ORLANDO, Fla. -- Dave Canales' departure from Tampa might well have a ripple effect.
Following a career resurgence for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Canales as his offensive coordinator, quarterback Baker Mayfield is an impending free agent, and finding the right OC fit will be hugely important factor as to where he lands.
"It all just kind of depends," Mayfield told NFL Network's Cam Wolfe Thursday at the Pro Bowl Games when asked where he anticipates playing in 2024. "Obviously Tampa, we're going though a little bit of a OC search right now. It'll start there. They were the first ones that gave me a chance, and (I'm) thankful for them. We'll see. Taking it one day at a time."
Mayfield's best NFL season coincided with Canales' first (and only) season as the Buccaneers' offensive coordinator. It added up to the Bucs winning the NFC South, advancing to the NFC Divisional Round and Mayfield earning his first Pro Bowl trip, where he won the precision passing event Thursday. However, after helping Mayfield to a season in which he threw for career highs of 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and a 64.3 completion percentage, Canales accepted the head coaching spot for the Carolina Panthers.
A reunion with Canales (and the Panthers, who he played parts of the 2022 season with) for Mayfield is highly unlikely as Carolina is building around Bryce Young.
Thus, Tampa's next OC could be a determining factor in whether Mayfield sets sail with the Bucs again or ventures elsewhere.
"My agent and them, I think they engaged a little bit," Mayfield said of negotiations. "But obviously when Canales left -- and happy for him, as well, getting a head coaching job, he deserves that -- but when they started the OC search, I think they know that we've got to know who's calling plays before anything's done."
After being drafted No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns and stops with the Panthers and Los Angeles Rams, Mayfield found his best fit in Tampa. However, it's clear that a major part of his success came in conjunction with Canales. So, the Bucs will need to find a good fit for them and Mayfield, if they want to keep him.
Assuming he'll be back in 2024, Mayfield believes Bucs fans can look for the team to build on the Divisional Round run had in 2023. And, in perhaps a sign in how he's leaning or hoping, Mayfield still used "we" when talking about the Buccaneers.
"We're gonna get some pieces back," he said. "Everything that we did in the back half of the year, to build on culture-wise, it was a great locker room. So you get a lot of those pieces back and the culture's the most important thing. I know we had a little bit of a lull there halfway through the season, but we stuck through it. I know they hung with us the whole time, but hang in there again."
