OPINION: Why the Buccaneers Offense Could Get Even Better With OC Liam Coen

Dave Canales' departure doesn't spell the end for the Bucs — in fact, it could spell the beginning.

Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen works with Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the Buccaneers Mandatory Minicamp at AdventHealth Training Center on June 11, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

There's been a lot of talk about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason — we've had a whole offseason of it, after all. And there's one talking point that's been repeated a bit throughout the downtime since Dave Canales was hired as the Panthers' new head coach after serving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an offensive coordinator in 2023.

Will the Buccaneers offense be able to keep it going after Canales' departure? Or will it suffer in his absence?

And while that's a valid concern, I'm not worried about new offensive coordinator Liam Coen. In fact, I don't think the Buccaneers' offense is going to get worse after Canales left — I think it's going to get better.

Canales was definitely a good offensive coordinator and got the job done for the Bucs, helping them get to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. But while many of Canales' play designs were fresh and effective, his playcalling in particularly could leave a lot to be desired. He was often stubborn about repeating concepts when they clearly were not working, and his situational awareness was lacking at times.

That's okay — Canales was a first-year playcaller, and had he stayed with the Bucs, that likely would have gotten better. But new OC Liam Coen isn't just more experienced than Canales, having called plays longer at the college level before this, but he offers some more modern aspects to his offense that could make it even better.

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Coen is a disciple of the Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan way of thinking, and that includes a lot of at-snap motion. That's motion not just before, but during the time the ball is snapped, and it's been a revolution among some of the best teams in the NFL. Coen plans to implement that frequently, while Canales barely did it during his time as OC in Tampa Bay. There should be more motion in general, which in today's modern NFL could only benefit the Buccaneers.

Additionally, Coen plans on allowing Baker Mayfield some more freedom with playcalling. Having plays "in the can" as the terminology goes will allow Mayfield more options at the line depending on what looks he sees. It's possible that Mayfield could get worse with this option paralysis, but the ceiling becomes infinitely higher for the offense should Mayfield be able to handle it — and there's trust from Tampa Bay's organization that he can.

The big key in Tampa Bay will be how Coen makes his shot selections, just as how it was a big factor for Canales in his first year as a playcaller. If Coen isn't as stubborn about running the football (and his philosophy of "players over plays" seems to support this), Tampa Bay's offense could even be elevated beyond the improvement it saw last year.

In short, many have worries about Canales' absence in Tampa Bay. But I implore fans and pundits alike to watch what Liam Coen could do, because it could take a solid Bucs team to a

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