Buccaneers reportedly could have fired OC Zac Robinson, embraced fire sale had they kept losing

After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went from 6-2 to 8-9 en route to missing the playoffs last year, the franchise parted ways with offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. 

Tampa Bay ultimately hired Zac Robinson, who previously coached starting quarterback Baker Mayfield when the two were with the Los Angeles Rams during the 2022 campaign, for the OC role. Robinson was then unable to prevent the 2026 Buccaneers from falling to 1-5 after Mayfield suffered a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand during a Week 3 loss that dropped Tampa Bay to 0-3. 

For a piece updated on Wednesday morning, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler revealed that Robinson was in danger of losing his job earlier this fall. 

Todd Bowles, Zac Robinson agreed "to crystallize the offense's identity" during the Buccaneers' woes

"My sense is that Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was on thin ice after the team's 1-5 start," Fowler wrote. "The offense was off-balance, and an uptick was necessary. Coach Todd Bowles and Robinson huddled up to crystallize the offense's identity. Robinson, to his credit, leaned into the running game, the team's strength behind a stout offensive line." 

In Mayfield's return to the starting lineup, he completed seven of 11 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown in what became a blowout 43-13 win at the rival Carolina Panthers on Oct. 25. The Buccaneers rushed for 258 yards and three touchdowns that afternoon, and Tampa Bay then accumulated 324 rushing yards in a 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons that featured Mayfield completing no passes in windy and rainy conditions this past Sunday.

Buccaneers nearly blew things up in more ways than one?

"Had Tampa lost to Carolina to fall to 1-6," Fowler continued, "selling at the trade deadline would have been on the table. Now, the Bucs suddenly look like the division's best team once again -- with a playcaller who made key adjustments."

Specifically, Fowler suggested the Buccaneers could have parted ways with defensive tackle Vita Vea ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline. However, Fowler noted that the "Bucs are not expected to move" Vea now. 

For what it's worth, Tampa Bay enters its bye following the club's game at the 6-2 Chicago Bears this coming Sunday night. As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Bucs as six-point road underdogs against the Bears.