If Baker Mayfield Hesitated, Would the Bucs Have Opted for Liam Coen?

As Joe mentioned in practice notes yesterday, new Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen has proven to be an engaging coach on the field. When players are sluggish or making basic errors, Coen isn’t shy about calling them out.

During early training camp, it wasn’t unusual to hear Coen shout “Timeout!” when the offense was misaligned or using the wrong motion, often sending the unit back to the huddle to reset and try again.

Attention to detail.

So when former offensive coordinator Dave Canales left for Carolina in February, the Bucs needed a new play-caller. General manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles consulted with Mayfield, who was about to become a free agent, to get his input on the search.

They chose Coen, who had worked briefly with Mayfield in Los Angeles at the end of the 2022 season. Coen was instrumental in helping Mayfield begin turning his NFL career around.

During a SiriusXM NFL Radio camp tour, Licht explained to former GM Rick Spielman why they consulted Mayfield on Coen’s hire. Licht and Bowles wanted to minimize Mayfield’s learning curve within the offense.

Rick Spielman asked about the impact of Mayfield’s prior relationship with Coen on the hiring decision and if continuity factored in. Jason Licht confirmed they communicated with Mayfield during the process. They aimed to make the transition easier but finally sought the best candidate, feeling Coen checked all the boxes.

This raises questions: Would Bowles have chosen someone else if Mayfield opposed Coen? Would Mayfield have signed elsewhere? Would it have led to changes affecting Mike Evans or Lavonte David?