Entering Wednesday as the rumored favorite for the Jaguars’ head coaching job, Liam Coen is prepared to pass. The young offensive coordinator will stay with the Buccaneers.
Coen will sign a new Bucs contract that makes him one of the game’s highest-paid coordinators, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This deal comes with an extension but not a coach-in-waiting clause, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds. Robert Saleh and Patrick Graham remain Jags finalists, but after Coen-to-Jacksonville buzz had steadily built, this could certainly be labeled a setback for the AFC South franchise. The deal is believed to be in the $4.5MM-per-year neighborhood, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud.
Ben Johnson recently showed this path can be effective. The former Lions OC backed away from a potential Panthers hire in 2023 and then informed the Commanders last year he was out of that mix as well. Johnson remained a top candidate and just accepted a Bears offer. Coen’s profile checks in south of Johnson’s, however, and he was only in the mix for the Jags job. While this could be deemed a risk by a coordinator who has yo-yoed between the pro and college ranks this decade, it also could represent hesitancy involving the Jaguars.
Today was to be Coen’s second Jags interview (and first in-person meeting with team brass), but the Stroud reports the Bucs’ OC did not board the plane for Jacksonville. Coen, 39, was negotiating with the Bucs as well. He will stick around and continue to work with Baker Mayfield, after the two enjoyed a promising start that resulted in another NFC South title for the Bucs.
This marks the second time this week a coveted candidate has exited the Jags’ search. Johnson was believed to be considering the Jags (and a Trevor Lawrence partnership), but the high-profile play-caller was not overly thrilled about the franchise’s setup. We heard shortly after Black Monday that the Jags’ decision to retain GM Trent Baalke, who is running their HC search, had influenced some candidates to steer clear. For a second HC cycle, Baalke’s presence appears to be affecting the Jags’ viability as a destination.
In 2022, the Jags appeared close to a deal with Byron Leftwich. Baalke’s presence impacted that search, leading to the Doug Pederson hire. Pederson had also expressed apprehension regarding Baalke, and as last season progressed, the three-year Jags HC was not on good terms with his top coworker. Many expected Baalke to be fired along with Pederson, but Shad Khan retained the polarizing exec. Rumors about Baalke being kicked to another position within the organization emerged, but Johnson and Coen’s decisions may not point to that actually happening.
Coen had been the Rams’ 2022 OC, with that stay sandwiched between two seasons as Kentucky’s play-caller. Helping Will Levis to a breakthrough 2021 season with the Wildcats, Coen did not impress as L.A.’s non-play-calling OC — albeit during an injury-plagued Rams season — and returned to the SEC program in 2023. After the Wildcats again improved under Coen, the Bucs hired him.
Mayfield soon took steps forward this past season, throwing 41 touchdown passes — 13 more than his previous career-high mark — and powered Todd Bowles‘ team to a 10-7 record and a fourth straight division championship. After losing Dave Canales to the Panthers, the Bucs still ranked fourth in scoring offense. This will mark Mayfield’s first instance of play-caller carryover since his 2020-21 Browns seasons.
Graham is slated to interview for the Jacksonville post Thursday, while Saleh is heading to Duval County on Friday. Saleh has a history with the Jags, being their linebackers coach from 2014-16, but has also met with the Cowboys and Raiders. It will be interesting if Jacksonville adds another finalist now that Coen is out, as both Saleh and Graham are defensive-minded leaders. The Jags have also interviewed OCs Joe Brady, Todd Monken and Kellen Moore. Kliff Kingsbury was believed to be on the team’s radar, but teams will have to wait until the Commanders’ season ends to meet with the resurgent play-caller.
‘In Baalke and Shad, Jags fans don’t trust.’
Good for the Bucs and Mayfield. Wonder when the Jags will finally get the hint about Baalke.
Smarter than most.
If Graham gets the nod do the raiders get a compensatory pick?
Thought they fired Pierce and staff so I don’t see why they would.
Hahaha… I was hoping all the Buccaneers coaches were going to vacate the building with exception to Tom Moore….and bring my guys in
Despite my diabolical plan….this is a good decision and I am happy…at least for now…maybe next week I will feel differently…really though in the end…. there is a lot of unfinished business…so keeping the coaching staff intact is a good thing
When a diabolical plan fails you can always move on to a triabolical plan 🙂
Memo to Shad Kahn,
Until you get rid of Baalke nobody worth a damn is interested in coaching your team.
Signed,
Everyone
3 finger-Great minds think alike.
Note to Jaguars owner: Nobody likes your GM. Now what can we do about that? Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Let me toss that around for a sec….I’ll get back to you.
The Baalkee factor
Curse?
Pretty smart of Liam to get 1 interview and have the media report about how outstanding it was. If he continues to improve with Bucs, he will get all of that Ben Johnson hype next season. It will basically be him and Joe Brady as top names.
Baalke clearly has dirt on Shad Khan. No other explanation makes sense. But I guess it’s a benefit to the fans of 31 other teams to have the Jags screwed up.
No, Khan is just Stupid !
If the 49ers want Saleh, they better up the ante or they end up with a DC that they don’t really want.
The hotshot OC’s are finally making good decisions and waiting out for better opportunities rather than leaving good situations for train wreck organizations simply to achieve HC status (to inevitably get fired 3 years down the road).
WOW … assured of a LOSER for Coach now.
he wants to see how good he can get with the current personnel. especially the offensive line. tyreek hill a logical addition? biggest want is myles garrett type tho