Promotion of Josh Grizzard
After Josh Grizzard spent one season as the team's pass game coordinator, the Buccaneers promoted him to offensive coordinator last month. Grizzard, who was one of six candidates interviewed for the vacancy, replaced Liam Coen, who landed the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching job. Grizzard helped the offense reach historical milestones in 2024, working with every aspect of the passing game, including assisting with quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends and running backs. The Bucs' offense fielded the only team in the NFL to rank in the top five in both passing yards (third, 250.4) and rushing yards (fourth, 149.2) per game in 2024. Tampa Bay also ranked third in net yards per game (399.6) and fourth in points per game (29.5).
Last season, Grizzard strategized for third-down situations during the week of game preparation and the Bucs led the NFL with a team-record 50.9% third-down conversion rate in 2024. Prior to his time in Tampa Bay, Grizzard contributed to a Miami offense that finished the 2023 season ranked first in yards per game (401.3), passing yards per game (265.5), and yards per carry (5.1), while ranking second in yards per play (6.5), net yards per pass attempt (8.0), and points scored per game (29.2).
"Josh did a fantastic job all year and everybody in the building saw how smart he is and he is easy to get along with and in front of the room he was fantastic," said General Manager Jason Licht. "They call him the Wizard – a lot of players call him that and I am just very excited to get to see Josh in that role and to get going. It is going to bring some fresh ideas, which is always good."
Pass Rushers in Their First Year
The Buccaneers are in need of an edge rusher to add depth at a premium position. Tampa Bay generated pressure on 45.2% of its pass rushes in the second halves of games after their Week 11 bye in 2024, the second-highest rate in the NFL, and the team went 6-1 over that span. Edge rusher Yaya Diaby led the unit in pressures with 57 and Anthony Nelson generated 34 pressures, while Joe Tryon-Shoyinka posted 25 during the 2024 campaign.
The Bucs face a possible exodus as several pieces along the line are impending free agents. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, a member of the Bucs' 2021 draft class, is set to hit the open market in March. The Bucs did not pick up the fifth-year option on the former first-round draft pick and both Anthony Nelson and Shaquil Barrett are unrestricted free agents as well. In 2023, Nelson signed a two-year contract extension after his rookie contract expired. Barrett, who re-signed with the Bucs in December, cleared waivers after being released by the Dolphins. The Bucs have several challenging decisions to make regarding the future of the position and the coaching staff implemented a deep dive on the performance of edge rushers taken in the first round of the draft. Rookie rushers have to acclimate to the physicality of the pros and the speed of the game at the pro level, and sometimes players meet expectations in their inaugural season and others take longer to develop. Many pundits have linked the Bucs to an edge in the first round and Jason Licht discussed the evaluation process.
"You find that the guys that are very productive in the NFL, also most of the time had productive college careers as well, but not all super productive college edge rushers become productive in the pros," noted Licht. "It is a trait that usually transcends for the good ones in the NFL…We did a little study on edge rushers in their first year and some have a good first year. The team that won the Super Bowl took a first rounder (Nolan Smith in 2023), and his rookie year, he had one sack and played very little. The next year he had 10 or 11 sacks [playoffs included] and played a big role in their Super Bowl and their run. It is that second year that you like to see a jump."
Chris Godwin Contract Situation
Chris Godwin's prolific 2024 campaign prematurely ended when he suffered a dislocated ankle in the club's Week Seven loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The injury occurred in the final minute of the game following a 21-yard catch and Godwin was carted off the field for the first time in his NFL tenure (he walked off after tearing his ACL/MCL in 2021). At the time of the significant season-ending injury, Godwin led the NFL in receptions (50), receiving first downs (30) and yards after catch (324), while tying for first in receiving touchdowns (five) and he ranked second in catch percentage (81.1% - min. 25 targets) and third in receiving yards (511). The slot phenom was on pace for a career-best season and potential triple crown. The Bucs changed the structure of Godwin's current contract, allowing more time for negotiation. His contract was changed to make it void on March 12, the date that the NFL's new league year begins. That means Godwin will remain under contract until that aforementioned March date, allowing more time for the two sides to work on a potential new contract extension. If no deal is reached, Godwin will become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins at 4:00 p.m. ET.
"The facts are he had a serious injury and missed a lot of time and there is still some uncertainty," described Licht. "So, we moved the void so it gives us more options and flexibility as it pertains to him and we have to make a good decision. Hopefully we can come to an agreement with him because Chris means the world to this organization and to all of us individually as an organization as a whole. I mean nobody has been more resilient than him. We have similarly been down this road before and nobody works harder than him…If I was a betting man, I would bet on Chris."
Success of Finding Sleepers in Middle Rounds
The Buccaneers' brass and scouts have made a habit of finding hidden gems on Day Three of the NFL Draft. Tampa Bay's staff has evolved with the times regrading strategic evaluation and the 2024 class serves as evidentiary support. The Bucs selected Jalen McMillan (92) in the third round and Bucky Irving (125) in the fourth. Both became ignitors in the Bucs' offense, helping the team reach unimagined heights. McMillan logged five straight games with at least one score, collecting seven touchdown receptions during that stretch in 2024, and recorded 50-plus receiving yards in each of those contests, as well. His five-straight games with a receiving touchdown is tied for the second-longest streak by a rookie in NFL history, trailing only Hall of Famer Randy Moss (six).
Irving became the catalyst in revitalizing the team's ground attack in 2024. His 37.1% missed tackle percentage led the NFL and his 76 missed tackles forced ranked first among rookies. The 2024 PFWA All-Rookie Team Selection led the rookie class in scrimmage yards (1,514), rushing yards (1,122) and rushing touchdowns (eight). Irving's franchise record 5.4 yards per rush average is the third-highest mark in NFL history among rookies with 200-plus attempts in a season, trailing only Adrian Peterson (5.6 in 2007) and Clinton Portis (5.5 in 2002). His 1,514 yards from scrimmage is the second-most by a rookie in team history, trailing only Doug Martin (1,926 in 2012). Irving spurred the run game with rare vision, elite cutting ability/lateral movement skills, short-area-quickness and the ability to evade initial contact.
"It is the scouting staff that has done such a great job," noted Licht. "They know what I am looking for and they know what Todd [Bowles] is looking for. We have seen what a great locker room can accomplish and we want to continue to keep those types of players coming in…There are always guys that we have identified as sleepers on Day Three and we are as excited about the first-round pick as anybody, but those middle rounds are the ones that my staff has made their bread and butter."
