**Buccaneers Coaches Face Crucial Challenges Heading Into 2024 Season**
As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gear up for the 2024 season, the spotlight turns not just to the players, but the coaching staff tasked with elevating the team’s performance. Each week, Pewter Reporters gather to dissect the most pressing questions facing the team. This week, the discussion centers around which assistant coach has the most daunting task in the upcoming season.
**Cornerbacks Coach Kevin Ross Aims to Boost Interceptions**
The Buccaneers are looking to Kevin Ross to solve a glaring issue in their defense: the lack of interceptions. Last season, the Bucs’ defense managed only 13 interceptions, with key contributors now departed.
Specifically, Tampa Bay’s cornerbacks, including Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum, recorded no interceptions last year. Ross’s strategy?
Intensive ball drills and a focus on catching, underscoring a belief that improved hands could lead the team to lead the league in takeaways.
**Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey Navigates New Kickoff Rules**
With the NFL adopting kickoff rules similar to those of the XFL, Thomas McGaughey faces the challenge of adapting his strategy and personnel to these changes. Identifying key returners and adjusting the tactics of the coverage and blocker units are high on McGaughey’s list, compounded by familiarizing himself and his players with these new rules.
**Offensive Line Coach Kevin Carberry Tackles Lineup Questions**
Kevin Carberry, stepping into his role as the offensive line coach, confronts several crucial decisions, especially concerning the interior line composition. The integration of draft picks Graham Barton and Cody Mauch into the starting lineup, alongside determining the optimal arrangement for maximum efficiency, places Carberry at the center of one of the team’s most significant preseason puzzles.
**Quarterbacks Coach Thad Lewis Focused on Elevating Baker Mayfield**
After Baker Mayfield secured a substantial contract following a commendable performance last season, expectations are sky-high. Thad Lewis is tasked with refining Mayfield’s game, particularly improving his deep-ball accuracy and helping him avoid unnecessary hits. Enhancing Mayfield’s performance is vital as the team looks to build on last season’s success amidst a competitive quarterback landscape.
**Wide Receivers Coach Bryan McClendon to Develop Young Talent**
Newly appointed Bryan McClendon steps into the NFL spotlight with the critical role of nurturing a young wide receiver group aiming to complement established stars Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. With the future of the receiving corps resting on the likes of Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer, McClendon’s capacity to expedite their development is crucial for the Bucs’ offensive aspirations.
As the 2024 season approaches, these assistant coaches are under the microscope, each facing unique challenges that could define the Buccaneers’ campaign. With the right adjustments and developments, Tampa Bay looks to overcome last year’s hurdles and make a significant impact in the new season.