The Buccaneers have enjoyed a late surge in the 2023 season, and the team is positioned to once again win the NFC South. A large part of the their success is due to the play of quarterback Baker Mayfield, but also the performance of the coach overseeing their offense.
OC Dave Canales joined the Buccaneers this offseason after a lengthy tenure with the Seahawks. The 42-year-old interviewed twice with Baltimore, but he ultimately took the Tampa Bay opening in the first coordinator posting of his NFL coaching career. Things have gone well so far, considering the team’s four-game winning streak and the value Mayfield has shown in his debut Bucs campaign.
The former No. 1 pick has played his way into a signficant raise in 2024, something which could very well come from a Tampa Bay extension. Canales may not be in place by the start of next season, however. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports he is a candidate for the 2024 head-coaching cycle. That adds him to the list of offensive staffers likely to receive interviews in the winter.
Lions OC Ben Johnson is arguably the top name on the market this year, and he has already been linked to multiple openings. Enjoying a successful return to the NFL coaching ranks, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has likewise had his name floated as a HC candidate. Canales could represent a third option from an OC background for teams in search of help on that side of the ball.
Tampa Bay has had an up-and-down campaign in 2023, leading to a number of middling statistical outputs. The team’s struggles in the ground game from last season have persisted under Canales; the Bucs rank 30th in the league with an average of only 89 rushing yards per contest. The team has been better through the air, though, which has resulted in a mid-pack performance in terms of scoring (21.7 points per game).
Tampa Bay’s output has increased during the team’s current hot streak, which has no doubt helped Canales’ case for earning HC consideration. Still, the fact he will have only one season of coordinator experience by the time the 2024 cycle kicks off will hurt his chances compared to many other candidates. A strong final two weeks of the campaign, along with an impressive showing in the postseason (should the team qualify) could further bolster his odds of receiving a look for a head coach position in the near future, however.
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