talks leaked.

This also does not shine a good light on Jacksonville’s search, but this is hardly the only team to use the Rooney Rule as a box to check rather than giving strong consideration to hiring a minority candidate. Saleh’s second interview never happened, as the Coen matter moved toward the goal line, and the former is now back with the 49ers as DC.

Despite Coen’s uneven resume, many within the Bucs organization viewed him as HC-ready, ESPN.com’s Jeff Darlington tweets. In fact, Darlington adds that a scenario in which the team fired Bowles and promoted Coen was believed to have been in play if Week 18 had ended without a playoff qualification. This would have reminded of the Bucs’ decision to fire Lovie Smith and promote his OC (Dirk Koetter) in 2017. The Bucs also promoted from within to fill their current HC job, with Bruce Arians‘ resignation elevating Bowles, who is now looking for a new play-caller yet again.

Bowles has dodged firing rumors for years now, having mounted charges to the NFC South title in each of the past two after hanging on to secure the Bucs a playoff home game in Tom Brady‘s final season. The Bowles part of this messy divorce makes his status worth monitoring next season, but for now, he will set his sights on another OC search.

Latest On Buccaneers, Todd Bowles

January 5th, 2024 at 10:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Losing at home to the Saints in Week 17, the Buccaneers still have the inside track to win a third straight NFC South crown. They can clinch the NFC’s No. 4 seed by beating the 2-14 Panthers. Should that not occur, Todd Bowles may be out of a job.

Bucs ownership has been looking into options at head coach for weeks, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, who points Bowles not being a lock to return even if the team does hold off its rivals and advances to the postseason. A one-sided wild-card loss would put Bowles in jeopardy of being fired a week after Black Monday.

No coach has been let go following back-to-back playoff berths since the Broncos replaced John Fox with Gary Kubiak following the 2014 season, which ended with a divisional-round upset against the Colts. The Bucs made a similar change weeks after a divisional-round exit 2022, but while some classified Bruce Arians‘ mid-offseason retirement as a Tom Brady power play, the veteran HC repeatedly insisted that was not the case. But firing a coach after a playoff berth is not common ground in recent NFL history. No coach has been canned firing a playoff appearance since the Titans axed Mike Mularkey following the 2017 team’s divisional-round voyage.

Of course, should Bowles hold serve and guide his team to win over Carolina, this would not be akin to the Fox ouster. The Broncos had won at least 12 games from 2012-14; the Bucs will close out back-to-back seasons with fewer than 10 victories. They are the odds-on favorite to win a bad division for the second straight year. Bowles received four years with the Jets, going 34-34 from 2015-18. A win Sunday would put him at .500 through two years in Tampa (17-17) as well.

Bowles, 60, oversaw one of the most dominant defensive efforts in Super Bowl history, as the Bucs held the high-octane Chiefs offense without a touchdown, and was a sought-after DC candidate back in 2019. He oversaw a disappointing 2022 season in Brady’s finale, firing several assistants — including OC Byron Leftwich — at season’s end.

This year’s team started 3-1 but slunk to 4-7. After four straight wins, the Bucs fell behind 17-0 in a loss to the Saints that left their playoff hopes in doubt. The Panthers matchup doubles as a must-win for the Bucs, and it may well become a must for Bowles as well. This is certainly an unstable time for the NFC South; rumblings about the job security of Arthur Smith and Dennis Allen have come up weeks after the Panthers canned Frank Reich.

Should Tampa Bay move on, it could also complicate Baker Mayfield‘s status with the team. A shift to a new HC could mean a new offensive play-caller, with Dave Canales in limbo without Bowles; that might mean a pivot at quarterback as well. The Bucs firing GM Jason Licht, rumored last month, would further complicate a Mayfield return, La Canfora posits. As of now, Mayfield and the Bucs have mutual interest in a second contract. The former No. 1 overall pick would be an interesting free agent, being set to carry more value than he did last year, if the Bucs let him reach the market.

Staff Rumors: Licht, Bowles, Bills, Patriots

December 14th, 2023 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jason Licht built a Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers roster, doing so after luring Tom Brady to Tampa and completing an all-in effort that kept the Bucs as an elite team in 2021 as well. The 10th-year GM did not oversee a playoff team until Brady’s arrival, and the team regressed after the all-time great unretired last year. But the Bucs are back atop the NFC South, in another bad year for the division, with Baker Mayfield at the helm. This status aside, the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes Licht and second-year HC Todd Bowles may be on the hot seat. Pointing to ownership’s interest in starting over to begin a rebuild, La Canfora indicates each of the Bucs’ top two decision-makers could be in trouble.

