Why (And How) Dave Canales Could Become A Hot Head Coaching Candidate Soon

July 13th, 2023

Bucs OC Dave Canales.

Joe has typed that if the Bucs have a good season, that means Baker Mayfield likely has a good season. And if Baker Mayfield has a good season, Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales will have worked wonders.

(For those Bull Gators enraged by those who live in reality and don’t equate Kyle Trask as the Bucs starting quarterback, just insert Trask’s name whenever you read Joe type “Mayfield.” That will save your blood pressure and you can sleep comfy while staring at your Tim Tebow Fathead strategically erected on your wall. OK?)

Joe rarely finds anyone in the national media that gives Mayfield a snowball’s chance of doing anything right this fall. Thus, they have the Bucs pegged to quickly become one of the dregs of the NFL.

Take Erin Dolan of BSPN. In describing how awful the Bucs will be, she barely stopped herself from laughing out loud in a video that accompanied a gambling article on the Bucs. There she merrily exclaimed how Tampa Bay is only favored in one game. (Seems like she has cash on the under.)

Dolan also noted the Bucs have the third-best odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft next year (you know, #CollapseForCaleb). Why? Well, because, all together now, Mayfield!

And this is why Canales might be one-and-done in Tampa. If Canales has a good offense with Mayfield, then the Bucs should certainly be in the hunt for the playoffs. So in the eyes of so many in the NFL shuffling cat litter in Mayfield’s face, Canales will have developed a reputation as a quarterback savant. Remember, he had a hand in turning Geno Smith around last year when it appeared his career was toast.

Canales already has a reputation for developing receivers. If he turns around Mayfield, every NFL owner with a coaching vacancy would want to interview him.

The NFL is a quarterback league, you may have heard. Guys that can develop quarterbacks or rebuild inexpensive quarterbacks, are a hot commodity for owners looking to save cap space at the game’s most important position.

30 Responses to “Why (And How) Dave Canales Could Become A Hot Head Coaching Candidate Soon”

  1. RuKa Says:

    Seriously?!? Nothing against him, but he has yet to call a play in an NFL game and we are already discussing Head Coach opportunities?!?! Please…

  2. Defense Rules Says:

    No disrespect to 42-year-old Dave Canales because he’s had 13 seasons on Seattle’s coaching staff, but this is his FIRST year as an NFL Offensive Coordinator. Like RuKa says, before we announce him as savior, we might let him call at least 1 play. Hopefully not a run up the middle on 1st down.

  3. stpetebucfan Says:

    One of Canalas greatest challenges this season will be deciding WHICH QB starts.

    So we’ve seen a lot of negative articles on the Bucs QB position and in particular Mayfield but isn’t that an indictment on Trask as well? If the “experts” thought he was all that they wouldn’t even be yammering about Mayfield other than to project his ability as a backup to Trask.

  4. Hodad Says:

    Hopefully that happens. As far as this Baker, Trask battle in camp, I’d now be shocked if Baker doesn’t get the starting job. I’ll say it tho, he won’t finish the season. At some point, probably do to injury, or poor play, Trask will have to play. Odds are better then good this will happen.

  5. BucfaninMi Says:

    Yeah. The Bucs next HC after Bowles gets let go. Koetter/ Smith style.

  6. Jeff’s grandpa Says:

    Slow time of year

  7. Mike C Says:

    The best man for the job is NOT always the most experienced, owners are looking any fresh innovative ways to get a leg up on the competition, you don’t do that with crusty old dudes…

  8. Mike C Says:

    *looking for any

  9. Voice of Truth Says:

    3rd choice at OC, never called a game or made a gameplan alone…okay

    Sounds just like all the OC’s Todd had ever had – every one fired after one season

    Expect the same with all of Todd’s minions following him out the door

  10. Dooley Says:

    Way too many assumptions made in this, it could go as simply as we have a good year and Canales gets another season as our OC. I’d prefer that over anything else it takes more than 1 season to establish and diversify a playbook and as a Buc fan, there’s nothing I’d like more than some mid-long term continuity for the sake of progressing this franchise forward.

  11. Lord Cornelius Says:

    We basically have to hope Todd Bowles can be like Mike Tomlin or Jon Harbaugh if we want a long tenured defensive head coach.

  12. Joe Says:

    The best man for the job is NOT always the most experienced, owners are looking any fresh innovative ways to get a leg up on the competition, you don’t do that with crusty old dudes…

    There you go.

  13. Ufcguy32 Says:

    Lol let me get this straight why is it literally anytime someone in this town has an ounce of success you assume they’re gonna be a hot candidate. Byron = hot candidate. Todd has a good defense hot candidate. Brother there’s 30 plus teams in the NFL with candidates on good offenses , defenses all over the place. This city isn’t the golden goose. One year at oc isn’t gonna magically propel anyone into a head coaching gig. Especially from tampa. Prior to Tom we are not getting any positive media attention in the last 10 years. One year of mediocre results with baker….ya its laughable man. Come on

  14. zzbucs Says:

    Don´t eat dinner before breakfast, the guy didn´t made one single call as an OC and people are putting him on a HC position…..
    Anxiety on this days is everywhere.

  15. Jason Says:

    1. If he does have a great season and gets H.C. consideration, he might want to call Raheem Morris for some career advice.
    2. Remember that one time when some people were actually afraid we would lose Mike Smith to a H.C. opportunity. 🤣

  16. Canabuc Says:

    Right now Canales has an offensive coordinator is a bit of an unknown.
    That being said he has been an integral part of the offense of system that has been very successful offensively for the last decade.
    He has been part of offensive systems that are related to the
    Rams offensive scheme that have been very successful and have torched our team repeatedly.

