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Liam Coen

Jaguars Schedule Second HC Interviews With Patrick Graham, Liam Coen

January 20th, 2025 at 6:25pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jaguars are planning second interviews with former Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and current Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Graham and Coen will join former Jets head coach Robert Saleh on the shortlist for the Jaguars, which will no longer include Ben Johnson after he agreed to join the Bears. Both coaches will have in-person interviews with Jacksonville’s decision-makers, a group that still includes general manager Trent Baalke. His presence was more of a concern when pickier candidates like Johnson and Mike Vrabel were in the mix, but Graham and Coen – who are not interviewing for any other head coaching jobs – may not be as demanding. Saleh has interviewed with the Raiders and the Cowboys and may be looking for more personnel control after an imperfect partnership with Joe Douglas in New York. He could get that in Las Vegas, who are looking for a new general manager after firing Tom Telesco, but not Dallas, where owner Jerry Jones will continue to make roster decisions.

Now that the biggest domino in the cycle has fallen with Johnson’s move to Chicago, other teams’ hiring proceses should speed up. Coen is set to interview on Wednesday, followed by Graham on Thursday and Saleh on Friday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, putting the Jaguars in a position to make a final decision in the next two weeks

Coen did well in his first interview with the Jaguars, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. It earned him a second interview in Jacksonville and, even if he doesn’t land the job, will improve his stock heading into next offseason’s hiring cycle.

2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

January 15th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy splitting up, seven teams have made coaching changes so far during this year’s cycle. Here are the candidates connected to each of the now-HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-20-25 (6:50pm CT)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Liam Coen In Contention To Land Jaguars’ HC Position?

January 15th, 2025 at 4:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars are one of five teams currently seeking out a head coaching hire. A long list of candidates have been connected to the position, but an early contender may have emerged.

Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is meeting today with Jacksonville. No other team has requested an interview to this point, something which makes him stand out compared to more in-demand HC candidates. He will remain a candidate to monitor closely in this situation, however.

Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports Coen is “believed to be a top name to watch” regarding Jacksonville’s head coaching gig. To no surprise, Doug Pederson was dismissed after the 2024 campaign, his third in Duval County. The former Eagles Super Bowl winner comes from an offensive background, and teams often move in a different direction in that regard when replacing coaches. A number of candidates on the Jags’ radar are offensive coordinators, though, so Coen is one of many staffers whose success on that side of the ball could make him attractive as the team looks to maximize quarterback Trevor Lawrence‘s potential.

From 2018-23, Coen alternated between Sean McVay‘s Rams staff and time at Kentucky. That period gave him offensive coordinator experience at the college and NFL levels (although he did not call plays in Los Angeles). The 39-year-old took charge of the Buccaneers’ offense this season, and his success in that endeavor has not gone unnoticed. Tampa Bay ranked top-four in the NFL in passing and rushing yards per game in 2024, and it was reported in December Coen would likely be involved in this year’s head coaching carousel.

Jacksonville is one of the long list of suitors for Lions OC Ben Johnson, who is believed to be intrigued by the prospect of taking over the Jaguars. Johnson has several other potential landing spots, of course, and the Raiders have recently emerged as the top option in that regard. Especially if Johnson ends up being unavailable for the Jaguars (in spite of their predicted “aggressive pursuit,”), Coen could be a target for a second interview when the team narrows down its list of finalists. As Schultz notes, Jacksonville’s search process is far from finished at this point.

Via PFR’s head coaching search tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand with the Jaguars:

Jaguars Submit HC Interview Requests

January 7th, 2025 at 11:09am CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Jaguars fired Doug Pederson following his third season at the helm. As a result, Jacksonville is one of five teams in need of a new head coach.

On Monday, it was learned a trio of offensive coordinators were on the Jaguars’ radar: Ben Johnson (Lions), Liam Coen (Buccaneers) and Joe Brady (Bills). All three have indeed received an interview request, but the team announced on Tuesday that other coaches are also on the radar.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is among the coaches whom the Jags are seeking an interview with. Monken has already received a slip from the Bears, and it comes as little surprise he is drawing interest from multiple suitors. Baltimore led the league in total offense this season, ranking third in scoring with an average of 30.5 points per game. A veteran position coach and coordinator at the college and pro levels, the 58-year-old has never been a head coach in the NFL.

