The Bucs introduced a number of adjustments to their teaching workers on Friday. The largest revelation was the re-hiring of Mike Caldwell, who will function the crew’s inside linebackers coach as soon as once more. Caldwell joined Tampa Bay’s teaching workers with Todd Bowles when Bowles was the defensive coordinator underneath Bruce Arians in 2019. Caldwell helped the Bucs win Tremendous Bowl LV in 2020 and left after the 2021 season to turn into the defensive coordinator in Jacksonville for 2022-23.
Larry Foote had been serving because the crew’s inside linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator since Caldwell’s departure in 2021. Previous to that, he served as Tampa Bay’s exterior linebackers coach from 2019-2021 the place he helped develop Shaq Barrett right into a two-time Professional Bowler.
Bucs move sport coordinator George Edwards and head coach Todd Bowles – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
In 2019, Barrett’s first season with the Bucs, he set the franchise single-season sack report with 19.5 sacks, which led the league that 12 months. Jason Pierre-Paul additionally had a Professional Bowl season underneath Foote’s tutelage in 2020 with a team-leading 9.5 sacks.
This can be a welcomed transfer as your complete exterior linebacker room underwhelmed final 12 months with a mixed 12 sacks underneath George Edwards, who coached the place for the previous two seasons. Edwards is now not a place coach in Tampa Bay and has been moved to the function of move sport coordinator on protection.
Edwards had come underneath fireplace from Pewter Report this previous season for the failure to develop younger exterior linebackers like Yaya Diaby, Chris Braswell, Jose Ramirez and Markees Watts.
Foote, who beforehand held that function along with teaching inside linebackers, will now be the run sport coordinator on protection. Departed line of defense coach Kacy Rodgers had that title final 12 months.
Mike Caldwell Has His Palms Full In Return To Bucs
Mike Caldwell is a veteran inside linebackers coach and his expertise will likely be put to good use in 2025 in his return to Tampa Bay. The Bucs could or could not have 35-year outdated Lavonte David again this season relying on whether or not he needs to retire or maintain enjoying. The Bucs are anticipated to maneuver on from free agent Okay.J. Britt, who was the opposite starter for many of the 12 months.
Bucs ILBs coach Mike Caldwell – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
SirVocea Dennis returns and will contend for a beginning job, however has solely performed in a handful video games in his two years in Tampa Bay resulting from harm. Deion Jones and Antonio Grier Jr. are the opposite linebackers on the roster and the crew might want to considerably improve the place this offseason in free company or the 2025 NFL Draft – or each.
Caldwell most just lately labored because the run sport coordinator/linebackers coach for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, following a two-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars as defensive coordinator (2022-23). In 2022, the Jaguars protection completed first within the NFL in passes defensed (95) and tied for fourth in takeaways (27) underneath Caldwell’s steering.
Previous to Jacksonville, Caldwell spent the earlier three seasons with the Buccaneers (2019-21) as inside linebackers coach, the place he coached David to second-team All-Professional recognition and Devin White to each Professional Bowl and second-team All-Professional honors throughout that span. Throughout his three seasons on this function, Caldwell instructed a linebacker group that performed a key half within the NFL’s prime rush protection over that span, permitting solely 82.5 speeding yards per sport and three.72 yards per carry.
In 2020, Caldwell coached David and White to a Tremendous Bowl LV title, ending the season with an 11-5 report and main the league in rush protection (80.6 rush yards allowed per sport) for the second consecutive season. David averaged 112.3 tackles per season with Caldwell as his place coach and contributed 27 tackles for loss, 16 passes defensed, eight pressured fumbles, 4.5 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries and two interceptions in that timeframe.
Earlier than his first stint with the Buccaneers, he held defensive roles with the New York Jets (2015-18), Arizona Cardinals (2013-14) and Philadelphia Eagles (2008-2012). Caldwell started his teaching profession as a coaching camp intern for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2007 earlier than holding a number of roles on their workers from 2008-12. Previous to teaching, the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, native performed 11 seasons at linebacker for the Cleveland Browns (1993-95), Baltimore Ravens (1996), Arizona Cardinals (1997), Philadelphia Eagles (1998-2001), Chicago Bears (2002) and Carolina Panthers (2003).
Bucs Announce Different Teaching Strikes
Bucs DL Coach Charlie Sturdy – Photograph by: USA In the present day
The crew additionally made the promotion of Kevin Carberry to run sport coordinator/offensive line coach and Brian Picucci to full-time offensive line coach official. Picucci was the crew’s assistant offensive line coach final 12 months. Jeff Kastl has been promoted to assistant tight ends coach and Jordan Somerville was promoted to move sport specialist/assistant quarterbacks coach.
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