NFC Notes: Baker Mayfield, Chris Olave, Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers OC Liam Coen discussed his interesting and unique work history over the past few years. He was a position coach with the Rams from 2018 through 2020 before leaving to take the offensive coordinator job at Kentucky in 2021. He returned to Los Angeles as the offensive coordinator in 2022 but returned to Kentucky last year to take the same job again. Coen explained all the flip-flopping. 

“I’ve always wanted to coach in the NFL. That happened. I was able to get that opportunity and then to go to Kentucky and call plays and have that and have the autonomy of the offense and to really be a leader of the offense and have the staff and have the players and that’s a good feeling, for good or for bad. You want it to be on you,” he said via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “And so I go back to the Rams because of an opportunity presented that we felt like we couldn’t pass up. They had just won a Super Bowl. I’m an assistant position coach there two years ago. And to go back there and what an honor, right?

“Well, it was a tough year and I really I probably misinterpreted how much I would miss calling plays. I knew what I was going there to do. I wanted to help my friend. I wanted to help an organization that gave me an opportunity. I wanted to be around Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp and those guys, and then you go through it man and it’s not yours. You’re in it, but it’s not yours. And so the opportunity to do it at this level in the National Football League, which has been my dream since I was a little kid to call plays here and to work for an unbelievable organization and a head coach that seems like he wants to give you that ability to do so, and really kind of help harness that man. What’s better than that?” 

• Coen added he can see WR Chris Godwin moving back inside to the slot receiver position in 2024. (Stroud)
• When asked what his confidence level was in QB Baker Mayfield returning, Coen replied: “Higher than I probably need to be. I want him to be here. It’s probably more want than know. He’s obviously a reason that I’m here … I think he wants to be here.” (Greg Auman) 
• ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports the Buccaneers are hiring Saints assistant OL coach Kevin Carberry as their new offensive line coach. 

Panthers

From time to time, former Panthers HC Matt Rhule will weigh in on what he would have done differently in Carolina. The current Nebraska coach said he thought the team should have drafted QB Brock Purdy in 2021, as he had killed Rhule’s Baylor teams while at Iowa State, but was overruled. Carolina instead took former Baylor CB Kalon Barnes in the seventh that year, adding to a number of former Rhule players in Carolina. 

“I think Brock Purdy is an amazing player, played against him at Iowa State,” