A day after agreeing to remain in Tampa Bay and turn into the league’s highest-paid offensive coordinator, Liam Coen left the Bucs late Thursday night time to turn into the pinnacle coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Except for an enormous increase that comes with making head coach cash, Coen may even get to assist Jaguars proprietor Shad Khan choose a brand new normal supervisor, and he’ll get to work with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, large receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and the working again tandem of Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne Jr.
In the meantime, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and normal supervisor Jason Licht might be on the lookout for the crew’s fourth offensive coordinator in 4 years. Bowles fired Byron Leftwich after the 2022 season and employed Dave Canales to switch him. When Canales was employed by Carolina to turn into the Panthers head coach final January, the Bucs employed Coen to switch him.
So who will the Bucs flip to now to fill the play-caller emptiness created by Coen’s departure? Final yr the Bucs interviewed 13 recognized candidates, together with Coen, earlier than Canales was changed. These candidates have been as follows:
Bucs’ In-Home Candidates
Thad Lewis – Bucs quarterbacks coachJohn Van Dam – Bucs move recreation assistant in 2024 / Bucs tight ends coach in 2023
Exterior Candidates
Alex Van Pelt – Former Patriots offensive coordinator in 2024 / Browns offensive coordinator in 2023Ken Dorsey – Former Browns offensive coordinator in 2024 / Payments offensive coordinator in 2023Brian Johnson – Commanders assistant head coach/offensive move recreation coordinator in 2024 / Eagles offensive coordinator in 2023Jerrod Johnson – Texans quarterbacks coachKellen Moore – Eagles offensive coordinator in 2024 / Chargers offensive coordinator in 2023Zac Robinson – Falcons offensive coordinator in 2024 / Rams quarterback coach/move recreation coordinator in 2023Jake Peetz – Seattle Seahawks move recreation coordinator in 2024 / Rams move recreation specialist in 2023Antwaan Randle El – Lions large receivers coachKlint Kubiak – Former Saints offensive coordinator in 2024 / 49ers move recreation coordinator in 2023Tanner Engstrand – Lions passing recreation coordinator
Bucs GM Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Of that group, Brian Johnson, Moore and Robinson are present offensive coordinators and can’t make a lateral transfer.
There’s a likelihood that the Bucs may revisit a few of these candidates or discover some new ones. A type of may very well be from inside the group with Bucs move recreation coordinator Josh Grizzard, who may maintain the present teaching employees in place in addition to the offensive system that was so profitable final yr.
Different new exterior candidates may probably embody Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, Minnesota tight ends/passing recreation coordinator Brian Angelichio, who coached tight ends in Tampa Bay below Greg Schiano from 2012-13, Syracuse offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, Baltimore quarterbacks coach Tee Martin, Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley, Miami offensive coordinator (non-play-caller) Frank Smith and Minnesota assistant offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.
Todd Bowles will now be on the lookout for his FOURTH OC in 4 years.
However Bowles is dealing from a place of power. He is a kingmaker along with his final two OCs turning into head coaches.#Bucs OC emptiness might be broadly wanted, particularly with Mayfield, Evans, Irving, Wirfs, and so on.
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) January 24, 2025
Josh Grizzard Might Be Bucs’ Prime In-Home Offensive Coordinator Candidate
As I wrote about in final week’s SR’s Fab 5 column, the Bucs have an intriguing in-house candidate to switch Liam Coen as offensive coordinator in move recreation coordinator Josh Grizzard. He’s tremendous vibrant and broadly regarded contained in the halls of One Buccaneer Place.
Bucs move recreation coordinator Josh Grizzard and RBs coach Skip Peete – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Grizzard was employed final yr to work with Coen as his right-hand man within the passing recreation. If Coen doesn’t take him to Jacksonville to be his offensive coordinator (in title solely), Grizzard may very well be an choice to be the Bucs’ play-caller in 2025.
Grizzard would possibly need to be an precise play-calling offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay slightly than simply be Coen’s recreation plan collaborator in Jacksonville.
Previous to coming to the Bucs, Grizzard spent 5 seasons with the Dolphins, working for each head coaches Brian Flores (2019-21) and Mike McDaniel (2022-23). After serving as a high quality management coach in 2019, Grizzard turned Miami’s large receivers coach from 2020-21. Grizzard helped develop Jaylen Waddle, who broke the NFL’s then-rookie-receptions report in 2021 with 104. Waddle additionally set a present Dolphins rookie report of 1,015 receiving yards.
