Kacy Rodgers Leaving?

It’s been eerily quiet at One Buc Palace recently, which is making Joe wonder what’s going on behind closed doors.

Many (not all) Bucs fans have been hollering for Todd Bowles, fresh off a 10-win season and his third division title in as many years as Bucs head coach, to get run.

In a perfect world, many of these same fans holler, Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen will be promoted to head coach.

As the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio likes to say, silence invites speculation. And per a nugget from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, there may be a shakeup coming to the Bucs’ defensive staff.

Rapoport reports Bucs defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers is interviewing with the Packers for the same coaching position. Well, why on earth would he move from Tampa to Green Bay for a lateral position?

Could it be that Bowles is shaking up his defensive staff? Perhaps. Rapoport notes Rodgers’ contract is up with the Bucs.

Rodgers has been a Bowles’ coaching brother-in-arms for years dating back to when the two worked for Bill Parcells in Dallas. He even called plays for the Jets defense was Bowles was head coach. So for Rodgers to up and leave for the same position — going from Tampa to Green Bay (in the dead of winter) suggests Rodgers knows he’s not safe with the Bucs.

Joe likes Rodgers a lot despite how Joe has been harsh on him and the rest of the Bucs defensive staff’s inability to develop a drafted edge rusher.

Rodgers has done a wonderful job working with defensive tackles.

This season and last, the Bucs were the fourth-worst team in passing yards allowed per game. Four of those 2023 teams in the bottom five of this category either have new head coaches or new defensive coordinators.

The Bucs have stood pat. Well, maybe until now.