As Pewter Report as previously speculated, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has filled the defensive coaching vacancies at cornerbacks and safeties positions by promoting assistant defensive backs coaches Rashad Johnson and Tim Atkins to those roles. Scott Reynolds forecasted these moves in a previous SR’s FAB 5 column, as well as mentioning the likelihood these promotions happen on the Pewter Report Podcast.

Bowles fired defensive line coach Charlie Strong and cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross immediately after the 2025 season ended, and safeties coach Nick Rapone would have had the same fate if he hadn’t been coerced into retirement at age 69. Ross played cornerback at Temple when Bowles was a safety, and Rapone was Bowles’ position coach in college.

With the Bucs defense actually needing more help than the offense in terms of better coaching and more talented personnel, these hires will be critical to Tampa Bay’s success in 2026 – and perhaps Bowles’ future as head coach. Following a disappointing 8-9 record and the loss of the NFC South division title to Carolina, Bowles enters the 2026 season on the hot seat.

Bucs’ Promotions Of Tim Atkins, Rashad Johnson Make Plenty Of Sense

Tim Atkins has been with Bowles since his days as the New York Jets head coach. Atkins was Bowles’ defensive quality control coach in New York from 2016-18 and then became Tampa Bay’s defensive quality control coach from 2019-21. He was promoted to assistant secondary coach in 2022 where he has worked closely with Nick Rapone and the safeties ever since.

Prior to his time with Bowles, Atkins spent the 2014-15 seasons with Cleveland charting games, as well as being a defensive assistant in Buffalo during the 2011-12 seasons. Atkins broke into the NFL as a defensive assistant with Miami from 2006-08 before becoming a grad assistant at Florida Atlantic from 2008-09.

Bucs assistant DBs coach Tim Atkins – Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In his mid-40s, Atkins is over two decades younger than Rapone, who will turn 70 later this year. Tampa Bay’s defensive coaching staff could benefit from a youth movement with younger assistants bringing some new, fresher ideas to the table – if Bowles will listen.

Tampa Bay’s other assistant defensive backs coach, Rashad Johnson, has coached with Bowles in Tampa since 2022 when he was a defensive assistant. He was promoted to assistant secondary coach in 2023 where he has worked with Ross and the team’s cornerbacks – primarily the nickelbacks.

The 40-year old Johnson is highly regarded at One Buccaneer Place as an up-and-comer with a bright future in coaching. He has worked with three rookie nickelbacks in each of the last three years in Christian Izien in the slot in 2023, Tykee Smith in 2024 and Jacob Parrish in 2025. All three had above average rookie seasons under Johnson’s watch.

Bucs assistant DBs coach Rashad Johnson – Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Johnson was a former safety in the NFL from 2009-16. The Cardinals selected the Alabama product with their third-round draft pick in 2009 and he was coached by Bowles from 2013-14 when Bowles was Arizona’s defensive coordinator. Johnson amassed 383 tackles, 15 interceptions, including three pick-sixes, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and a sack during his NFL career.

Given the fact that Bowles will likely continue to call defensive plays in Tampa Bay this year and the fact that they know the style of defense he likes to call, Atkins and Johnson check a lot of boxes. They’re far younger than the men they would be replacing, have the trust of Bowles, and are familiar with the scheme.