When McDaniel changed Flores, Grizzard was moved again to the position of high quality management coach in 2022-23 earlier than being employed by Coen in Tampa Bay in 2024. The 34-year previous Yale graduate started his teaching profession at his alma mater in 2012 a grad assistant earlier than shifting on to Duke as a grad assistant/high quality management coach from 2013-16.
Bucs move recreation coordinator Josh Grizzard and OC Liam Coen – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Though Grizzard has by no means had any play-calling expertise at any stage, that didn’t cease Dave Canales from being profitable in his first yr as offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay in 2023. Coen had by no means known as performs on the NFL stage exterior of some video games in Los Angeles in 2022 and two seasons at Kentucky in 2021 and 2023 because the Wildcats offensive coordinator.
Coen praised Grizzard a number of weeks in the past throughout certainly one of his press conferences.
“I feel, to begin with, shoutout to Josh and actually the employees generally have performed an outstanding job all through the entire yr,” Coen mentioned when discussing the crew’s success on third down, which ranked third within the NFL at 48.3% on the time. “The blokes answerable for these areas – Thad Lewis is answerable for the purple zone, ‘B-Mac’ (Bryan McClendon) is answerable for two-minute, and ‘Grizz’ occurs to be answerable for third downs. Their concepts, performs, and ideas and schemes is what does come to life as what you see on Sunday.”
Grizzard actually knew what he was doing on third downs this yr. Tampa Bay led the league with a 51.1% third down conversion proportion. In Sunday’s playoff loss to the Washington Commanders, the Bucs transformed 5-of-9 (55.6%) on third downs. Grizzard is one to observe sooner or later – probably the close to future.
Jake Peetz Might Be Lead Exterior Offensive Coordinator Candidate
If the Bucs resolve to look exterior the group for Liam Coen’s substitute nicely, the offensive coordinator job is much more engaging than it was.
Seahawks move recreation coordinator Jake Peetz – Picture by: USA Right now
Whoever could be employed to switch Coen would inherit a franchise quarterback in Baker Mayfield and a few gifted weapons in working backs Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, large receivers Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin, who’s scheduled totally free company however might be again (belief me). To not point out some succesful, younger tight ends, and among the finest and youngest offensive strains within the league.
One exterior title on the quick record may very well be Jake Peetz. The 41-year previous Peetz interviewed for the offensive coordinator emptiness final yr earlier than the crew employed Coen.
Peetz spent the 2024 season because the Seahawks move recreation coordinator working with Ryan Grubb, who was fired after Seattle missed the playoffs. With the Seahawks on the lookout for a brand new offensive coordinator, Peetz’s standing with the crew may very well be in limbo.
Like Coen, Peetz frolicked with Sean McVay and the Rams. He was an offensive assistant in 2022 after which changed Coen as L.A.’s move recreation specialist in 2023 when Coen went to Kentucky to be the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator.
Peetz has one yr of play-calling expertise in 2021 at LSU below former head coach Ed Orgeron the place he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. That yr quarterback Max Johnson, the son of former Bucs quarterback Brad Johnson, threw 27 landing passes, which ranks fourth in LSU historical past in a single season. Working again Ty Davis-Value set the one recreation LSU speeding report in a victory versus Florida with 287 yards and three touchdowns.
Rams head coach Sean McVay and Jake Peetz – Picture by: USA Right now
Peetz has principally labored on the offensive aspect of the ball in his teaching profession, which started in 2006 at Santa Barbara Metropolis School. After a one-year stint as a defensive assistant at UCLA, Peetz went to work for Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville as an assistant QBs coach in 2012. He then labored for Jay Gruden with the Washington Redskins in 2014 as an offensive high quality management coach.
Peetz spent three years with Del Rio once more, this time in Oakland from 2015-17 the place he was a senior offensive assistant, an assistant QBs coach, and a quarterbacks coach for Derek Carr. After that, he spent one yr in 2018 with Nick Saban at Alabama as an offensive analyst, which was a job he additionally had for one season in 2013 with the Crimson Tide.
Peetz was again within the NFL in Carolina in 2019 and 2020 as a working backs coach working with All-Professional Christian McCaffrey and a quarterbacks coach in these two seasons. He additionally spent 4 years in Jacksonville’s personnel division as a scout from 2008-11.
Peetz is considered as a younger, up-and-comer simply ready for his alternative to name performs on the NFL stage. Type of like Josh Grizzard, but in addition sort of like Dave Canales and Coen.
