If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense is not significantly better in 2026, it is going to be hard to blame anyone but the coaching staff. While the team might have five or six new starters on the defensive personnel, Jenna Laine from ESPN notes that the coaching staff did not have the same turnover.
“Interestingly, much of the change on the defensive side of the ball involved elevations instead of bringing in new voices, with the exception of defensive line coach Marcus West,” wrote Laine. “Will this be enough to correct some of last season’s shortcomings, like the agonizing third-and-28 and fourth-and-14 gaffes that might have cost them a playoff berth?”
If Bowles is going to go down, he is going to do it with the coaches he believes in. However, it is fair to be skeptical of that approach.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Did Not Make Changes to Their Coaching Staff
GettyTampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles.
At the end of the day, it would have been hard to make significant changes to the coaching staff. Todd Bowles is a defensive-minded head coach and typically will call the defense. Even if he did not call the defense, his hands would be all over the defensive plan.
Most people do not know the Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator. When you add in that Bowles is on the hot seat, the Bucs would have had to thread a tight needle to change their defensive staff in a notable way.
Tampa Bay would have had to hire someone who is comfortable with coming in for one year, not calling his own defense, and understanding that the staff might get torn apart after the season.
So, Bowles will call the plays. George Edwards will be the passing game coordinator, and Larry Foote will be the run game coordinator. Edwards has been with Tampa Bay since 2023 and is his second year in the role. This is Foote’s second year in the run game coordinator role, but he has been a position coach in Tampa Bay since 2019.
Marcus West replaced Charlie Strong as the defensive line coach. However, the inside linebackers coach is the same. Nick Rapone retired as secondary coach. However, Tampa Bay promoted assistant Rashad Johnson to cornerbacks coach, and Tim Atkins to safeties coach. The duo will combine to make up the defensive backs coach.
The staff has one new name and two coaches taking on bigger roles. Otherwise, they are leaning on the players to make the difference.
Buccaneers Leaning on Defensive Personnel Changes in 2026
The defensive front should look a bit different than last year. On the edges, Rueben Bain is an impact draft pick. They also signed Al-Quadin Muhammad to add depth. The Bucs signed A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches along the interior as well.
At linebacker, they should have two new starters. Between Josiah Trotter, Alex Anzalone, and Christian Rozeboom, there are plenty of options to step in for the retired Lavonte David and struggling SirVocea Dennis.
Even at cornerback should new starters, whether it be Benjamin Morrison on the outside or rookie Keionte Scott in the slot. So, it is clear that Bowles knew the group needed to improve. However, he thought the players were the issue, and not the coaches. We will see if that bites them down the road.
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