Buccaneers news: Baker Mayfield lawsuit, new Liam Coen landing spot, Tristan Wirfs update
By Josh Hill
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hoping to keep the good times rolling this weekend with a matchup against the Carolina Panthers. It’s a rematch of sorts, as not only is it a divisional battle but it’s the first time the team will be facing former offensive coordinator Dave Canales.
Canales bolts to Carolina this past offseason after just a single season in Tampa Bay, something that Todd Bowles joked about this week when asked about similar rumors popping up about Liam Coen.
Right now all that matters is continuing to right the ship after a four game losing streak. Beating up on the New York Giants was a good start, and the fact that Atlanta has back-to-back tough games amid a losing streak of their own could help propel the Bucs back into first place in just a few weeks.
Baker Mayfield comments on lawsuit he filed against his father’s company
If you thought your Thanksgiving table was going to be awkward this year, Baker Mayfield has you beat.
Mayfield made some news this week when it was revealed he was suing his father’s company claiming that $12 million was stolen. It’s a sticky situation, one that Baker carefully commented on when asked about it.
“This is a process that’s been going on for a while now, but not something I’m going to get into details there,” Mayfield said. “It’s something Emily and I have been dealing with for a lot longer than people know.”
It’s unclear exactly what happened but it sounds like something that has been weighing on Mayfield for some time now. Given how massive a distraction this is away from the field, it makes the fact that he’s been able to have as incredible a season as he’s having even more impressive.
Latest GM rumors could mean another landing spot for Liam Coen
The Athletic’s Mike Jones looked at some potential general manager openings around the league and identified the Indianapolis Colts as a spot to keep an eye on. If the Colts make a move at the top and get rid of Chris Ballard, then it could mean another head coach opening as well which means Liam Coen will likely get looks from yet another team.
Coen isn’t the only name to keep an eye on as teams clean house. Buccaneers assistant John Spytek was named as a potential general manager candidate this offseason. There were rumors last year that Spytek could get poached, with the Carolina Panthers being a place that made sense for him to go over as a package deal with Dave Canales.
That didn’t happen, but it’s only a matter of time before the front office starts to get picked at like a Thanksgiving Day table. Jason Licht has fostered an incredible team around him and the better the team does at getting deals done for players like Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, not to mention the masterful job of getting around the dead money from 2023, the more likely it is that teams will hire guys from his team.
If Spytek goes to Indianapolis, that could increase the likelihood of Coen following him there. That’s something to keep an eye on in general, as the Bucs could be in danger of losing not one but two key members of their core this offseason.
Latest Tristan Wirfs injury update
After suffering an MCL sprain before the bye week, Tristan Wirfs is slowly starting to work his way back into ths mix. He miraculously returned to practice last week but ended up being ruled inactive before Sunday’s game, but he’s trending in the right direction.
Wirfs is once again practicing this week ahead of Sunday’s game against the Panthers, although he remains limited. The good news is that Justin Skule stepped up in a big way last week, which should give fans confidence that if he needs to play for Wirfs again that things will go smoothly.
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