Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
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QUESTION: You have got any perception on what the plan is for defensive coaches now that the offensive coordinator is locked up? Any probability we get a brand new defensive coordinator to work beneath Todd Bowles, or new defensive coaches generally?
Former Bucs DL coach Joe Cullen – Photograph by Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: I haven’t been shy in letting my emotions be recognized to the Bucs group about a few of the defensive coaches. Pewter Report is extensively learn on PewterReport.com and extensively considered on PewterReportTV, our YouTube channel. I believe Todd Bowles can discover a higher exterior linebackers coach, a greater safeties coach and I believe it’s time nickelbacks coach Rashad Johnson substitute Kevin Ross as cornerbacks coach.
Having stated that, I don’t know if Bowles will make any modifications to his employees at these positions. He performed with Ross at Temple and was coached by safeties coach Nick Rapone at Temple, who was Bowles’ safeties coach in faculty. With Bowles unexpectedly shedding good buddy Kacy Rodgers to Detroit, he could not wish to make any extra modifications to his defensive employees out of comfortability.
Bowles will flip 62 in 2025 and is nearing retirement. The older males get, the extra caught of their methods they’re. I converse from expertise at age 52. However I noticed the jolt of vitality that new secondary coach Mike Tomlin and new linebackers coach Joe Barry dropped at the Bucs group in 2001. Each had been of their early 30s on the time.
It will have been simple for 61-year outdated defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin to switch linebackers coach Lovie Smith and secondary coach Herman Edwards with older, extra skilled coaches. However the vitality, new concepts and swagger that Tomlin and Barry dropped at Tampa Bay blended completely with veteran coaches like Kiffin and 52-year outdated line of defense coach Rod Marinelli.
Marinelli is now 75 and has retired. He and Joe Cullen, who was Tampa Bay’s line of defense coach from 2014-15, are the 2 finest line of defense coaches I’ve ever seen in my 30 years of overlaying the Bucs. Cullen left in 2016 to grow to be the Ravens line of defense coach till 2021. After a 12 months as Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator beneath City Meyer, he joined Kansas Metropolis in 2022 and is at present making an attempt to three-peat as Tremendous Bowl champions.
I’d like to see the Bucs lure Cullen again to Tampa Bay to teach the line of defense. To make that potential, Cullen would should be made the defensive coordinator in title solely, as Bowles would nonetheless name the performs, to get him out of his contract with the Chiefs, however that may be my suggestion for Rodgers’ substitute.
QUESTION: Now that the offensive coordinator place is crammed (AGAIN!), do you have got any perception into who the Bucs goal might be for D-Line coach? You stated earlier than we’d like a firestarter and somebody who shouldn’t be a “yes” man. The proper candidate could be Warren Sapp. He would kick the tires and light-weight the fires for certain. And he would add a spark this protection lacks proper now. Your ideas and knowledge on this.
Bucs legend and Corridor of Fame DT Warren Sapp – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: I’m unsure who Todd Bowles is for line of defense coach, however I do know he’s labored with Brentson Buckner earlier than in Arizona through the 2013-14 seasons earlier than Bowles turned the New York Jets head coach in 2015. That’s when he reunited with Kacy Rodgers, who served with him as his defensive coordinator and line of defense coach with the Jets. These two got here collectively to Tampa Bay in 2019 to affix Bruce Arians’ employees.
Buckner was employed by the Bucs in 2018 to teach the line of defense, however regardless of working with Bowles and Arians earlier than, he wasn’t retained due to Bowles’ allegiance to Rodgers. Buckner spent the 2022-23 seasons in Jacksonville because the Jaguars line of defense coach, however wasn’t retained by new head coach Liam Coen. So he’s a free agent and might be an choice to workforce up with Bowles once more and make a return to Tampa Bay.
One other potential candidate might be Chiefs line of defense coach Joe Cullen, as I beforehand talked about.
As for Warren Sapp, I’m a giant fan as he and I walked within the door collectively in Tampa Bay in 1995 and I lined each minute of his Bucs profession. I don’t know that Sapp’s persona would mesh with Bowles’ so I can’t say he would essentially be a candidate for the line of defense teaching place. However I did see how Sapp drastically improved the line of defense play out in Colorado as a senior high quality management analyst on protection working with that unit this previous season.
The Buffaloes line of defense went from 11 sacks in 2023 earlier than Sapp to 32 sacks final season beneath his tutelage. Solely six defensive linemen registered no less than half a sack in 2023, however that quantity grew to 10 beneath Sapp in 2024.
Sapp is a firestarter, and bleeds purple and pewter as a Bucs legend. So my guess is that beneath the best circumstances he would love a shot at teaching Tampa Bay’s line of defense. I’m simply unsure if that is the best time with this explicit teaching employees.
QUESTION: You’ve been on report many instances saying OLBs coach George Edwards isn’t an excellent coach and that you simply weren’t alone in that opinion. What’s it precisely he’s not doing proper? Is it his teaching strategies? Or one thing else? Sustain the nice work!
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and OLBs coach George Edwards – Photograph by: USA As we speak
ANSWER: Thanks! George Edwards has a protracted historical past as a linebackers coach within the NFL. That started in Dallas from 1998-2001 the place he was the Cowboys linebackers coach earlier than going to Washington and turning into the Redskins assistant defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2002. He spent the 2003 season because the Redskins defensive coordinator earlier than being fired and turning into Cleveland’s linebackers coach in 2004.
