Is Keeping Liam Coen The Bucs' Biggest Offseason Priority?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will still be kicking themselves for losing 23-20 to the Washington Commanders in the Wild Card round of the playoffs at home.

But such is life, and now attention must turn to the offseason, and there's a host of decisions to be made. One such decision is what the franchise will do with offensive coordinator Liam Coen. 

After his superb work with Baker Mayfield and Co. this season, he is garnering interest for several head coaching jobs and is now free to take interviews.

For EPSN, figuring out Coen's future one way or another is the team's No. 1 offseason priority.

"Solidify their offensive coordinator situation," ESPN writes. "In his first year with the Bucs, Liam Coen's unit has averaged 28.6 points a game -- second most in franchise history behind only the Super Bowl-winning 2020 team -- and his name is generating buzz leaguewide for head coaching consideration."

In his first season, Coen took an offense that was averaging 20.5 points per game in 2023 (ranked 20th) and turned it into the league's fourth-highest-scoring unit (29.4 points per game).

Plus, let's look at what he did for Mayfield.

Under Coen, Baker had career-highs in passing yards (4,500), completion percentage (71.4), touchdowns (41), passer rating (106.8), and his second-best QBR (61.7). So easily the best season of his life.

So it is easy to see why Coen is so coveted as a head coaching candidate this offseason, and the Buccaneers won't want the coordinator carousel to continue after losing Dave Canales to the Carolina Panthers last offseason. 

It is a big offseason for Tampa Bay and figuring out how to keep Coen might be top of the wishlist.