Todd Bowles Facing His BIGGEST Challenges Yet As Bucs HC

Phew.

If you need time to catch your breath, that’s understandable as the past 24 hours have been quite the whirlwind.

Imagine how Bucs head coach Todd Bowles feels.

Heading into this offseason, Bowles had the challenge of addressing the defense on a player personnel side as the team must add an influx of talent this offseason. With the news that Kacy Rodgers is heading to the Lions to become their defensive line coach and Larry Foote might be heading with him to become Detroit’s defensive coordinator, Bowles will also have to make some defensive coaching changes.

That’s not even mentioning that offensive coordinator Liam Coen is leaving the team to become the Jaguars head coach in a stunning turn of events Thursday night.

What does this all mean for the man in charge?

Todd Bowles in for his biggest challenge yet.

Another Year, Another OC Search For Bucs HC Todd Bowles

For a day or so, it seemed all was calm in the seas with the news that Liam Coen was staying in Tampa Bay as the Bucs offensive coordinator. After Coen turned down the Jaguars’ head coaching job, it meant that Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht would not have to search for an offensive coordinator for the third straight year.

So much for that.

Jacksonville then fired general manager Trent Baalke and ramped up its pursuit for the young offensive playcaller, who went behind the Bucs’ organization’s back to meet with them and is set to take their head coaching job. While it stings, Bowles and Licht have no time to sit and reflect on what has transpired. Instead, they will need to start putting another list together of offensive coordinator candidates – again.

Although this is far from the desired outcome, it will be an attractive position that has quickly turned into a head coaching pipeline in recent seasons with Dave Canales and now Coen both landing gigs. There is no shortage of potential candidates, both internally and externally, as Pewter Report has already reported. Still, the search for another offensive coordinator will not be easy, and they have been a long process each of the last two years with the Bucs interviewing numerous people before deciding on someone.

The offense was the bright spot of the team last season as they put up historic numbers under the guidance of Coen. Now, it stands as the biggest challenge for Bowles to find yet another candidate who can do similar things with the unit.

There is plenty of talent on that side of the football with a top-10 quarterback in Baker Mayfield, a run game built around All-Rookie Bucky Irving, wide receivers Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan [and likely] Chris Godwin, as well as a top-five offensive line anchored by All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs and is still young and improving. That makes it easier, but there is more pressure on the head coach to find a top offensive mind, along with addressing the defensive coaching staff, too.

Todd Bowles Could Be Forced To Overhaul The Defensive Coaching Staff, Too

The news of the Bucs losing co-defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers was quickly amplified with the follow-up that co-defensive coordinator Larry Foote could be next to go – to the same team.

Losing Liam Coen hurts, but for Bowles, seeing his top two defensive assistants and best friends potentially leave from under him to the NFC juggernaut Lions is another challenge — and should be a wake-up call. Along with finding the next offensive guru, he needs to now do the same on defense. What’s left of the defensive coaching staff is a group of veteran coaches who led underwhelming position rooms.

Rodgers was the brightest spot, as he coached up a defensive line room that was stout in run defense and possessed three of the team’s top four leading sackers in Calijah Kancey, Vita Vea, and Logan Hall. Foote was the pass game coordinator and inside linebackers coach, and while those areas struggled, he is still viewed as a bright, confident defensive coach who is still just 44 years old.

Now, what will Bowles do?

Matt Matera and I discussed some of the veteran defensive coach’s options on one of Pewter Report’s three podcasts on Thursday.

Would he hand over the defensive playcalling reins and hire just one defensive coordinator?

Could Foote stick around and be that defensive coordinator?

Would Bowles implement a similar system like he just had in place – or clear the deck of all his remaining defensive assistants and bring in younger defensive minds?

All of these options are on the table, but the clock is ticking. The news of his top defensive assistant coaches leaving in an exodus makes his job a lot harder, and he may need to hire a secretary to schedule all of his upcoming interviews.

The Bucs Defense Will Also Need To Be Improved And Coached Up

While Todd Bowles now has to fill out key coaching positions on offense and defense, he also has the challenge of revamping and coaching up incoming player personnel. Bowles’ defense was the weak link of the Bucs last season, and there are needs across it.

At a minimum, the unit could use two starting-caliber inside linebackers, a cornerback, and a safety. The only inside linebacker who’s a lock for next year is SirVocea Dennis, who has struggled to stay on the field. Whether cornerback Jamel Dean comes back or not, the position needs to add a young playmaker with eyes (and hands) for the football. At safety, the group could use someone to potentially take over for Jordan Whitehead and provide young depth.

These positions must add young talent, as they cannot rely on practice squad players filling in during a playoff push like they did this past season. Bowles has to identify the proper fits in free agency and the 2025 NFL draft for his system, and for the players who are sticking around, he will need to add coaches who can get the most out of them and keep a watchful eye on their progress.

Todd Bowles is someone who wakes up extremely early in the morning, but he may have some restless nights ahead of him until he figures out how to solve all the challenges he has quickly been saddled with. This offseason will be make-or-break for him and the team if he wants to show enough progress to remain the head coach in the coming years.