When Liam Coen dramatically left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his rearview this offseason, it set the stage for what seemed like a battle in free agency. Chris Godwin was hitting the market and the Jaguars cleared the deck in the days leading up to the legal tampering period in what appeared to be a move to make a run at singing him.
It made sense from a few angles, not the least of which was Coen hand-wringing over stealing away a key piece of the team he left in the dust. Rather than getting a delicious heel turn, the Jaguars didn’t really do much and completely struck out on Godwin.
Everyone looking for some reality television drama was deprived when Godwin agreed to come back to Tampa Bay almost as soon as the legal tempering period began, but Coen still got a shot in. Jacksonville signed away Robert Hainsey, who has been a key piece of offensive line depth for the Buccaneers over the last few years.
It’s a move that forces the Bucs to figure out ways to replace him, but it’s also one that has some around the league scratching their heads over what the Jags were thinking.
Liam Coen ripped for overpaying to sign Robert in free agency
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was left scratching his head over Liam Coen and the Jaguars bringing in Robert Hainsey this offseason. It’s not that Hainsey isn’t a fit — because he is — rather Fowler thinks Jacksonville overpaid for him.
For context, the Buccaneers allowed Hainsey to reach the open market where the Jaguars gave him a three-year, $21 million deal.
"No other team was paying him $21 million over three years — he wasn't a starter last season. He has familiarity with coach Liam Coen from Tampa Bay, and you want to see quality veterans get paid. But the Jaguars probably could have gotten him for less," Fowler wrote.
Coen might not make the final decision on deals like this, but it’s hard not to see him having his thumb on the scale to get his guy. Good for Hainsey, who comes out of this with more money than it seems like he would have gotten under different circumstances.
Hainsey played 95 snaps all season last year, but he was a started back in 2023 when the Bucs offensive line got hammered by injuries. He was a really solid depth piece and was among the handful of Day 2 offensive lineman Jason Licht has identified over the years, but had the team brought him back on the type of contract Jacksonville gave him some heads would have needed to be examined.
That’s not to say he’s not going to do well for the Jaguars, but it’s a decision that calls Coen’s decision making into question. It’s a ton of money to invest in a guy, and Bucs fans would be lying f they said there wasn’t a little satisfaction in hearing Coen talk himself up after getting the Jaguars job and follow it by getting publically questioned.
More Tampa Bay Buccaneers news and rumors