You have two things that are intertwined. The contract of the QB and the status of the HC. What if Bowles gets another year and Baker gets his contract extended? What are the chances he makes it past next year without getting fired or retiring? Slim. Bowles would basically be a lame duck HC. He'd start the year with the hottest of seats in the NFL - only retaining his job because of the loyalty of Licht and the Glazers.
And there's a good chance Licht extends Baker this offseason, which means his new contract starts after 2026. It would be starting the same time a new HC would be starting.
Licht would be hiring a new coach who would have no say in who his starting quarterback would be for pretty much the next three or four years. That's the amount of time a coach gets to prove himself if he's lucky.
But neither of these is a done deal yet. So the upshot is that Licht has no business keeping Bowles on for another year and extending Baker in the same offseason. He would be severly limiting the pool of offensive minded head coaching candidates who would be fully aware they have no choice in the QB. An offensive minded HC hire is going to want to have some say in his QB even if he has a veteran QB to start with. He's going to want to have the opportunity to draft another QB and bring him along.
I like Licht, but if he keeps Bowles and extends Baker this would be malpractice. The following are the choices in order of preference:
1) Fire Bowles. Extending Baker's contract would be part of the discussion with offensive minded HC candidates. The new offensive minded coach would have input into the QB situation and Baker may or may not be ideal for their system.
2) Keep Bowles and don't extend Baker. If you keep both of them after this trainwreck of a year they have 2026 to make something happen. Even then you might be moving on from one or both of them after 2026. at least the futures would be linked together which seems appropriate given how this season has gone.
3) Do what appears likely to happen - Keep Bowles for a lame duck year and extend Bakers contract - thus severely limiting future HC candidates for the 2027 season, and Baker would be forced to learn another entirely new offensive system. He would not even have the choice to accept a trade because of cap implications. This would be mismanagement by Licht, and yet we're staring down this possible outcome as we limp towards the finish line of this season.
Bowles Derangement Syndrome.
Another option never mentioned: if Bowles isn’t fired, he should be FORCED to hire a DC from OUTSIDE our coaching staff. Imagine if we brought in Brian Flores or someone fresh and new to run the defense. Bowles scheme is archaic and not adaptable.
I think you'd be as suprised as me if that really happened. Brady had the pull to engineer a coaching change. Baker doesn't have that kind of pull.And there's a good chance Licht extends Baker this offseason,
If Baker were smart, he wouldn’t sign an extension until there’s a change at HC.
Besides, Baker had plenty of input into the choice of Grizzard. Now he's going to cut the legs out under him by refusing to extend? He likes it here in Tampa Bay. If it's up to him he'll be more than willing to take the money and just deal with whatever coaching changes come along.
I think SR addressed this on the radio. That's not going to happen. Bowles isn't that type of coach. If he's not the DC why is he here? And what new DC in their right mind would be wanting to work under Bowles with all the Bowles players there, Bowles would be on the hotseat and there could be a housecleaning coming. That scenario isn't going to happen plain and simple.Another option never mentioned: if Bowles isn’t fired, he should be FORCED to hire a DC from OUTSIDE our coaching staff. Imagine if we brought in Brian Flores or someone fresh and new to run the defense. Bowles scheme is archaic and not adaptable.
If it's up to him he'll be more than willing to take the money and just deal with whatever coaching changes come along.
And again, if he was smart, he shouldn't commit long-term to anything if the current coaching staff remains.
He's going to get paid whether it's here or somewhere or else.
I think SR addressed this on the radio. That's not going to happen. Bowles isn't that type of coach. If he's not the DC why is he here? And what new DC in their right mind would be wanting to work under Bowles with all the Bowles players there, Bowles would be on the hotseat and there could be a housecleaning coming. That scenario isn't going to happen plain and simple.Another option never mentioned: if Bowles isn’t fired, he should be FORCED to hire a DC from OUTSIDE our coaching staff. Imagine if we brought in Brian Flores or someone fresh and new to run the defense. Bowles scheme is archaic and not adaptable.
he also didn’t want to fire Leftwhich but he was forced to. Bowles has a boss in Licht, and he in the Glazers. Bowles doesn’t call all the shots for this organization.