Another OC on the Jaguars’ radar is Kellen Moore. Following a four-year run as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, the former quarterback spent the 2023 season in the same role with the Chargers. With the Bolts making sweeping moves on the sidelines last offseason under Jim Harbaugh, though, Moore was expectedly on the move again in the 2024 hiring cycle. The 35-year-old has worked with the Eagles this year, and the team ranks top-10 in points and yards per game. Moore has also received an interview request from the Saints for their HC position.

A trio of coaches with a defensive background have received a slip from Jacksonville. That includes, interestingly, Robert Saleh. The 45-year-old was this season’s first head firing when his Jets tenure came to an end in Year 4. Saleh’s coaching history also includes four years as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator and, prior to that, several gigs as a positional coach. One of those was Jacksonville’s linebackers coach from 2014-16. Saleh has worked with the Packers since October, and it will be interesting to see if he considers a return to Duval County during this year’s hiring cycle.

In addition, Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has received an interview request. He spent the past three seasons leading Vegas’ defense, and he also has experience as a DC with the Dolphins and Giants. Graham, 45, served as an assistant head coach during two of his years in New York, but he has never led a staff at the college or NFL levels. This is his first HC interview request of the 2025 hiring cycle.

Rounding out the Jags’ list is Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. To little surprise, he has joined Johnson as one of the top candidates this year, and his name has been attached to three other suitors. Jacksonville could therefore have competition for his services if an interview is arranged and it goes well.

Many were surprised when it was learned Jags general manager Trent Baalke will be retained in the wake of Pederson’s dismissal. Questions have been raised about how willing the top candidates will be to head to Jacksonville as a result, and it will be interesting to see how many of the team’s initial targets set up an interview over the near future.

Jaguars Interested In Ben Johnson, Joe Brady, Liam Coen; Team Open To Hiring Executive VP

January 6th, 2025 at 4:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Shad Khan gave both Gus Bradley and Doug Marrone more time, he canned Doug Pederson after three seasons. Trent Baalke is staying on, which has surprised many around the league. Baalke will now be part of the team’s HC search, which looks to have a certain skillset in mind.

Offensive creativity will be factored into the Jaguars’ search, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who reports the AFC South club has Ben Johnson, Joe Brady and Liam Coen on its radar. Despite having gone offense with Pederson, Khan appears to be leaning in a similar direction.

Pederson came to Jacksonville as a five-year play-caller, but the former Super Bowl winner relinquished that responsibility — to the chagrin of many — after the 2022 season. Embattled OC Press Taylor remained the Jags’ play-caller over the past two seasons, despite the team’s fortunes worsening since December 2023 began a regime-defining swoon. Nevertheless, the Jags are targeting more play-callers, as they attempt to maximize Trevor Lawrence.

No interview requests have come yet, but it would surprise if these three did not receive slips. Although the Jags finished 4-13, Lawrence’s presence figures to add intrigue to the post. Teams with QB issues may have a much harder time attracting top candidates, even though the 2021 No. 1 overall pick has not yet justified his summer megadeal. Lawrence is also recovering from shoulder surgery completed midway through last month.

Johnson has long been believed to be the top play-caller type available, having restored Jared Goff as a quality passer after the Lions acquired him as a throw-in as part of the Matthew Stafford trade. Johnson has called plays for the past three seasons, and the Lions have continued to climb. Detroit’s 68 offensive touchdowns this season trail only the 2013 Broncos’ record-setting attack. The Lions led the NFL in scoring and finished second in yardage. Johnson, 38, has been selective but is tentatively viewed as more likely to take a job this year. He is set to meet with the Patriots and Bears, two teams that just drafted top-three QBs.

Coen did plenty to sustain Baker Mayfield‘s 2023 resurgence, helping to elevate the formerly maligned passer. Mayfield shattered his career high by throwing 41 touchdown passes this season. Coen, 39, did not stand out as Rams OC in 2022 but has restored his stock in Tampa. The four-time reigning NFC South champion Bucs navigated Dave Canales‘ departure well, ranking third in scoring offense, and Coen is drawing interest in a league starved for promising play-callers. Coen should be expected to garner extensive attention this year, Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager adds.

A Bills team that already had a dominant quarterback has benefited from Brady, who has been at the controls during Josh Allen‘s most complete season. The MVP favorite had already propelled Brian Daboll to a top job, and his current 35-year-old conductor may not be long for the Bills’ OC chair. The Saints are also interested in Brady, who coached in New Orleans previously.

