Head coaching vacancies are growing by the day, and interest in Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Cohen and the Jacksonville Jaguars continues to grow. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported that Cohen will be in Jacksonville for a second interview this week, and it will be an in-person interview.
This comes on the heels of reports that the Chicago Bears are hiring former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as head coach. Johnson was heavily considered as a top head coaching candidate this offseason, and the Jaguars were also very interested in him. With Johnson off the board, Jacksonville could pivot to Liam Cohen, marking the third year in a row that the Bucs have searched for a new offensive coordinator.
Liam Cohen is one of several coaching candidates
While Bucks fans are understandably concerned about the possibility of Liam Cohen leaving Tampa, it’s important to note that Rapoport also said there are several candidates Jacksonville is considering. is. In the same X post, Rapoport said the Jaguars also plan to interview Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and former Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
Although Graham has not yet been hired as a head coach, he has been coaching in the NFL since 2009. He was with the Patriots, Giants, Packers, Dolphins, and Raiders during his career, serving as defensive line coach, linebackers coach, assistant head coach, and defensive coordinator. He helped lead the team to victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl 50, and many may remember his key defensive play in the game, including his interception of Malcolm Butler late in the game.
Bucks QB Baker Mayfield, OC Liam Cohen and QB coach Thad Lewis – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
The advantage of Robert Saleh going into these interviews is that he has at least some head coaching experience. He didn’t have a great record with the Jets, going 20-36, but the consistent interference and dysfunction in their organization could be the reason for his lack of success. Saleh has been in the NFL since 2005, having had success as a defensive coordinator with the 49ers and rising his stock before the Jets.
Liam Cohen may not have as much experience as the other two coaches, but there’s no denying he’s done a great job as the Bucks’ offensive coordinator. Under coach Liam Cohen, the Bucks scored 502 points in the regular season. This is the second most points in franchise history. Tampa Bay averaged 29.5 points per game, fourth best in the league.
Despite missing three games, he managed to lead Mike Evans to 1,000 yards receiving for 11 consecutive seasons. Liam Cohen also helped develop Bucky Irving into the first running back with over 1,000 rushing yards in a decade with the Bucs and helped Baker Mayfield reach career highs in several categories. That included 41 passing touchdowns, putting Mayfield second in Bucs history for most single-season passing touchdowns, two behind Tom Brady.
Bucks OC Liam Cohen – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
All of this happened in Liam Cohen’s first year as a play-caller at the NFL level. Although he may not have all the experience of others lobbying for this job, he quickly proved to be highly capable in this role. . The Jaguars have a talented young core on the offensive line and want to help Cohen reach his full potential.
It remains to be seen how the Bucks will handle this if Cohen is offered the head coaching job. Will they try to convince him to come back by giving him more money? Will they decide they can’t afford to lose him and make him the head coach in Tampa? There are several scenarios that the Bucks and their front office need to play out in order to keep the offense in high gear heading into next season.
The Pewter Report had a lot to say about Liam Cohen on Monday’s show. Pewter Report Podcast. Watch the video below for our thoughts on it.
