Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles remains on the hot seat amid a four-game losing streak, and the Buccaneers could turn to a new head coach soon or in 2024.
Bowles hasn’t panned out as the Buccaneers head coach since taking over in 2022 where his team went 8-9 and got pounded in the playoffs by the Dallas Cowboys. Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine suggests Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson as an option if Buccaneers ownership can wait until after the season for firing Bowles.
“Brian Johnson has had a rapid ascent through the ranks,” Ballentine wrote. “He started as the quarterback coach at Utah University and became his alma mater’s offensive coordinator after just two seasons. His collegiate resume also features a stint at Mississippi State where he helped develop Dak Prescott into an NFL prospect.”
As good as Shane Steichen was, Brian Johnson might just be viewed as an upgrade because there isn’t another coach out there who understands Jalen Hurts more then Johnson does himself.
Their relationship dates back to when Hurts was just 4-years-old. Hurts’ dad coached Johnson…
Tampa Bay will need a new coach to develop a quarterback, most likely a 2024 draft pick, and Johnson could fill the role. If the Buccaneers’ slide continues, the team will have an early selection.
“Everywhere Johnson has gone, he has been promoted or hired up. That’s why he should be a head coaching candidate after just four years in the league,” Ballentine wrote. “Quarterback development is a huge part of success in the NFL, and he has a track record of being key in that process.”
Brian Johnson Could Make Buccaneers Offense Magical
Despite the Buccaneers’ overall offensive struggles, Johnson could re-launch the Buccaneers offense in 2024.
“The Bucs would make a lot of sense,” Ballentine wrote. “Baker Mayfield has been good, but not good enough to be the long-term guy. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Johnson would have his A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to build an offense around.”
Brown and Smith have combined for 109 receptions, 1,538 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Evans and Godwin still produce at a high level despite a weaker offense. They have a combined 77 catches for 1,062 yards and six touchdowns this fall.
Mike Evans + Chris Godwin pulled up 🪄
“The 36-year-old [Johnson] would be ideal for a team that is looking for a shot in the arm offensively and either has a young quarterback or will be in the market for one,” Johnson wrote.
Tampa Bay needs a boost offensively. This year’s Buccaneers squad only averages 19.8 points and 302.5 total yards per game — both rank in the lower half of the league.
The Buccaneers didn’t do much better in Bowles’ first year in 2022, and he had a quarterback named Tom Brady to work with. Tampa Bay’s offense struggled amid 18.4 points and 346.7 total yards per game with the worst running game in the league last year.
Buccaneers Still Have Shot at a Turnaround
Johnson to Tampa Bay could get put on hold if Bowles can right the ship this season in the final nine games. The Buccaneers started 3-1 before the four-game slide, but the team is now losing against squads quarterbacked by young signal callers at C.J. Stroud and Desmond Ridder.
Tampa Bay’s remaining schedule has a host of young quarterbacks, starting with Tennessee Titans rookie Will Levis in Week 10. If the Buccaneers can get to 4-5 with a home win over the Titans, an in-season turnaround remains plausible.
However, the Buccaneers could be looking at Johnson or other candidates for 2024 sooner or later if the team slips to 3-6 and a fifth-straight loss in one season for the first time since 2017.
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Analyst Floats QB-Friendly Todd Bowles Replacement for Buccaneers in 2024