In his sixth season as a head coach, Bowles is overseeing a No. 13-ranked defense (DVOA places the unit 17th). The former Jets HC has taken heat for his clock management, and the Bucs have certainly dipped as a whole compared to the two Brady-Bruce Arians years. Bowles one-and-done rumors emerged late last season, and the Bucs dropped from 3-1 to 4-7 this year. With a clear chance to either qualify for the playoffs as the NFC South champ or as a wild card, the Bucs do not profile as a clear-cut candidate to dismantle their setup. But this does look to be a consideration.

Here is the latest from the coaching and front office ranks:

Weathering a storm of his own making last week, Sean McDermott has the Bills at 7-6. While that is a disappointing record given the team’s plus-104 point differential, Buffalo looms as a dangerous team in the AFC wild-card race. Prior to the report about McDermott using the 9/11 hijackers as an example of teamwork back in 2019, the seventh-year HC was viewed as close to a lock to return in 2024. The Bills HC, however, may not be completely in the clear, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes. The Bills still have matchups against the Cowboys and Dolphins. While McDermott has led a recovery effort that has featured five playoff appearances in six years, not advancing to this year’s bracket — in a conference littered with backup QBs — would be a major disappointment. Would that fate be enough for the Bills to cut bait?
On the subject of the Bills’ staff, the team hired another assistant following Ken Dorsey‘s firing. Former Buffalo University OC DJ Mangas is now on McDermott’s staff as an offensive assistant, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets. Mangas also was on the 2019 LSU staff alongside current Bills OC Joe Brady. Mangas, 34, spent this season as the MAC program’s OC; he was LSU’s pass-game coordinator in 2021. The Bills added Mangas to their staff during their Week 13 bye, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets. This is Mangas’ first NFL gig.
Syracuse firing longtime HC Dino Babers will have ramifications for the Patriots. The ACC program will poach Ross Douglas from New England, per ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel, who notes the three-year Pats assistant will work as the wide receivers coach under new Orange coach Fran Brown. Douglas, 29, climbed to the role of Patriots wideouts coach this year. While the Patriots are expected to move on from their legendary HC after the season, it is not known if Jerod Mayo would replace Bill Belichick and retain a number of assistants. An outside staffer coming in would point to the Pats’ staff being mostly sacked.

Bucs To Start YaYa Diaby Over Joe Tryon-Shoyinka

December 3rd, 2023 at 12:13pm CST by Rory Parks

The Buccaneers have made a switch at outside linebacker. Head coach Todd Bowles said on a recent appearance on the Buccaneers Radio Network that third-round rookie YaYa Diaby, who earned the first start of his pro career against the Colts last week, will start opposite Shaq Barrett moving forward, thereby relegating Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to reserve duty (via JoeBucsFan.com).

Tryon-Shoyinka, a 2021 first-rounder, solidified himself as a starting OLB at the end of his rookie season and started 16 of Tampa Bay’s 17 games in 2022. He posted four sacks and 10 QB hits in 2021, but despite playing nearly twice as many snaps the following season, he again registered four sacks and just 14 QB hits. Thus far this season, he has again tallied four sacks to go along with six QB hits.

The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus consider Tryon-Shoyinka a slightly above-average edge defender in 2023, assigning him a 67.1 overall score and a 63.5 mark as a pass rusher, which are nearly identical to the grades he earned in 2022. That is a respectable enough performance, but at this point, the Bucs probably expected more from a former first-round pick in his third professional campaign. As Bowles said, Diaby “does some things better than Joe” and “probably is the [physically] strongest [outside linebacker] we have out there.”

In roughly 150 fewer snaps, Diaby has matched Tryon-Shoyinka’s sack total and has recorded just one fewer QB hit. He turned in a two-sack performance in Tampa Bay’s Week 11 loss to the 49ers, which is what prompted Bowles to elevate him to the starting lineup against Indianapolis in Week 12.

The hope, of course, is that Diaby can provide more of a consistent threat to opposing quarterbacks, especially since Barrett — who suffered a torn Achilles in the middle of last season — is struggling to match the level of production he has enjoyed for much of his Bucs tenure. Buoyed by strong showings from D-linemen Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, the club at least has managed to remain in the middle of the pack in terms of total sacks.

While Bowles did say that Tryon-Shoyinka would still see playing time, the demotion comes at a very bad time for the Washington product. Tampa Bay will have to make a decision on his fifth-year option by May 2024, and it seems unlikely the team will exercise it. The option would give Tryon-Shoyinka a fully-guaranted salary of $12.8MM in 2025.

Buccaneers Expected To Retain HC Todd Bowles Through 2023 Season

December 2nd, 2023 at 8:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Buccaneers began the season 3-1, but they have secured only one victory since then. That has led to speculation about a potential midseason coaching change, but one does not appear to be on the horizon.

