With two major vacancies on their defensive coaching staff, Dan Campbell and the Lions are turning to the Buccaneers.
Kacy Rodgers, the Bucs' defensive line coach for the past six seasons and run game coordinator for the past three, is reportedly joining the Lions as defensive line coach. He will replace Terrell Williams, who left the Lions this week to become defensive coordinator of the Patriots.
Detroit had a top-five run defense by yards allowed each of the past two seasons. Rodgers, who was named NFL Defensive Line Coach of the Year in 2020, is well-suited to sustain that. He oversaw a top-five run defense in Tampa the past two seasons and in five of his six seasons as the team's defensive line coach.
Rodgers, 55, overlapped with Campbell on the Dolphins from 2011-14 when Rodgers coached the defensive line and Campbell coached the tight ends. He was also defensive line coach of the Cowboys when Campbell played there in 2005.
Campbell is also looking to the Buccaneers for a potential replacement for Aaron Glenn. The Lions are reportedly interviewing Bucs passing game coordinator and inside linebackers coach Larry Foote for their defensive coordinator vacancy.
A Detroit native, former Michigan star and one-time Lion, Foote has been on the Bucs coaching staff since 2019. Tampa has ranked in the top 10 in sacks each of those six seasons and had a top-10 scoring defense in three of the past five seasons.
Foote, 44, was an All-American linebacker at Michigan before playing 14 years in the NFL and winning two Super Bowls with the Steelers. He's also won a Super Bowl with the Bucs as a coach.