    I have a lot of faith that while there may be a little bit of a learning curve at the very beginning that he is going to find a way to scheme our offense in a way that gets receivers open or creates holes with a zone blocking scheme for the run game. There will be a creativity to the offense that was just not there under left witch.

    Her previous offensive system was one of we have Tom Brady and a great bunch of weapons we are going to not hide what we’re doing but you are going to have to try to stop us.

    That only works when you have the offensive talent that we did when we had Gronkowski Brown Godwin and Evans where somebody would always be open.

  17. Hunter's Crack Pipe Says:

    Jason Says:
    “Remember that one time when some people were actually afraid we would lose Mike Smith to a H.C. opportunity.”
    .
    .

    “Some people” included the Glazers. They might still be paying Mike Smith.

  18. Mostly Peaceful Trask Fan Says:

    Joe a crusty old dude got us a trophy and as soon as he stepped down we sucked again.

  19. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Won’t be an issue.

  20. Mostly Peaceful Trask Fan Says:

    Anyone following the Gruden-Goodell lawsuit?

    Gruden has leverage with over a half a million emails and could take a blow torch to the front office. I don’t think it will go that far. As soon as the dust settles there Gruden will likely take over as HC of the Saints. The more this evolves the more it seems like an eventuality. If Goodell can force this into arbitration he’ll win, but because there are credible accusations of extortion (fire the guy or we’ll keep releasing emails) that’s probably not going to fly. Gruden will get his way because the NFL will probably do anything to keep those emails private.

    Gruden has a spiteful long memory. He will take pleasure beating the Bucs. So we should ready ourselves for that coming. Hey no worries – I’m sure Bowles and Canales will be fine.

  21. Mostly Peaceful Trask Fan Says:

    He’s a gamer
    He’s a baller
    He’s a shot caller
    I got Tebow he shatters the mold
    And all he does is win games.
    All he does is win games.

    Uttering Tebow’s name in vain…

    You know the heresy on this site sometimes is tough to swallow.

    Anyways…

    Yeah so Canales being a hot HC name is presumption bordering delusion.

    If Canales turns this team into a top 10 offense with CC Mayfield then ok yeah people will notice.

    But it ain’t going to happen.

    If Captain Checkdown gets the job out of camp he won’t make it past the bye as a starter. He’s garbage. This is why people are laughing at the Bucs and none of us here like it all that much.

  22. stpetebucfan Says:

    Why would anybody fear Gruden as a coach against the Bucs no matter where he might land. He took a team that was knocking on the door, full of HOF talent, held back only by a DEFENSIVE coach who couldn’t figure out offense.

    Gruden walked into the PERFECT situation! And how did he do with that SB talent after winning the Lombardi? Why he went a dismal 7-9! Surely better the following season right..5-11!! He did rebound then with an 11-5 season and then OOPS…4 and freaking 12. Chucky was a .500 coach…technically a whisker over at 57-55. And that after inheriting a team full of HOF talent on the D all he had to do was come up with an offense.

    The results of Chucky’s total career…slightly better at 117-112…again barely over .500! Chucky NEVER really walked on Tampa Bay. He had one VERY successful season with a team LOADED with talent that he inherited.

    In contrast to Chucky is BA. 31-18 with the Bucs .663% Career 80-48 .624%

    I’d love to see Chucky go to New Orleans.

  23. BigMacAttack Says:

    Canales is for the most part an unknown commodity, which is great. Seattle will have a good idea what he’ll run. Most teams’ defenses are in the dark when it comes to the Bucs, and that ladies and gentlemen, is a big advantage. It sounds like Baker doesn’t have to great, just good and consistent. Even with the Great Tom Brady, every opponent knew exactly what play was coming before the Bucs even ran it. Brady no longer had his Gronk bail out plays that he enjoyed before. The Bucs have a lot of talent. The key is the same every year. You have to keep your key players healthy and on the field. When you evaluate a team for a prediction, you have to look at the big picture, the entire organization top to bottom, if you want to be somewhat accurate. The advantage WE HERE ALL HAVE is that we know the Bucs better than any of these media clowns. Much in part to Joe’s continuous detailed coverage of the Bucs 24/7/365 since day 1 of JBF. We don’t all agree but we all know our $#!+ lol

  24. Infomeplease Says:

    First things first! Let’s get the ball in the endzone more than our opponents!!! Everything else will go the way it should unless Bowles negativity gets in the way!!!

  25. Bojim Says:

    Well I would hope that his contract states that he can’t bolt after one year.

  26. Melly Says:

    It wouldn’t be Joebucsfan.com if there werent stories about losing coordinators which rarely happen to fill the slow days.

  27. westernbuc Says:

    If he does well watch the narrative become “look at the receivers! Brady was toast! Of course they were going to be better”

  28. garro Says:

    The guy has yet to call a single play in the NFL!
    Thats like saying Trask is sure to be in the HOF conversation.

    Geez!

    Go Bucs!

  29. RustyRhinos Says:

    Our OC has direct daily contact with several members of the Buccaneer Organization. Who have been there done that and won it all as far as being OC’s.
    In Bruce Arians and Tom Moore. If David Canales has any questions or needs any information on the subject he can ask them over, breakfast and coffee at 4:30am or Drinks and dinner after the day is done, or anytime he wants to just walk down the hall.

    I am excited to finally see something different from our offense. Any update to play calling that puts our offense into the 20th century is a huge plus in my book. Plays designed to create open WR’s & TE’s not just force them to beat their man play after play after play. Because “you do what you do” that is why we got what we got with 8-9 season play, and 0-1 in the playoffs. Yes!!! we did win the NFC South division!!! Which should be our goal every season. It always provides a playoff game, and in the playoffs anything can happen. One game at a time.

    GO!!!!!BUCS!!!!!

  30. Mike S Says:

    Shaa and monkeys might fly out of my butt