Team officials inform Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times Todd Bowles is safe for at least the rest of the 2023 season. The Buccaneers sit at 4-7 on the year, but by virtue of residing in the NFC South, a postseason berth is still well within reach. Tampa Bay sits just one game behind the Falcons and Saints for the top spot in the division.

As Stroud notes, the Glazer family (which owns the team) is not known for authorizing in-season changes on the sidelines. For that reason, along with the injuries which have hampered an already in-flux roster, it would come as little surprise if Bowles were to be given the rest of the campaign to salvage the season. The 60-year-old has been in place since Bruce Arians‘ retirement at the end of March in 2022.

Tampa Bay went 8-9 last year, a mark which was sufficient to win the NFC South. The Buccaneers lost their playoff opener, but it was expected before the game that Bowles would remain at the helm for 2023. An offseason headlined by Baker Mayfield replacing the twice-retired Tom Brady saw a number of inexperienced players take on increased roles in the wake of numerous veteran departures. Inconsistent play on both sides of the ball has followed, leading to calls for Bowles to be dismissed. He is aware of the pressure he faces in general and heading into tomorrow’s game against the 1-10 Panthers in particular, but it is not something at the front of his mind.

“Not at all. Not at all,” Bowles said when asked if he feels he is coaching for his job. “I’ve been coaching way too long. You coach for your job every time you’re in this business. Good or bad. As a coach, you understand that… You’re never going to be at the top of your game. You coach, you get better and that’s all you do.”

If the Buccaneers can effectively navigate their remaining schedule (which includes two games against Carolina and one each against Atlanta and New Orleans) and secure another playoff berth, Bowles will improve his case for being retained after an offseason evaluation. As things currently stand, that is the earliest point at which a coaching change will be coming in Tampa Bay.

Buccaneers QBs Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask Splitting First-Team Reps

August 4th, 2023 at 10:34am CST by Adam La Rose

The Buccaneers are continuing the evaluation process of their quarterback competition, one which has not been met with much fanfare considering the pedigree of Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask compared to predecessor Tom Brady. Both of the candidates are receiving considerable looks with the first-team offense.

Tamp Bay is alternating Mayfield and Trask with the starters and backups during practice, as noted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Head coach Todd Bowles has, understandably, not been in a hurry to name a starter during the offseason with plenty of time remaining for one signal-caller to outperform the other. Trask said that he feels “the most ready” he has been to date in his NFL career, one which started in 2021 but has seen him attempt only nine regular season passes.

The former second-rounder has been pegged as the underdog in the competition so far, with Mayfield holding a substantial edge in experience and familiarity with the type of scheme being implemented by new offensive coordinator Dave Canales. A strong recent showing from Trask with respect to ball security, however, has helped him gain ground, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports.

A plan for how the pair will be used in preseason has yet to be sorted out, but exhibition games will obviously go a long way in determining whether Mayfield or Trask will get the nod for Week 1. The former acknowledged that earning a starting gig is nothing new to him, having had to supplant an incumbent at both the college and NFL levels. The Heisman winner and former No. 1 pick has not seen his pro career go according to plan, though, giving him signficant impetus to succeed with his fourth NFL team.

Mayfield signed a one-year, $4MM deal to compete for the starting gig after seeing his Panthers tenure flame out and serving as a Rams fill-in to close out the 2022 season. Winning the top job and delivering an encouraging performance would boost the 28-year-old’s value either on a new Tampa contract or on the open market next offseason. Plenty is yet to be determined ahead of the Buccaneers’ preseason opener next week, however.

“It’s been tight and that’s a good thing,” Bowles said of the competition, via Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times. “Obviously, you want players to compete for a spot. You don’t want anybody getting their spot. You want to earn your spot year to year. Both guys are having healthy competition. We’re just looking forward to the game.”

With neither passer standing out above the other so far, the situation in Tampa Bay will be worth watching through August. Considering the equal opportunities being given to each, a final decision on a regular season starter should not be expected for several weeks.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 4th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.

The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.

Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.

After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:

Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023

Buccaneers Have Not Received Calls On LB Devin White

April 27th, 2023 at 2:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

After negotiations on a long-term deal failed to produce an agreement, Buccaneers linebacker Devin White asked to be traded. More than two weeks after that development, Tampa Bay has yet to receive any interest on that front.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that teams have yet to make any inquiries on the availability of the former fifth overall pick. White, 25, is due to play on the fifth-year option in 2023 at a cost of $11.7MM. Being under contract for only one season would, of course, make it difficult for the Buccaneers to get fair value back in a trade, but his asking price on an extension represents another obstacle.

