Report: Bucs, Cardinals Exchange Draft Picks in Trade for Bruce Arians' Rights

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will hire Bruce Arians, but they first needed to complete a minor trade for the head coach.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Bucs will send a 2019 sixth-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for Arians and a 2019 seventh-round pick.

Arians spent five years as head coach of the Cardinals but retired following the 2017 season.

As Schefter noted, the NFL initially ruled no compensation was needed for the Buccaneers to hire Arians, but the Cardinals argued that they still held his rights since he wasn't fired. The deal ends any further debate and allows Tampa Bay to secure its head coach.

The 66-year-old is also moving quickly to fill out his staff.

According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, former New York Jets coach Todd Bowles will be the defensive coordinator. Byron Leftwich will become the offensive coordinator after working under Arians in Arizona, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The coach comes with loads of experience and has been a coach in the NFL since 1989. He went 49-30-1 as a head coach with Arizona, also leading the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs as an interim coach in 2012.

Of course, he still has a tough challenge ahead of him with the Buccaneers.

The team finished 5-11 last year with the second-worst defense in the NFL based on points allowed. There are also question marks at quarterback with Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick splitting the starting job last year.

Arians will hope he can turn things around in a hurry after finalizing a deal with the team.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals will hope the improved draft pick will help improve a roster that went 3-13 last season.