Dave Canales’ Double-Edged Sword
July 3rd, 2023
Hot commodity in 2024?
Joe has brought this up a few times on the “Ira Kaufman Podcast” and Joe is glad someone with a higher profile is thinking like Joe.
As you likely have seen, Baker Mayfield is #NFLMedia‘s personal fire hydrant centrally located in a popular dog park. It seems every NFL writer not based in the Tampa Bay area is shatting all over Mayfield.
It’s almost like they want the guy to fail. You know, how dare he not bow before the Fourth Estate? The nerve to engage in sparring sessions with reporters!
So last year Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales was Geno Smith’s position coach in Seattle. Like Mayfield this offseason, analysts seemed to be shoveling dirt in Smith’s face.
Instead, Smith rose from the dead to be one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL last season with the league’s best completion percentage, leading the Seahawks to the playoffs.
How much of that was because of Canales? That’s unclear.
So this year, Canales comes to the Bucs and is working with another guy, Mayfield, whose career seems to have bottomed out with a final chance for redemption in Tampa.
NFL.com analyst (humorist?) Adam Rank thinks if Canales does a good job with Mayfield, Canales will be one and done with the Bucs.
Canales was the quarterback coach for Geno Smith, the Comeback Player of the Year last season. He’s going to be an NFL head coach if he does the same thing with Mayfield this year. I know I’m coming off as really mean toward Mayfield. I’m trying not to be. But the 42-year-old will indeed be a hot coaching candidate if the Bucs are successful this season.
Joe is thinking the exact same thing. While teams generally hire head coaches who were coordinators with a bit more to their resumes than one season, it’s going to be awfully tough to keep Canales this winter if Mayfield has a strong season.
If Mayfield balls out, owners will be drooling for a guy who works magic with quarterbacks. It is a quarterback league, after all.
If Mayfield shines and the Bucs are in the playoffs, you don’t think Arizona might want Canales to groom Caleb Williams?
July 3rd, 2023 at 12:32 am
Hey Joe thanks for the crumb at this late hour.
July 3rd, 2023 at 12:39 am
Joe aims to please. 🙂
July 3rd, 2023 at 12:46 am
@Buc1987
You can thank me for this post. LOL
He waited for the leader of the newly founded “Trask Mob” to show up on the last post. Joe is actively Trolling me, I mean Us with Baker insight. LMAO
Wonder if the Media hates Baker because he cheated on his wife in the parking lot of a Cheesecake factory. It’s worth considering and worrying about. There is a world renown Cheesecake factory right down the street from the stadium after all.
Guess it’s no big deal so long as he doesn’t hassle an Uber driver on his way to and from the parking lot.
Nope, not gonna let it go, not unless we start getting reports of a real QB comp. I was patient for way too long. Probably should have started my campaign from day one but I was being nice and “trusting” the process.
July 3rd, 2023 at 12:49 am
Bake, please silence the haters (dogs in this series)
July 3rd, 2023 at 12:54 am
And lets get this straight.
Bowls is coaching for his job. So, he starts Baker.
Canals is trying to be a HC. So, he starts Baker.
HMMMMM, I always knew that Bowls and Canals were like to peas in a pot.
Here the problem I see with that if I am JL. Desperate and Ulterior motive is not a good combination or to have in your coaches. Certainly, won’t help them when evaluating TALENT.
What the early polls for the phrase on this Decade. Can we call it the CRAP Decade?
July 3rd, 2023 at 12:57 am
@TB2023
It’s not hate, I just don’t want Winston back as our starter over a guy that was drafted to replace him and had the opportunity to sit behind the GOAT and a #1 overall pick.
Baker should be Kyles BACK UP. Plain and simple!!!
I say that now because there is ZERO competition. Todd would literally SHOCK the NFL world if he does not start Baker at this point.
If he did that, he might would get a contract extension to be honest.
July 3rd, 2023 at 1:01 am
Joe, If Baker “Balls Out” do you think they will pay top QB money? Or do you think he follows the coach that just made him the money?
July 3rd, 2023 at 1:24 am
It’s a great question. Not sure Baker Mayfield (if he has a good season) gets anything close to what Mahomes or Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson or Dak Prescott gets or what Joe Burrow will pocket. From any team.
