After news came on Thursday morning that the Bucs would be losing pass game specialist John Van Dam to the Jaguars, it was reported by Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud that two coaches that Jacksonville was pursuing will be getting promotions under offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard’s staff.

Offensive line coach Kevin Carberry will become the team’s run game coordinator, while assistant offensive line coach Brian Picucci will now be the offensive line coach. This report came just before Grizzard held his opening press conference after getting his own promotion.

Kevin Carberry and Brian Picucci Rewarded For Bucs’ Run Game Success

Bucs OL coach Kevin Carberry – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

After Liam Coen tried to poach both Kevin Carberry and Brian Picucci, it is little surprise that the Bucs would work to promote each of them and give them elevated job titles. The run game reached another level last season, and much of that can be credited back to the work that Carberry and Picucci did with the offensive line from top to bottom.

What this move does is not only allow them to have a new job title but new responsibilities in the day-to-day when it comes to assisting Josh Grizzard. Grizzard will now have a lot more on his plate, but he will not have to worry too much about the run game with these two coaches as well as running backs coach Skip Peete.

Having all of their collective minds together and input will be huge for the first-time playcaller, who mentioned during his Thursday practice that he will be working with head coach Todd Bowles during call-it periods for more experience.

Getting back to Carberry, the 41-year-old has coached at the NFL level since starting in 2012 with the Dallas Cowboys. He has bounced around in various roles since, including a stint at Stanford from 2018 to 2020 with the same job title as he now has.

Bucs Assistant O-Line Coach Brian Picucci – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Picucci has 30 years of coaching experience, but a majority of that has come in the college ranks. Although he worked with Coen at Kentucky, he will stick around and have more say when it comes to taking the offensive line to the next level with the core of left tackle Tristan Wirfs, center Graham Barton, right guard Cody Mauch, and right tackle Luke Goedeke intact.

The Bucs often take care of their own when it comes to players and coaches, whether that’s re-signing them or giving them promotions. What they have done with Josh Grizzard and now Kevin Carberry and Brian Picucci are the latest examples as they are betting on the continuity of the offensive coaching staff leading to even better results next season.