The offense hasn’t been sufficiently revitalized by Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales, and the team may take a different turn in 2024.
Kevin Patullo, associate head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, may take over if Canales is fired by the Buccaneers after just one season.Ryan Heckman of FanSided Pewter Plank writes that the Buccaneers could make that move after Canales, giving them four options.
Heckman wrote, “The Bucs rank in the bottom third of the league in scoring, so the problems have been all over the place, including on offense.” “It seems like it should be fairly easy: pass the ball to Chris Godwin and Mike Evans while assisting Rachaad White with touches in space. However, this year’s Bucs offense has been mediocre at best.
Patullo helps run the third-highest scoring offense in the NFL amid his move up from passing game coordinator to associate head coach. The Eagles average 28.2 points and 364.3 total yards per game.
Kevin Patullo has apparently been confused for Nick Sirianni on multiple occasions in the past. pic.twitter.com/ojfPI8O6fw
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 24, 2021
Regarding Patullo’s promotion, Heckman wrote, “That, alone, should show plenty of faith in him and his leadership skills to be considered for a head coaching gig down the line.” However, becoming an offensive coordinator is the next step.
Heckman stated that the Eagles offense, led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, has been among the best in the league in recent years, both when it comes to passing and running the ball. “Patullo, quarterbacks coach Alex Tanney, and quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson have done an outstanding job with Hurts’ development. Under their guidance, he has developed into one of the best quarterbacks in the entire football league.
3 Other Options for the Buccaneers to Replace Dave Canales
Heckman also entertained three other candidates for the Buccaneers instead of Canales: Ken Dorsey, Josh McCown, and Chris O’Hara.
Before being fired recently, Dorsey—who was the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills—had some success with quarterback Josh Allen, Heckman pointed out. With Dorsey leading the offensive coordinator last season, the Bills scored 455 points, and during his two seasons on the offensive staff, they scored over 480 points apiece.
2014 saw McCown, the quarterbacks coach for the Carolina Panthers, play quarterback for the Buccaneers. Heckman pointed out that he has almost twenty years of NFL experience as a coach and player.
O’Hara, the Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach, has ties to the Sean McVay coaching tree from a prior stint with the Los Angeles Rams, Heckman highlighted. With the Vikings’ top-four passing game, O’Hara had success working with quarterback Kirk Cousins before a season-ending injury, Heckman wrote.
Dave Canales is Well Aware That He’s on the Hot Seat
Canales was forthright about the personal toll that receiving negative press for his performance has taken on him. When a reporter posed the query during Thursday’s press conference, he answered it.
“This is actually the first time that my wife and my children—who attend school and have many friends who are [Buccaneers] supporters—are really in this situation.Kids can be cruel, but most people are kind,” Canales remarked. “We’re studying up on that.”
“We really just approach it with candor. Even though my daughter is only thirteen, she is quite knowledgeable about football and can tell when we are playing well or not,” Canales went on. “We’ve had these open discussions.”