This is the exact scenario laid out to Dungy (GM would hire an OC), Dungy refused and decided he’d walk.I think SR addressed this on the radio. That's not going to happen. Bowles isn't that type of coach. If he's not the DC why is he here? And what new DC in their right mind would be wanting to work under Bowles with all the Bowles players there, Bowles would be on the hotseat and there could be a housecleaning coming. That scenario isn't going to happen plain and simple.Another option never mentioned: if Bowles isn’t fired, he should be FORCED to hire a DC from OUTSIDE our coaching staff. Imagine if we brought in Brian Flores or someone fresh and new to run the defense. Bowles scheme is archaic and not adaptable.
Ironically, when he went to interview with the Colts, they pretty much gave him the same scenario, and he agreed - he couldn’t have his hands on the offense. It worked out ok.
So, there’s hope. Bowles can always take that option.
Bowles did want to fire Leftwich. But why would the Bucs want Bolwes as HC if he's not DC? For his ability to call timeouts? I don't see it, but what do I know?I think SR addressed this on the radio. That's not going to happen. Bowles isn't that type of coach. If he's not the DC why is he here? And what new DC in their right mind would be wanting to work under Bowles with all the Bowles players there, Bowles would be on the hotseat and there could be a housecleaning coming. That scenario isn't going to happen plain and simple.Another option never mentioned: if Bowles isn’t fired, he should be FORCED to hire a DC from OUTSIDE our coaching staff. Imagine if we brought in Brian Flores or someone fresh and new to run the defense. Bowles scheme is archaic and not adaptable.
he also didn’t want to fire Leftwhich but he was forced to. Bowles has a boss in Licht, and he in the Glazers. Bowles doesn’t call all the shots for this organization.
Only way Bowles save his job is if Bucs make playoffs with a winning record and win a playoff game. For that to happen, they would need to win out in 2 games they will be favored in as well as hope the Bears beat the 49ers this weekend so we would most likely avoid Rams as the 5th seed.
If this happens, Bowles likely retains job but depending on how offense and defense plays in those 4 games (2 regular season games, 2 playoff games), i would imagine they will have him replace his coordinators and like others have said, potentially get a higher quality DC in there to support Bowles.
i think this scenario is unlikely as the team looks to have quit, so what's likely?
1 - Bucs miss playoffs with lackluster performance remainder of the year
2 - Bucs make playoffs and get trounced in the first round, a similar not competitive game like Dallas back in 2022 season.
in either of those situations, i think Bucs front office has the excuse that they can move on from Bowles without facing backlash for Bowles being a POC. Bucs were 5-1 and potentially #1 seed in a year the Super Bowl seems wide open - first time in a while with no Patriot led Brady or Mahomes led Chiefs running the show.
I don't think anyone would blast Bucs or their reputation for moving on from Bowles after this collapse.
I do think they would have faced that backlash last year replacing Bowles with Coen. I really do. But....now that it appears we have reached our ceiling with Bowles which is 9 wins, and you are going to endure a mid season slump each and ever year, yeah it's time to let Licht pick his final head coach with the team. Here's hoping it's either a proven guy that has won a Superbowl before (Tomlin, Harbaugh) or an up and coming play caller (Kubiak) to try and help Baker become that top 10 guy again
what concerns me is if the Bucs brass keeps Bowles around if the Bucs finish 7-10 or 8-9 and miss playoffs.
shit that would mean a 2-9 or 3-8 finish for a team certainly expected to make playoffs and the 2 or 3 wins coming against the Saints, Cardinals, and Dolphins. Yikes.
Football is a business and can't imagine many Fans being pumped up for that. That would be a terrible blow that we dont even make playoffs and they keep him around. Not sure how you can chalk this year up to injuries given the Bucs have had their star players back and still winless in the month of December.
It's not complicated. Just fire Bowles and then figure out what you want to do with the coach search. Glazers need to have some accountability with the team they spent a lot of money on. I don't know maybe that's good business?
You have two things that are intertwined. The contract of the QB and the status of the HC.
Thats definitely a big one, but theres a lot more to it than that. Would Evans retire? If you keep Bowles do you let him have substantial input on players? Lots of moving pieces either direction.
Should the Packers fire LeFleur?
