Could the Buccaneers Promote Larry Foote to Linebackers Coach?

The Buccaneers have an intriguing in-house option to replace Mike Caldwell as inside linebackers coach.

The Jacksonville Jaguars officially hiring of Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebackers coach Mike Caldwell as their defensive coordinator on Friday, according to ESPN's Field Yates, handing Caldwell the keys to a defense for the first time in his coaching career.

The Jaguars are expected to announce Caldwell's hiring once their coaching staff is finalized, per NFL Network.

Although the Buccaneers are fortunate enough to not need to replace coordinators Byron Leftwich and Todd Bowles, as each assistant interviewed for head coach vacancies across the league this offseason, Tampa Bay is now tasked with finding a new assistant to fill Caldwell's role.

The Bucs can and probably will assess outside options to replace Caldwell, however, the team could opt for an in-house promotion by handing the responsibilities to Larry Foote, Tampa Bay's outside linebackers coach.

Foote has been successful in his position as the Buccaneers' outside linebackers coach over the last three years and has experience, both playing and coaching, the inside 'backer spot as well. In fact, Foote spent the majority of his playing career at inside linebacker.

Foote began his coaching career under now-Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians' staff with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015, beginning as an assistant linebackers coach before a promotion put him in charge of both inside and outside linebackers. Foote spent three seasons in the position before rejoining Arians in Tampa Bay, but this time solely as an outside linebackers coach.

While his three years of experience may not be ideal as Tampa Bay surveys the market for a new inside linebackers coach, keep in mind, Arians took a chance on hiring Foote back in 2015 despite a complete lack of coaching experience and it proved to be a worthwhile hiring.

Specifically, during his time with the Bucs, Foote has coached up one of the team's most productive units. The Bucs' edge rushers have combined for 76.5 sacks under Foote's guidance over the last three seasons, with stars in Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul leading the way while reserves Anthony Nelson and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, among another backup, have developed nicely.

Who's to say handing the inside linebacker room to Foote wouldn't work out, given his success while learning on the fly as an outside linebackers coach and previously coaching a linebacker unit in its entirety?

Considering inside linebacker is a position of strength for Tampa Bay thanks to Devin White and Lavonte David's production, the job would be a bit easier for Foote to transition to rather than taking over the role with inexperienced contributors in need of development.

The Bucs have a spot available on their coaching staff to replace Caldwell while leaving Foote in his role as outside linebackers coach. That being said, promoting Foote to oversee both linebacker positions would be sensible due to his experience, knowledge of the defensive system, and the relative ease to do so.

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