Although Liam Coen agreed to a Buccaneers extension, the Jaguars’ update to their front office setup looks to have changed the equation. Coen is back in the mix for the Jags, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
[RELATED: Liam Coen Bows Out Of Jaguars’ HC Search, Agrees To Bucs Extension]
The Tampa Bay OC backed out of a second Jacksonville interview Wednesday; hours later, the Jags fired GM Trent Baalke. With Baalke gone, Coen appears more interested in the job. He is back on the radar, joining Robert Saleh, Patrick Graham and hopeful second interviewees Joe Brady and Kellen Moore in this search. With Coen back in play, it will be interesting to see if the Jags stick around to meet with Brady and Moore or if the former favorite lands a deal before then.
The Bucs had agreed on a raise for Coen to stay for a second season, but NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo connects the Baalke development to the young candidate being more interested in the job. Reports earlier this month indicated Baalke’s presence had turned off Jags HC candidates, and Coen almost definitely looks to have been among that group. After seeing Ben Johnson choose the Bears and Coen momentarily exit the picture, Shad Khan changed up.
Jacksonville is expected to hire a head coach before settling on a GM search, giving said HC considerable power. That understandably is appealing to Coen, who is huddling up with Jags brass barely 24 hours after initially refusing to do so. Coen is in Jacksonville, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who notes a deal may be close. Coen is only in the mix for the Jags job, but this would keep Brady and Moore in play for the other HC-needy teams.
In addition to the team’s decision to move on from Baalke, it sounds like the Jaguars’ persistence also helped lure Coen back to Jacksonville. Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz says the Jaguars “reached out repeatedly” with the logic that the coach would have to deny their inquiries multiple times. While the Jaguars are considering multiple candidates for the job, it sounds like Coen is the clear favorite. Schultz notes that a deal hasn’t been finalized, but Khan has identified Coen as “his guy.”
Meanwhile, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times says the Buccaneers haven’t spoken with Coen since yesterday afternoon, although that wasn’t due to a lack of trying. The Bucs tried reaching out to their OC but haven’t been able to reach him. Instead of immediately inking a new contract with Tampa Bay, Coen “secretly” traveled to Jacksonville to meet with the Jaguars. While The Athletic’s Diana Russini says the Buccaneers’ multiple calls to Coen have gone unanswered, ESPN’S Adam Schefter reports that Coen reached out to Todd Bowles directly to inform his boss of the renewed interest in the Jaguars job.
Coen’s stint as the Rams offensive coordinator didn’t go as planned, but the coach rehabilitated his image with a strong season in Tampa Bay. The new OC helped guide Baker Mayfield to the strongest season of his career, as the QB tossed 41 touchdown passes — 13 more than his previous career-high mark. As a result, Coen found himself on the head coaching radar, and it sounds like he’s currently in a can’t-lose situation. The coach can either return to a familiar spot in Tampa Bay before reentering the hiring cycle next offseason, or he can join a relatively attractive situation in Jacksonville.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Perhaps Coen can work both sidelines if the Buccaneers and Jaguars meet this season 🙂
Go Coen! The more openings that get filled now, the more likely the remaining teams will keep their coordinators (including the Bills).
Hahahaha…make the Jaguars trade for him
At least get something out of it…Money Talks or something does apparently
I want a total change in the Buccaneers staff anyway…with exception to Tom Moore…I might be the big fan of Moore….but there are a lot of Buccaneers fans that were disappointed with the Buccaneers game plan…it was turrible on both sides of the ball
No need to trade for him. Cohen is an OC. It’s a promotion to be an HC. Jags can sign him (or any assistant coach) anytime as their HC without a trade.
Didnt he sign an extension?
That is irrelevant
Just reread RAS’s comment
Well I shouldn’t be surprised, he was going back and forth with Rams and Kentucky for years. Good luck to him, hard to build culture when always looking elsewhere.
Most Coordinator gigs have an out if the guy is offered a HC job. I’d imagine this is no different. Just means he liked the job but hated Baalke. Most people seem to. So whether he signed it or not is irrelevant.
Looks like Liam’s the guy, won’t look good if he heads back down south.
All Khan needs to do is hire one competent coach, because he at least knows to sit back and let them work. He ain’t Jerry
Poor baker….gonna be on his 11th OC or so in 8 years…..
Not a guarantee being that the Jags are having a second interview with Saleh.
Never mind I am behind in headlines I see Saleh is in hold