If a lousy team hires Canales, gonna guess that team will draft a quarterback Williams/Penix/Maye rather than spend cash hoping Mayfield repeats the 2023 season.
July 3rd, 2023 at 1:25 am
Trask couldn’t start with Tom Brady’s head, arm and pecker.
Will Baker keep his cool and play with the confidence he shows on the practice field?
Only if the O Line is decent.
On a totally different note, has Cody Mauch even been signed yet?
I can find articles on every other draftee.
Last 5 were signed 1st, then Kancey and Diaby, but not Mauch.
Any reason why he hasn’t been signed yet?
July 3rd, 2023 at 1:26 am
Technicality. All draft picks are basically slotted to make X-amount per NFL/NFLPA bylaws. The only reason dudes don’t sign until late is some minor contract technicality.
July 3rd, 2023 at 4:36 am
I’d never heard about Baker cheating on his wife so I looked it up. Seems the only evidence is he started following three status starved Instagram models and liked their photos and sent them some emojis. Nothing really solid at all published. Kinda stupid for a married man. Tho.
July 3rd, 2023 at 4:43 am
As far as Mauch’s contract, the last time or two that is actually bothered to read the details it was about piddly things like when certain bonuses are paid and when certain guarantees kick in. It was strictly “dot the ‘i’s and cross the ‘t’s” kind of minutae.
July 3rd, 2023 at 7:55 am
“Good problems”
July 3rd, 2023 at 8:55 am
two peas in a pod, not pot
July 3rd, 2023 at 9:00 am
Fred, tysm for answering the two questions I had after reading these comments. I also want to mention that I thought this was a well-written and thought-provoking article.
As far as Canales goes, I feel he would be crazy to accept an HC offer next year even if all goes like a fairy tale. He would be way out of his league and the Bucs gave him his first chance to be an OC. There would be some loyalty there, I believe, and he is on a huge learning curve.
July 3rd, 2023 at 9:07 am
There we go again….working with Mayfield. Please do not tell me there is a competition to start.
July 3rd, 2023 at 9:34 am
I would think that the Bucs have Canales for at least another year. This is his first year as a play caller. I would think that he would want to gain some comfort at his current position before making the jump. Not to mention how many teams might set him up to fail.
July 3rd, 2023 at 9:46 am
When someone is throwing $5 million a year (or more) in your face and a chance to run your own team, loyalty has its limits.
July 3rd, 2023 at 9:49 am
Mayfield balling out
LOL
July 3rd, 2023 at 10:34 am
If Baker blows it and Trask takes over and gets a winning season, Canales will have an even stronger position.
He can say he wasn’t in on Baker and never got the Kool-Aid down.
That puts the blame directly on the Bowles cleaner, mainly for wasting good money because he has something personal against Trask.
July 3rd, 2023 at 12:36 pm
Honestly If Canales offense has a huge season pending record and if the defensive play calling doesn’t look good..I would heavily consider Making Canales our next head coach
July 3rd, 2023 at 2:13 pm
IF BAKER SUCCEEDS (3500 yards, 20 TD, 7 INT)
They can re-sign Baker but I HOPE HOPE HOPE they don’t give him a big contract, like Seattle gave Geno.
July 3rd, 2023 at 2:42 pm
A lot of the individuals making post I see on this thread better keep their day jobs. Not much football knowledge to back up their opinions expressed, so you will never make money with them. Mostly Trask fans.
July 3rd, 2023 at 11:32 pm
Plenty of Bucs QB’s left and won a Super Bowl with other teams.
I don’t see why Baker Mayfield can’t come here and win one for us.
July 4th, 2023 at 1:56 am
Worrying about keeping a coach who has yet to do anything in his current positon is kinda out there. Especially one who’s tenure is tied to a HC who is big time on the hot seat.
I doubt any of the current staff will be here if we don’t win this year.
If Canales proves to be an above average OC. Yeah, I get it but to put him straight into a HC position based on reviving Maybefield’s career? For one season?
If any team is that confident based on that….well good luck.
If he is successful and is offered an OC job with another team? Why leave Tampa?
Go Bucs!
July 4th, 2023 at 10:46 pm
ROTFLMAO!
This guy hasn’t called an play in a game yet (any game) and we have people anointing him as the next great head coach?!?!?
OMG my sides hurt!!!
Please stop!!!