White is reportedly seeking between $18MM and $20MM per season on a long-term deal, which would place him in the top five in annual compensation amongst middle linebackers. To little surprise, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht made it clear the team has no intention of moving on this offseason. That stance is easier to hold firm on in the absence of trade offers, and it is being echoed by head coach Todd Bowles.

“We got him onboard another year like Jason Licht said,” Bowles said, via Stroud. “We discussed it. We know we’re not trading him and we’ll go from there. We know it’s the offseason right now so nothing counts and we’re expecting him to be there when the season starts.”

White had another highly productive campaign in 2022 in terms of tackles (124) and sacks (5.5), but his issues with consistency and pass coverage persisted. He will still be in line for a large workload alongside veteran Lavonte David if he remains with the team in 2023, though, making him a crucial part of the team’s long-term plans. David signed a one-year deal this offseason, and is approaching his age-33 season, so White is likely to be counted on to fill the void of his absence in the near future.

Tampa Bay is also entering this weekend’s draft with the need to get younger at a number of positions; trading away White would create another notable roster hole. On the other hand, the Buccaneers hold nine selections, meaning they would have several opportunities to add a rookie linebacker if an interested suitor for White were to emerge. As of now, though, that appears unlikely to take place.

Latest On Buccaneers’ Staff Changes, Free Agency Plans

January 25th, 2023 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Buccaneers are on the lookout for a new offensive coordinator, with Byron Leftwich being the highest-profile coach the team moved on from amid a spree of dismissals and retirements last week. Both Todd Bowles and Tom Brady voiced concerns about Leftwich last season.

Bowles and Brady complained about the offense’s predictability, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, who adds the team’s lack of commitment to the run game was one of the issues. Bowles believed teams had caught onto Leftwich’s offense, which tumbled off its elite perch of previous years, and Brady problems with the offense emerged back in December.

Tampa Bay finished 25th in scoring, and although it ranked 15th in total offense, a last-place ground attack dragged down the latter number. The Bucs ranked 32nd across the board on the ground, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry and totaling just five rushing touchdowns. The Bucs went from 61 TDs in 2021 to 31 this season. Leonard Fournette‘s three-year, $21MM deal produced just 668 rushing yards (3.5 per tote) in 16 games. Much of these woes can be attributed to the changes to Tampa Bay’s interior offensive line, which lost all three of its previous starters — Ryan Jensen (injury), Ali Marpet (retirement), Alex Cappa (free agency) — to lead to lesser replacements creating problems for Brady and the run game. Brady showing signs of decline did not help matters for Leftwich, either.

But Leftwich and other Bruce Arians-hired staffers took the fall. Arians is not pleased with what happened last week, Stroud said during a WDAE Radio interview (via JoeBucsFan.com). The three-year Bucs HC, who gave the keys to Bowles in a surprising move last March, is “disappointed” and “hurt” his successor canned several of his staffers. Those assistants, some of whom having additional years on their contracts, had been told they would be there as long as Bowles was, per Stroud. Of course, NFL teams’ plans change rapidly. And an 8-9 season was not exactly where the Bucs thought they would be given their performances in 2020 and ’21. Bowles figures to enter the 2023 season on the hot seat. Arians spent the season as a senior advisor to Jason Licht, though he admitted late in the season he missed coaching.

As Bowles gathered his staff for a postmortem Thursday morning — prior to informing Leftwich and Co. they were being fired — he mentioned the team would have a difficult time signing free agents, per Stroud. The Bucs are nearly in Saints territory in terms of cap space, ranking ahead of only their restructure-happy rivals around the league. As of Wednesday, Tampa Bay sits $54MM-plus over the projected 2023 cap. The Bucs have been active in free agency over the past two years, mostly via re-signings. But the team had brought back a number of its top free agents — from Jensen to Carlton Davis in 2022 to Shaq Barrett, Lavonte David and Rob Gronkowski in 2021 — during Brady’s stay.

Following that meeting, Bowles called select assistants into his office to inform them of the dismissals. Despite the persistent run-game struggles, Bowles kept Arians hires Harold Goodwin (run-game coordinator) and Joe Gilbert (O-line coach). The team had discussions with Bill O’Brien as a Leftwich contingency plan last year, in the event the latter landed the Jacksonville HC job. O’Brien was Brady’s OC (or de facto OC, as the Patriots sometimes do not do coordinator titles) for three seasons, but he is now back with the Pats.

The Bucs have begun their OC search, with a few candidates surfacing Tuesday. While Leftwich’s ouster may influence Brady in free agency, the early word coming out of Tampa is the 45-year-old superstar will explore other options if he is to play a 24th season.

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