He moved on to Miami the place he labored because the linebackers coach from 2005-09 earlier than one other stint as a defensive coordinator in Buffalo from 2010-11. Then it was again to the Dolphins as a linebackers coach in 2012-13 earlier than a six-year stint because the Vikings defensive coordinator. He returned to Dallas to be a senior defensive assistant from 2020-2022 earlier than Todd Bowles employed him to teach exterior linebackers in 2023.
I’ll say this – Edwards has most likely forgotten extra soccer than I’ll ever study. However that received’t cease me from saying that I don’t suppose he’s good at his job as Tampa Bay’s exterior linebackers coach. The rationale I say that’s as a result of he has by no means actually coached this place solely earlier than. Exterior linebackers in Bowles’ scheme are extra like defensive ends than true linebackers. There’s a large distinction in roles and job tasks from a participant like Lavonte David to a participant like Yaya Diaby.
Edwards has not been an efficient move rush coach for the Bucs exterior linebackers over the previous two years. Tampa Bay’s exterior linebackers had 21 mixed sacks in 2023, however simply 12 final 12 months. Sack numbers fell for Diaby and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, the 2 beginning edge rushers, in 2024. I don’t suppose there may be any coincidence that there was a rise in largely ineffective drops into protection by the surface linebackers since Edwards’ arrival in 2023, both.
I consider the Bucs want a greater move rush coach to assist unleash the expertise of Diaby and second-round choose Chris Braswell, who had simply 1.5 sacks and was gradual to develop throughout his rookie season. Edwards additionally believed an excessive amount of in Tryon-Shoyinka for too lengthy and that stunted the event of youthful exterior linebackers like Braswell, Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez. I’ve but to see the proof that Edwards is likely one of the higher exterior linebacker coaches within the league and I believe Bowles can discover an improve if he had been to agree and resolve to look elsewhere.
QUESTION: I believe we actually ought to try to get a strong punter this offseason. It’s such a boring place however I additionally suppose a really underrated one. If we had a prime 5 punter within the league final 12 months, I believe issues would have been completely different. Are there any strong free agent punters?
Bucs P Jack Browning – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: Properly, don’t inform Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo that punter is a boring place. Queipo is PR’s punter aficionado. The Bucs have two on their roster in Jack Browning, who was the workforce’s third punter of the 12 months and completed the season in Tampa Bay, in addition to Jake Julien, a record-setting punter from the CFL.
I do know the Bucs received’t spend large cash on the punter place in free company with different areas to improve which are the next precedence, equivalent to exterior linebacker, inside linebacker and cornerback. There actually isn’t a punter with a draftable grade this 12 months, and I say that as a result of basic supervisor Jason Licht did spend a fourth-round choose on Jake Camarda within the 2022 NFL Draft.
Having stated that, control Nebraska punter Brian Buschini as a potential undrafted free agent – and even as a seventh-round choose. He averaged 44.7 yards final 12 months and even accomplished two passes for 38 yards on profitable pretend punts. Buschini, who’s 6-foot-1, 225 kilos, additionally handles kickoffs and was a four-year starter. He began one season at Montana earlier than transferring to Nebraska.
QUESTION: What are reasonable edge trades or free agent targets? I don’t consider in a Myles Garrett or a Maxx Crosby commerce.
ANSWER: I agree with you concerning Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby. These are cornerstone move rushers in these organizations and I don’t see both the Browns or the Raiders buying and selling them away this offseason. The Browns have come out publicly and stated that they don’t seem to be buying and selling Garrett, who is likely one of the league’s premier move rushers.
On Saturday in a Pewter Pulse video, I instructed a potential commerce with Cincinnati for Trey Hendrickson, who’s 30 and is coming into a contract 12 months. The Bengals aren’t going to re-sign him and wish the cap area for a Ja’Marr Chase extension as an alternative. Hendrickson is an elite move rusher and is coming off back-to-back seasons with 17.5 sacks. He wouldn’t solely be an ideal complement to Yaya Diaby, but in addition carry management to a really younger exterior linebacker room in Tampa Bay.
That’s the one commerce state of affairs that involves thoughts proper now, however I’ll proceed to consider it. As without spending a dime agent edge rushers, Khalil Mack is a free agent, however he’ll include a large price ticket. And his sack complete with the Chargers falling from 17 in 2023 to simply six in 2024 scares me a bit.
Mack turns 34 on February 22 and in some unspecified time in the future in time – sooner fairly than later – he’s going to lose a step if he hasn’t already. I don’t bear in mind him doing a lot in any respect towards Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke within the Bucs’ 40-17 win at Los Angeles final 12 months.
Philadelphia’s Josh Sweat is a youthful possibility at 27, however he’ll additionally get prime greenback in free company. Sweat is athletic, however extra of an influence rusher like Diaby, and I believe the Bucs might use extra of a velocity rusher within the vein of Shaq Barrett when he was in his prime.
Haason Reddick is the opposite large title edge rusher in free company, however he’s undersized at 6-foot-1, 240 kilos, and appears to be all in regards to the cash. The Eagles traded him to the Jets final 12 months after which he held out for the primary seven video games in a contract dispute earlier than lastly taking the sphere. However Reddick solely notched one sack in 10 video games in New York after 4 straight years of double-digit sacks from 2020-2023. Reddick turns 31 in September.