Which New Bucs Position Coach Brings The Most Optimism?

In a weekly column every Thursday on PewterReport.com, two Pewter Reporters will debate a topic with opposing viewpoints. Which Pewter Reporter wins the debate? You get to decide in the comments section below.

This week’s topic: Which New Bucs Position Coach Brings The Most Optimism?

Point: Promoting Rashad Johnson Will Boost The Development of Bucs Cornerbacks

By Adam Slivon

With the Bucs having made all of their most notable coaching hires, the staff for next season has come into shape. The biggest hirings were obviously offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and special teams coordinator Danny Smith. When it comes to position coaches, though, I am most excited about what new cornerbacks coach Rashad Johnson can do.

Johnson replaces Kevin Ross, a former teammate and longtime confidant of Todd Bowles. The 64-year old Ross did not bring much to the table coaching up the cornerback room in recent seasons, with evident lapses in communication and coverage. Johnson is now tasked with fixing things, and there is reason to believe being a recent player and a more relatable voice will likely make the room more apt to his coaching methods. It sure was on display during the 2026 Senior Bowl, where Pewter Report spotted him bringing energy to the American team.

Still just 40 years old, Johnson has quickly risen in the coaching ladder since starting as a defensive assistant in 2022. He was then promoted to assistant secondary coach, a role he held from 2023 to 2025. It was an important spot, as he worked with the nickelbacks. Each year, the Bucs brought in a new nickelback option to coach up, whether that was Christian Izien, Tykee Smith, or Jacob Parrish.

Each of them put together promising, above-average rookie campaigns, with it serving as a launching pad to get acquainted with the secondary and the complex scheme Bowles runs. That allowed Izien to become a versatile defensive back and Smith to settle into the strong safety spot. Even Parrish might move to be an outside cornerback next season.

Johnson’s tutelage aided each of them, and now he has the opportunity to pass it along to a cornerback room that needs it desperately. Zyon McCollum regressed and struggled last season after once looking like a promising player with all the tools to be a shutdown corner.

McCollum is still under contract, making $16 million in 2026, while second-year player Benjamin Morrison is in contention to start opposite him. Morrison has shown flashes, but he also struggled with consistency and was burned several times in coverage during his rookie year. Johnson can help bring each along by harping on the fundamentals and will bring fresher, more modern ideas to the table. It is still Bowles’ defense to run, but turning over the room to a younger defensive mind offers hope that it can improve.

Counterpoint: Marcus West Brings A Much Needed NFL Assistant Coach’s Outside Perspective

By Matt Matera

So, you’re telling me that a Bucs defensive coaching staff that has seen major struggles over the last two seasons decided to only move on from half of those coaches and replaced them with…more assistant coaches that were already on the staff? Surely, nothing could go wrong having coaches that will regurgitate a similar message that Todd Bowles wants while everyone’s season is on the line. 

At least defensive tackle coach Marcus West brings in a new voice from outside of the organization. His perspective is one that is not just a follower of Bowles, as they have never worked together before. Technically the Bucs had that with Charlie Strong last season, but he hadn’t coached at all in a year – and not in the NFL in four years. West spent four seasons with the Bills working under a head coach with a defensive background in Sean McDermott. 

West helped develop some of Buffalo’s young pass rushers over the last four seasons. This includes Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa and Ed Oliver. Many of them were able to accomplish some career highs under West, who gets an opportunity to do the same here in Tampa Bay. 

There’s certainly a lot of skill that West gets to work with. He will attempt to keep Vita Vea playing at a high level at the age of 31 while getting the most out of Calijah Kancey – if he can stay healthy and be available. Plus, there’s a lot of excitement for Elijah Roberts for what he can do in year two, and it’s very possible the Bucs draft a defensive tackle in April. 

The biggest benefit that all of these defensive tackles will get from West this season is hearing about new ideas from a coach that had been coaching in the NFL currently without listening to the same old stuff that Bowles was giving and not working the way it should. West is also 42 and brings a lot more energy than the 65-year old Strong did last season.