After a busy offseason hiring new assistant coaches and coordinators, the Bucs have added on one more. The team announced on Wednesday afternoon that they have hired Justin Peelle as tight ends coach. Their former tight ends coach John Van Dam is still on the staff in a role as Tampa Bay’s passing game assistant.

Coaching And Playing Career

Peelle was in the NFC South division as his most recent role was the tight ends coach with the Atlanta Falcons from 2021 to 2023. He has coached tight end Kyle Pitts, who was former teammates at Florida with Bucs’ backup quarterback Kyle Trask, for his whole NFL career up to this point.

Bucs TEs coach Justin Peelle – Photo by: USA Today

Prior to the Falcons, Peelle was with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2015 to 2020, winning Super Bowl LII with that group. Peelle was able to coach the likes of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.

As a player himself, Peelle also was a tight end played college football at the University Oregon and went on to have a 10-year NFL career with the Chargers, Dolphins, Falcons and 49ers. He played in 151 games, making 123 catches for 1,003 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Bucs’ TE Room

The next stop for Peellee in Tampa Bay has him taking on a tight end room that is still fairly young. Cade Otton is the incumbant starter yet is still going into year three, as is Ko Kieft, who plays in more of a fullback role. The Bucs are excited about Payne Durham heading into his second season, and his progression may determined what exactly they do at the position.

Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: USA Today

It would still be in the best interest of the Bucs to add another tight end. Otton is solid as a receiver but isn’t prolific in the passing game and struggles as a run blocker. That goes for Durham as well, while Kieft doesn’t provide much as a receiver. Tampa Bay needs to decide on finding another tight end that specializes in one or the other.

Otton also played almost every single snap on offense last year. That plan is going to be different this season, which will probably work in Otton’s favor as he won’t be worn down by the end of each game and later in the season.

The tight ends have had their moments in the Bucs’ offense and Peellee will try to help get the best out of them in the first season with Coen as the coordinator.