When the Jags’ job was last open back in 2022, rumblings about potential difficulty working with Baalke surfaced. The second-chance GM, who battled Jim Harbaugh in a mid-2010s San Francisco power struggle, is believed to have seen his relationship with Pederson worsen in 2024. He has fended off rumors about a firing, doing so as Pederson took the fall. The Jags considered hiring an executive VP to operate between Baalke and ownership previously, but nothing came of it. Khan did not rule out another search, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, and said some front office talent will be added due to the present Jags staff being “lean.”

Baalke rode shotgun to Urban Meyer upon becoming the Jags’ GM, and it is rather interesting that the former 49ers leader will be on staff with a fourth Jags HC. The AFC South franchise hired Baalke during Marrone’s tenure in 2020 and promoted him to GM under Meyer. Baalke’s presence will be one of the most interesting components on this year’s HC carousel.

Buccaneers OC Liam Coen “Gaining Traction” For HC Gigs

December 21st, 2024 at 9:49am CST by Ben Levine

Liam Coen has helped elevate the Buccaneers offense into one of the top-scoring units in the NFL. The offensive coordinator may be able to parlay that performance into a promotion. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Coen has been “gaining traction” for head coaching gigs. At the very least, the coach is expected to be heavily involved in the interview circuit.

After spending a few years in the college ranks, Coen made a name for himself working alongside Sean McVay in Los Angeles. Coen first served as the Rams wide receivers coach, when he helped guide Cooper Kupp to his breakout season in 2019. Coen later worked closely with Matthew Stafford as the team’s assistant QBs coach.

Coen left for Kentucky in 2021 to become the school’s offensive coordinator, but he returned to the Rams in 2022 to replace Kevin O’Connell as OC. Coen went back to Kentucky for a second stint in 2023 before getting hired as Dave Canales‘ replacement in Tampa Bay ahead of the 2024 campaign.

While the Buccaneers already had a formidable offense, Coen has helped take the unit to another level. The offense is averaging more than 28 points per game despite Chris Godwin being lost for the season and Mike Evans missing a handful of games. Coen has also helped turn around the team’s running game; after ranking towards the bottom of the NFL in 2022 and 2023, the Buccaneers currently rank second in yards per carry (5.2) and fifth in rushing yards (2,021).

Considering Coen’s success in multiple stops, it’s not a huge surprise that he’ll be a hot name on the coaching carousel. The offensive coordinator will be relatively new to the HC interview cycle, and considering his limited track record, some longer-tenured coordinators will likely get the first crack at open jobs. Still, it’s a positive development for Coen’s career trajectory that he’s already being considered for these types of gigs.

As Fowler notes, Coen won’t be the only popular name in Tampa Bay. Assistant GM John Spytek will once again be considered for GM jobs, and fellow assistant GM Mike Greenberg could also be a popular name (with Fowler specifically pointing to the Jets gig). Fowler also points to vice president of football research Jacqueline Davidson and director of player personnel Rob McCartney as names to watch, even if they don’t get long looks this offseason.

Assessing NFL’s OC Landscape

February 15th, 2024 at 8:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason showed the turnover that can take place at the offensive coordinator position. As a result of several decisions in January and February, the NFL no longer has an OC who has been in his current role for more than two seasons. Various firings and defections now have the 2022 batch of hires stationed as the longest-tenured OCs.

One of the longest-tenured coordinators in NFL history, Pete Carmichael is no longer with the Saints. The team moved on after 15 seasons, a stay that featured part-time play-calling duties. The Browns canned their four-year non-play-calling OC, Alex Van Pelt, while three-year play-callers Arthur Smith and Shane Waldron are relocating this winter. Brian Callahan‘s five-year gig as the Bengals’ non-play-calling OC booked him a top job.

The recent lean toward offense-oriented HCs took a bit of a hit of a hit this offseason, with five of the eight jobs going to defense-oriented leaders. Callahan, Dave Canales and Jim Harbaugh were the only offense-geared candidates hired during this cycle. But half the NFL will go into this season with a new OC. Following the Seahawks’ decision to hire ex-Washington (and, briefly, Alabama) staffer Ryan Grubb, here is how the NFL’s OC landscape looks:

2022 OC hires

  • Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions*
  • Mike Kafka, New York Giants*
  • Wes Phillips, Minnesota Vikings
  • Frank Smith, Miami Dolphins
  • Adam Stenavich, Green Bay Packers
  • Press Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars*

Although this sextet now comprises the senior wing of offensive coordinators, this still marks each’s first gig as an NFL OC. Three of the six received HC interest this offseason.

