Bucs Shuffle Linebackers Coaches
February 21st, 2025
New/old gig for Larry Foote.
When the Bucs last had a powerful edge rush, their outside linebackers coach was Larry Foote.
He’s back in that role again.
Foote arrived in Tampa with the Bruce Arians-Todd Bowles regime and was tasked with teaching a Jason Pierre-Paul to play in a 3-4 defense (the Giants had him in a 4-3) and even (gasp!) drop in coverage. Foote also was asked to bring along a young free agent edge rusher named Shaq Barrett.
Yes, Foote did an excellent job but then was moved to coach inside linebackers for the 2022 season. The Bucs made it official today that Foote will move back to coach the outside linebacker. Joe is feeling good vibes.
At inside linebackers coach will be another familiar face, Mike Caldwell. He was Jaguars defensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023, and was a Raiders linebackers coach last year.
Caldwell is now back in the same role he held in Tampa from 2019-21.
February 21st, 2025 at 3:26 pm
Getting the band back together. Love it!
February 21st, 2025 at 3:35 pm
Very very nice
February 21st, 2025 at 3:49 pm
Something strange going on, and it deals with George Edwards who was the Outside Linebackers coach last year. He’s now the Pass Game Coordinator, as is a new hire Kefense Hynson who spent the previous 7 seasons as pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach (2018-24) at Oregon State.
Larry Foote was listed as the Defensive Coordinator last season, along with Kacey Rodgers. Obviously neither were.
February 21st, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Had mentioned a few weeks ago that I thought Bowles would bring back Caldwell who left the Bucs to be Jacksonville DC a couple of years ago and then was fired. Didn’t realize that Caldwell was already employed by another team. Now I understand why it took a while for Bowles to bring him back. However, just good to see Edwards has been moved. Hope this helps with the pass rush
February 21st, 2025 at 4:04 pm
“George Edwards who was the Outside Linebackers coach last year. He’s now the Pass Game Coordinator, as is a new hire Kefense Hynson”
Edwards = Defensive Pass Game Coordinator
Hynson = Offensive Pass Game Coordinator
February 21st, 2025 at 4:11 pm
Solid move so if Bucs don’t get production from the edge under a different coach then maybe it’s the guys who were drafted. George Edwards though hopefully he can have some kind of impact anything
February 21st, 2025 at 4:12 pm
Defense rules, we all know Bowles don’t like to fire anyone from his defensive staff so maybe, I don’t really know, Edwards had a 2 year contract and Bowles is just waiting for that to expire to show him the door
February 21st, 2025 at 4:14 pm
Duuuuuuvalllllll
February 21st, 2025 at 4:23 pm
Can’t get any worse. Now if we could get a secondary coach that can produce more than 7 ints a year…
February 21st, 2025 at 5:29 pm
I like it!! The band huh on multiple levels. And Foote will be where he was back then. Maybe he can get something going on with these young guys, Sacks Baby. We need a lot things on defense but one thing I would like to see is the guys playing with a little more attentive urgency the whole game. We can shut em down and we need that a little more, not when we’re in a hole. Go Bucs!!!!
February 21st, 2025 at 5:48 pm
LFRush
February 21st, 2025 at 5:48 pm
Great and underrated move. Foote was the guy when we were getting after the QB during our SB run. George Edwards has been an epic failure when it comes to developing edge rushers and having a pass rush plan. Great decision.
February 21st, 2025 at 6:33 pm
Brian in St Pete … ‘George Edwards has been an epic failure when it comes to developing edge rushers and having a pass rush plan.’
Edwards entire background was with the 4-3, and he had several good years as the Vikings DC. I kinda thought when Bowles brought him here that he was looking to play more 4-3, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Good chance that PahPahMike is right in that Bowles doesn’t like to fire anyone prematurely, and ‘Edwards had a 2 year contract and Bowles is just waiting for that to expire to show him the door’.
February 21st, 2025 at 8:14 pm
Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
February 21st, 2025 at 8:39 pm
So nice to see Bowles is finally bringing in a young guy from the outside that might have some new ideas and fresh perspective for the defense…oh wait
February 22nd, 2025 at 12:26 am
These seem like very good moves.
I wonder if they are a portent suggesting that the Bucs will go ILB and OLB at the top of the draft.
In the first round, ILB Jihaad Campbell would give the Bucs an ILB with Bucs first round pick Derrick Brooks potential – Pro Bowlls, Ring of Honor, Hall of Fame.
There are many promising Edge and Edge/DE players to be torn between in the second round, and some even in the third and fourth rounds: Landon Jackson, Jack Sawyer, Princely Umanielen, JT Tuimoloau, Josaiah Stewart, Ashton Gillotte, Alfred Collin’s, Bradyn Swinson, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Tyler Baron,
Jordan Burch.
February 22nd, 2025 at 12:29 am
Smooth moves. Now it makes sense. Since Rodgers left I have been wondering who coaches what. Also explains why they waited to post Charlie Strong on the official team site. Good luck everybody!
Go Bucs!
February 22nd, 2025 at 1:33 am
Excuses galore….
This move hopefully comes from direct feedback by owners and management, tha the status quo has failed, is failing worse, and oh by the way, when Dude was coaching the edge they actually pass rushed and had some success.
But wait – complementary football!
February 22nd, 2025 at 1:39 am
Algo love persists. Ya