The Buccaneers will provide landing spots for two recently dismissed Cowboys coaches. The NFC South team is hiring George Edwards and Skip Peete, according to NFL.com’s Jane Slater and Fox Sports’ Greg Auman (Twitter links).
As they prepared a transition away from Kellen Moore, the Cowboys informed Peete they were not renewing his contract. Despite Dan Quinn agreeing to return for a third season, Edwards also received word he was not coming back. Todd Bowles has previously worked with both and will bring them aboard his retooled coaching staff.
Edwards, 56, will coach Tampa Bay’s outside linebackers, per Auman. This will be their third run on the same staff; Bowles and Edwards previously coached together in Cleveland and Miami during the 2000s. Peete’s first Cowboys tour of duty overlapped with Bowles’ Dallas stay; the two were on Wade Phillips‘ first Cowboys staff in 2007. Peete, 60, will be the Bucs’ running backs coach, Slater notes. This is unsurprising; Peete has held that title exclusively during his lengthy NFL stay.
Edwards is best known for his run as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. He held that title for six years under Mike Zimmer. From 2015-19, the Vikings rolled out a top-10 scoring defense in each season. That unit did well to help Minnesota to the playoffs thrice, each season coming with a different quarterback. Micah Parsons gave Edwards significant praise after learning of his departure. A senior defensive assistant in Dallas, Edwards played a lead role in unleashing Parsons, who roved between off-ball linebacker and edge rusher during his dominant start.
The Bucs will be the fifth NFL team to employ Peete as running backs coach since his 1998 NFL entrance. Most recently, Peete aided the development of Tony Pollard, who broke through for a career-high yards from scrimmage total en route to a Pro Bowl nod last season. Despite re-signing Leonard Fournette on a three-year, $21MM deal, the Bucs are coming off a last-place rushing season. Peete will work under new Bucs OC Dave Canales.