Johnson’s status back in Detroit has been one of the offseason’s top storylines and a development the Commanders have not taken especially well. The two-year Lions OC was viewed as the frontrunner for the Washington job for weeks this offseason, and when team brass did not receive word about Johnson’s intent to stay in Detroit (thus, waiting until at least 2025 to make his long-expected HC move) until a Commanders contingent was en route to Detroit for a second interview, a back-and-forth about what exactly broke down took place. Johnson should be expected to remain a high-end HC candidate next year, but Dan Campbell will still have his services for 2024.

Kafka interviewed for the Seahawks’ HC job, and the Giants then blocked him from meeting with the NFC West team about its OC position. Rumblings about Kafka and Brian Daboll no longer being on great terms surfaced this year, with the latter yanking away play-calling duties — given to Kafka ahead of the 2022 season — at points in 2023. Taylor may also be on the hot seat with his team. Doug Pederson gave Taylor the call sheet last season, and Trevor Lawrence did not make the leap many expected. After a collapse left the Jaguars out of the playoffs, the team had begun to look into its offensive situation.

2023 OC hires

  • Jim Bob Cooter, Indianapolis Colts
  • Nathaniel Hackett, New York Jets*
  • Mike LaFleur, Los Angeles Rams
  • Joe Lombardi, Denver Broncos
  • Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens*
  • Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs
  • Drew Petzing, Arizona Cardinals*
  • Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys
  • Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans*

Only nine of the 15 OCs hired in 2023 are still with their teams. One (Canales) moved up the ladder, while others were shown the door following that organization canning its head coach. The Eagles were the only team who hired an offensive coordinator last year to fire that staffer (Brian Johnson) after one season. Nick Sirianni fired both his coordinators following a wildly disappointing conclusion.

Hackett may also be drifting into deep water, given what transpired last year in New York. Rumblings of Robert Saleh — who is on the hottest seat among HCs — stripping some of his offensive play-caller’s responsibilities surfaced recently. This marks Hackett’s fourth chance to call plays in the NFL; the second-generation staffer did so for the Bills, Jaguars and Broncos prior to coming to New York. After the 2022 Broncos ranked last in scoring, the ’23 Jets ranked 31st in total offense. Hackett’s relationship with Aaron Rodgers has largely kept him in place, but 2024 may represent a last chance for the embattled coach.

Of this crop, Monken and Slowik were the only ones to receive HC interest. Neither emerged as a frontrunner for a position, though Slowik met with the Commanders twice. The Texans then gave their first-time play-caller a raise to stick around for C.J. Stroud‘s second season. Stroud’s remarkable progress figures to keep Slowik on the HC radar. Monken, who is in his third try as an NFL OC (after gigs in Tampa and Cleveland), just helped Lamar Jackson to his second MVP award. The former national championship-winning OC did not stick the landing — as Jackson struggled against the Chiefs — but he fared well on the whole last season.

Schottenheimer is on his fourth go-round as an OC, while Lombardi is on team No. 3. The latter’s job figures to be more secure, being tied to Sean Payton, compared to what is transpiring in Dallas. With the Cowboys having Mike McCarthy as the rare lame-duck HC, his coordinators probably should not get too comfortable.

2024 OC hires

  • Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills*
  • Liam Coen, Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
  • Ken Dorsey, Cleveland Browns
  • Luke Getsy, Las Vegas Raiders*
  • Ryan Grubb, Seattle Seahawks*
  • Nick Holz, Tennessee Titans
  • Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders*
  • Klint Kubiak, New Orleans Saints*
  • Brad Idzik, Carolina Panthers
  • Kellen Moore, Philadelphia Eagles*
  • Dan Pitcher, Cincinnati Bengals
  • Zac Robinson, Atlanta Falcons*
  • Greg Roman, Los Angeles Chargers*
  • Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers*
  • Alex Van Pelt, New England Patriots*
  • Shane Waldron, Chicago Bears*

The 49ers do not employ a traditional OC; 16 of the 31 teams that do recently made a change. Most of the teams to add OCs this year, however, did so without employing play-calling coaches. This naturally raises the stakes for this year’s batch of hires.

