The Bucs have made the postseason for the fifth straight year and have four-peated the NFC South after defeating the Saints 27-19 to finish the regular season 10-7. As they head into the playoffs again, one does have to wonder if this is the last time general manager Jason Licht does so with assistant general managers Mike Greenberg and John Syptek.
Both Greenberg and Spytek have shared front office space with Licht for years, but more eyes have started to be on how Tampa Bay transitioned from the Tom Brady years by retooling and building the draft at an extraordinary level.
Could this be the last time the “big three” of Licht, Greenberg, and Spytek reach the playoffs together?
Bucs Could Lose Rising Stars In Liam Coen And Mike Greenberg This Offseason
Fox Sports and Good Morning Football’s Peter Schrager stays on top of the latest NFL news and rumblings. Before the Bucs and Saints kicked off in Week 18, Schrager shared news Bucs fans will not want to hear.
Offensive coordinator Liam Coen and assistant general manager Mike Greenberg could be in danger of leaving this offseason after the work they have done in Tampa Bay.
Greenberg has already received an interview request for the Jets general manager job, while Coen is one of three names at the top of the Jaguars preferred list of head coaching candidates.
“[Liam Coen of] the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may not be as hot of a name as Ben Johnson in Detroit, but Liam Coen is going to get a lot of head coaching interviews,” Schrager said. “He’s the one that’s drawn up this offense. Everyone thought when Dave Canales left last year for the Panthers job that the Bucs were going to take this giant step back. Baker [Mayfield] is having his best year as a pro.
“I’d also mention all these contracts and incentives, Tom Brady is calling the game for us today, he can vouch for this guy. The number two guy in the front office in Tampa is a gentleman named Mike Greenberg. He is now talked about as one of the hot general manager names. He’s been there [15] years and he’s one of the reasons they’re able to bring back Mike Evans and Lavonte David and figure out contracts with these guys.
“It’s been great times for the Bucs, [but] they could be losing two of their top people, in the front office and coaching staff this offseason.”
Only able to go under the radar for so long, both Coen and Greenberg have now started to build a reputation as bright young minds that rival teams would surely like to poach away from Tampa Bay. With the Bucs now clinching a playoff spot, head coach Todd Bowles is likely sticking around for next season and potentially into the future.
While the 39-year-old offensive playcaller is in no rush to jump into a head coaching job, the Raiders and Patriots are two teams that could be serious threats to hire him, as Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds has reported, not to mention the Jaguars now entering the mix.
Reynolds has prepped Bucs fans and Pewter Report readers for the possibility of losing Greenberg already and seeing him depart would be a disaster. Life would go on without him, but he is a critical part of the team’s ability to navigate the salary cap, contract extensions, free agent signings, and draft day trades, among his numerous job responsibilities.
Fellow assistant general manager John Spytek is also an invaluable member of the front office, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the college and pro scouting departments for Tampa Bay.
Spytek is a vital part of the team being able to go from the oldest roster in the NFL to the second youngest by evaluating the proper draft fits. For more on him, he was a great special guest who shared a lot about what he has done on the Pewter Report Podcast last August.
No matter what the future holds for the bright minds in the Bucs organization, fans should enjoy the ride and be thankful for all of the people that have made this extended window of contention possible. They will not be around in Tampa Bay forever.
