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Todd Bowles joins Buccaneers coaching staff as DC

Todd Bowles is reuniting with Bruce Arians.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday that Bowles agreed to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as defensive coordinator, per a source informed of the decision.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen first reported the agreement.

The ex-New York Jets coach seemed destined to rejoin Arians in Tampa from the moment the latter came out of retirement. There was some scuttle that Bowles could head to Chicago to replace Vic Fangio, who took the Denver Broncos head coach job on Wednesday. However, that rumor didn't last long.

Bowles and Arians have a long relationship dating back to Bowles' days at Temple, where Arians got his first head-coaching position. Bowles spent two seasons as Arians' defensive coordinator in Arizona from 2013-2014.

The Cardinals' defenses under Bowles were some of the best in the NFL during his two-year stint. In 2013, Arizona ranked No. 2 in DVOA by Football Outsider's metrics. His Jets defenses rarely came close to replicating that lofty standard.

In Tampa Bay, Bowles will be charged with improving a ragged defense that got torched in 2018, allowing 383.4 yards per game (27th in NFL) and 29.0 points per contest (31st).

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