Retreads became rather popular. Dorsey, Getsy, Moore, Van Pelt and Waldron were all OCs elsewhere (Buffalo, Chicago, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Seattle) last season. Smith will shift from calling the Falcons’ plays to running the show for the Steelers. Dorsey, Getsy and Van Pelt were fired; Moore and Waldron moved on after the Chargers and Seahawks respectively changed HCs. Moore and Smith will be calling plays for a third team; for Moore, this is three OC jobs in three years.

Coen, Kingsbury and Roman are back after a year away. Kingsbury became a popular name on the OC carousel, having coached Caleb Williams last season. This will be his second crack at an NFL play-calling gig, having been the Cardinals’ conductor throughout his HC tenure. This will be Coen’s first shot at calling plays in the pros; he was Sean McVay‘s non-play-calling assistant in 2022. Likely to become the Chargers’ play-caller, Roman will have a rare fourth chance to call plays in the NFL. He held that responsibility under Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco; following Harbaugh’s explosive 2015 49ers split, Roman moved to Buffalo and Baltimore to work under non-offense-oriented leaders.

Grubb, Holz, Idzik, Pitcher and Robinson represent this year’s first-timer contingent. Grubb has, however, called plays at the college level. Robinson is the latest McVay staffer to move into a play-calling post; he was a Rams assistant for five years. A host of teams had Robinson on their OC radar, but Raheem Morris brought his former L.A. coworker to Atlanta. Pitcher appeared in a few searches as well, but the Bengals made the expected move — after extending him last year — to give him Callahan’s old job.

* = denotes play-calling coordinator

2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

February 9th, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a crowded carousel previously stopped, the 49ers opened their defensive coordinator position. Here is how the NFC champions’ search looks:

Updated 3-2-24 (10:00am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dave Ragone)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Ken Dorsey)

  • Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Bills): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed

Carolina Panthers (Out: Thomas Brown)

  • Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
  • Brad Idzik, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Luke Getsy)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Brian Callahan)

  • Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
  • Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Promoted

Cleveland Browns (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Mick Lombardi)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Kellen Moore)

New England Patriots (Out: Bill O’Brien)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Pete Carmichael)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Brian Johnson)

  • Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/23
  • Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Matt Canada)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Shane Waldron)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Dave Canales)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Tim Kelly)

  • Nick Holz, passing game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Eric Studesville, associate head coach/running backs coach (Dolphins): Interview requested

Washington Commanders (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): On team’s radar
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Hired

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Mike Macdonald)

  • Zach Orr, inside linebackers coach (Ravens): Promoted

Buffalo Bills

  • Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Promoted
  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview

Chicago Bears (Out: Alan Williams)

  • Joe Barry, former defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/27
  • Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): To interview
  • Eric Washington, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Bills): Hired
  • Terrell Williams, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Titans): To interview

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Dan Quinn)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Joe Barry)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Mike Caldwell)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Derrick Ansley)

  • Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Hired

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Raheem Morris)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Vic Fangio)

New England Patriots

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Promoted
  • Michael Hodges, linebackers coach (Saints): To interview
  • Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach (Panthers): To interview
  • Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Don Martindale)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Sean Desai)

  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Vic Fangio, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
  • Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/22

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
  • Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
  • David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
  • Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Promoted
  • Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Clint Hurtt)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Shane Bowen)

  • Brandon Lynch, cornerbacks coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/30
  • Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Hired

Washington Commanders (Out: Jack Del Rio)

  • Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Considered a candidate
  • Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Hired

Baker Mayfield Addresses Bucs Future

February 7th, 2024 at 3:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Baker Mayfield made his first career Pro Bowl appearance last weekend, but his attention will now turn to his impending free agency. A deal allowing him to remain with the Buccaneers is still very much in play, and the veteran signal-caller recently spoke about where things stand on that front.

Mayfield enjoyed a strong campaign in 2023 with Dave Canales operating as an offensive coordinator for the first time in his career. The latter parlayed that into the Panthers’ head coaching position, leaving Mayfield in line for yet another new face to work with in terms of coordinators. Tampa Bay tapped Liam Coen, however, allowing he and Mayfield to reunite after their brief time together with the Rams in 2022.

