Add another person to the list of those in the Bucs organization that is taking an interview elsewhere. While much attention this offseason has gone to Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen and assistant general managers John Spytek and Mike Greenberg, it’s co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers that is having an interview on Tuesday.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Rodgers will interview with the Green Bay Packers for their vacant defensive line coach position. Along with being the defensive line coach in Tampa, he is also the run-game coordinator, sharing defensive coordinator duties with Larry Foote, who is the passing game coordinator.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and co-DC Kacy Rodgers – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Packers let go of defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich and defensive coordinator Joe Barry following their 22-10 loss to the Eagles in the Wildcard round. In that game Green Bay allowed 169 rushing yards, including 119 to Saquon Barkley.

Are The Bucs In Jeopardy Of Losing Rodgers? 

Rapoport pointed out in his X post that Rodgers is no longer under contract with the Bucs. This might be a ploy by Rodgers to get a big raise by Tampa Bay on a new deal with the bargaining chip that he could go to the Packers with a competing offer.

It would be hard to see Rodgers leave the organization as he and head coach Todd Bowles are close friends. They have coached together since 2005 when on the Dallas Cowboys defensive staff, also making stops with the Dolphins, Jets and Bucs. When they were in New York and currently Tampa, Rodgers has been a defensive coordinator.

While Tampa Bay struggled in many areas on defense last season, the interior offensive line was not one of them. Rodgers has had this group flourishing for several years and has helped the development of Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey and Logan Hall. The Bucs were fourth best in the league stopping the run with 97.8 yards per game, but it’s the pass rushing where they did their best work.

Bucs DT Vita Vea and DL coach Kacy Rodgers – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With the outside linebackers have trouble getting to the quarterback, it was the defensive linemen that picked up the slack and were the best at creating pressure. Kancey, who missed the first five games of the season, ended leading the team with 7.5 sacks. His progression in just two seasons has been out of this world and if he can find a way to stay healthy at the beginning of the season, he will be a driving force of this unit and in the leauge.

Vea was second on Tampa Bay’s defense with seven sacks, trailing Kancey by just a half a sack. He also was voted into the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career. Tied for third with inside linebacker Lavonte David at 5.5 sacks was Hall, who wound up having the best season of his career. His 28 tackles and 5.5 sacks were personal bests and Hall went from a player that the Bucs may have moved on from when his contract is done after next season to a player that’s very important for their defensive line rotation.

Though Vea and Kancey are exceptional talents and Hall was the first pick in the second round for a reason, Rodgers also deserves credit for being able to get a lot of out of these players and have them lift up the defense when many others couldn’t. It would be very difficult to see Rodgers go, but his friendship with Todd Bowles may prevail in keeping him in Tampa with a new contract.