Less than 24 hours after Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield said his free-agency decision “depends” on who the club hires as its next offensive coordinator, NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo (h/t Kevin Patra) reported that the Buccaneers are “working on a deal to hire” Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Liam Coen.

Mayfield theoretically should be a fan of the move.

As Patra mentioned, Coen served as Mayfield’s offensive coordinator when the two worked together across five games with the Los Angeles Rams late in the 2022 season.

While Coen returned to the college ranks in 2023, Mayfield ultimately signed a one-year “prove it” deal with Tampa Bay and then became a Comeback Player of the Year candidate playing under coordinator Dave Canales.

Canales officially became head coach of the Carolina Panthers this week.

“Obviously Tampa, we’re going through a little bit of an OC search right now,” Mayfield said at the Pro Bowl Games on Thursday evening about his free-agency status, per Grant Gordon of the NFL’s website. “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.”

Of course, Mayfield may have little say in the matter regardless of whether he’s willing to offer Tampa Bay any type of team-friendly agreement, as the club can retain his rights for 2024 via the franchise tag.

“My agent and them, I think they engaged a little bit,” Mayfield added about negotiations with the Buccaneers that have occurred after he guided the club to a division title and a home playoff win. “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.”

As the JoeBucsFan website pointed out, it was Mayfield’s brief stint with the Rams during Coen’s tenure that helped convince Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht to give the 28-year-old signal-caller a shot last offseason.

That decision worked out well for everyone involved, but it remains to be seen how potentially landing Coen could impact Tampa Bay’s desire to lock Mayfield down via a contract that ideally would also allow the organization to hold onto star wide receiver and to-be free agent Mike Evans.

Jeff Hafley jumped to the Packers. Now Boston College has to scramble to find a new head coach. BC has to find a coach who won’t get hung up with what the place doesn’t have. Al Washington? Bill O’Brien? Liam Coen? https://t.co/NaWGsTRSWAhttps://t.co/NaWGsTRSWA

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 1, 2024