“It’s important to me,” Mayfield said of the coordinator move, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “I’ve had so many offensive coordinators to this point, to me it’s, ‘Okay if I do come back, let’s keep the continuity for the other guys, build on what we’ve already grown from and go from there.’”

Keeping Canales in place no doubt would have been a welcomed development for Mayfield, but the 28-year-old endorsed bringing on Coen to replace him. As SI’s Albert Breer notes, the Buccaneers were receptive to the vote of confidence Coen received before hiring him for his second NFL OC stint (and first which will involve calling plays). Similarities to Canales’ scheme could help ensure a smooth transition and help the chances of Mayfield repeating his Tampa Bay success in 2024.

A mutual interest exists for a new Bucs deal, but Mayfield and his camp have yet to take part in serious negotiations on a contract. The franchise tag could also be in play, locking the former No. 1 pick into a 2024 salary of roughly $36MM or at least buying extra time to hammer out a long-term pact. The presence of not only a familiar OC in Coen, but also fellow pending free agent Mike Evans is a key factor for Mayfield as he weighs his options, however.

“I would love to be back with [Evans], so there’s a lot of contingencies that go in that” Mayfield added. “Obviously, getting an OC, that helps. That’s Step 1. And [Evans] sees that so we can talk to him about it and see his thoughts. But we both have to do what’s best for us.”

Evans earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2023, proving himself to still be a durable and consistent producer with a 79-1,255-13 statline. The 30-year-old is projected to be one of the top available wideouts in this year’s free agent class, and the Buccaneers also need new contracts for the likes of linebacker Lavonte David and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Retaining Mayfield will still be a top priority, though, and having an OC whose arrival he co-signed is another indication that a new deal should be expected at some point in the near future.

Buccaneers Hire Liam Coen As OC

February 3rd, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Adam La Rose

SATURDAY, 10:30am: The two sides have reached an agreement, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports.

FRIDAY, 8:05am: As coordinator dominoes continue to fall, Liam Coen is set to head to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are nearing an agreement with the Kentucky OC to take over their offensive coordinator gig, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Once in place, the deal will allow Coen to return to the NFL game after his second stint in charge of Kentucky’s offense. Between his college stints, he spent time on the Rams’ staff working with the team’s receivers and quarterbacks, along with OC responsibilities in 2022. Coen did not call plays when he was part of Sean McVay‘s staff, but he will likely do so under Todd Bowles.

Tampa Bay enjoyed a relatively successful run on offense during Dave Canales‘ one-year run as OC. His quick career ascent recently included taking the Panthers’ head coaching position, creating a vacancy at the offensive coordinator post for the second straight year. Now, the team has a replacement on tap.

With Canales on the HC radar, a report listed Tampa QBs coach Thad Lewis as a name to watch with respect to a promotion. Amidst interest from several other teams, Lewis did indeed interview for the Bucs’ vacancy. That meeting did not produce an agreement, however, and it will now be Coen making the jump back into NFL circles to take on his second pro coordinator gig.

The latter worked alongside Baker Mayfield during his Rams audition period in 2022, and the pair are believed to have a strong relationship. For that reason, it came as little surprise when Coen joined the list of Tampa Bay candidates with his interview yesterday. Mayfield is a pending free agent, but this hire could help the chances of a new contract being worked out.

Tampa Bay is seeking a multi-year Mayfield agreement, though talks on that front have not started. The former No. 1 pick had one of his most productive seasons under Canales in 2023, a coach with which he did not have a previous working relationship. Having a familiar face in place could be beneficial, although the Mayfield-Coen Rams pairing did not last long in the closing weeks of the 2022 campaign. That season, the injury-riddled Rams finished last in the league in total offense and 27th in scoring.

Improvement in both categories will be the goal in Coen’s second opportunity to lead an NFL offense. The 38-year-old will inherit a unit which ranked 20th in scoring in 2023. Struggles in the ground game continued from past years, and taking step forward in that regard would be a welcomed development moving forward. Questions remain, however, about the future of Mayfield and wideout Mike Evans.

Tampa Bay conducted one of the most wide-ranging searches in this year’s hiring cycle, and the team waited until many others made their hires to reach agreement on their own. Coen nonetheless represents an intriguing addition to the NFC South winners as they look to repeat this year’s success.

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