Though Liam Coen agreed to a Buccaneers extension, the Jaguars’ replace to their entrance workplace setup appears to have modified the equation. Coen is again within the combine for the Jags, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport studies.
The Tampa Bay OC backed out of a second Jacksonville interview Wednesday; hours later, the Jags fired GM Trent Baalke. With Baalke gone, Coen seems extra within the job. He’s again on the radar, becoming a member of Robert Saleh, Patrick Graham, and hopefully, second interviewees Joe Brady and Kellen Moore on this search. With Coen again in play, it is going to be fascinating to see if the Jags stick round to fulfill with Brady and Moore or if the previous favourite lands a deal earlier than then.
The Bucs had agreed on a elevate for Coen to remain for a second season, however NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo connects the Baalke improvement to the younger candidate being extra within the job. Reviews earlier this month indicated Baalke’s presence had turned off Jags HC candidates, and Coen nearly undoubtedly appears to have been amongst that group. Shad Khan modified after seeing Ben Johnson select the Bears, and Coen momentarily exited the image.
Jacksonville is predicted to rent a head coach earlier than selecting a GM search, giving stated HC appreciable energy. That understandably appeals to Coen, who’s huddling up with Jags brass barely 24 hours after initially refusing to take action. Coen is in Jacksonville, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who notes a deal could also be shut. Coen is simply within the combine for the Jags job, however this is able to preserve Brady and Moore in play for the opposite HC-needy groups.
Along with the crew’s choice to maneuver on from Baalke, the Jaguars’ persistence additionally helped lure Coen again to Jacksonville. Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz says the Jaguars “reached out repeatedly” with the logic that the coach must deny their inquiries a number of instances. Whereas the Jaguars are contemplating quite a few candidates for the job, it appears like Coen is the clear favourite.
In the meantime, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Instances says the Buccaneers haven’t spoken with Coen since Wednesday afternoon, though that wasn’t attributable to a scarcity of attempting. The Bucs tried reaching out to their OC however haven’t reached him. As an alternative of instantly inking a brand new contract with Tampa Bay, Coen “secretly” traveled to Jacksonville to fulfill with the Jaguars. Whereas The Athletic’s Diana Russini says the Buccaneers’ a number of calls to Coen have gone unanswered, ESPN’s Adam Schefter studies that Coen reached out to Todd Bowles instantly to tell his boss of the renewed curiosity within the Jaguars job.
Coen’s stint because the Rams offensive coordinator didn’t go as deliberate, however the coach rehabilitated his picture with a powerful season in Tampa Bay. The brand new OC helped information Baker Mayfield to the strongest season of his profession, because the QB tossed 41 landing passes — 13 greater than his earlier career-high mark. Because of this, Coen discovered himself on the pinnacle teaching radar, and it appears like he’s at present in a can’t-lose state of affairs. The coach can both return to a well-known spot in Tampa Bay earlier than reentering the hiring cycle subsequent offseason or be part of a comparatively engaging state of affairs in Jacksonville.
Ben Levine contributed to this submit.
