The wrong coach is on track to leave the Bucs and it's a weird look for Todd Bowles
Of all the issues the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had on defense in 2024, the defensive line was easily one of the best and more consistent position groups. Sure, the run defense was a large mess up until the bye week, but that got fixed in a big way. Run defense coordinator/defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers deserves […]
Of all the issues the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had on defense in 2024, the defensive line was easily one of the best and more consistent position groups.
Sure, the run defense was a large mess up until the bye week, but that got fixed in a big way. Run defense coordinator/defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers deserves major props for getting things back on track in that area.
Oddly enough, in a strange turn of events, it looks like Rodgers won't be back with the Bucs in 2025. The team let his contract expire and as a result, he's interviewing for the same position with the Green Bay Packers and what is likely to be other teams down the road.
There was a lot of debate, and rightfully so, about Bowles' job status after the Bucs lost to the Washington Commanders in the Wild Card round. At this point, it's highly unlikely the Bucs let him go, but the overall consensus is, if he stays, he has to shake up the coaching staff a bit – and primarily on the defensive side of the ball.
And Rodgers? Well, he's certainly not one of the coaches that needs to leave. The fact the Bucs let his contract expire shows they're uninterested in returning and frankly, it's weird. Rodgers has maintained consistent success with the Bucs since he arrived in 2019, with the defensive line/run defense playing at a high level on a yearly basis.
The Bucs defensive line was responsible for 24.0 of the team's 46.0 sacks on the year, which led all position groups. Calijah Kancey led the team with 7.5, while Vita Vea was the runner-up with 7.0. That makes it two of the last three seasons in which a defensive lineman has led the team in sacks and while that's not ideal – at least Rodgers is getting production out of his guys.
The same can't be said for outside linebackers coach George Edwards or cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross. The outside linebackers stagnated under Edwards in 2024 and while Ross has done a solid job developing guys like Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum, his overall body of work has lacked, as the Bucs' depth at the position group hasn't been up to par with what's needed to have success.
It's a weird look, overall, and it won't offer any optimism that things will change for the Bucs in 2025. That's an unfortunate spot to be in, especially when considering the fact we're talking about one of the best coaches on the staff.
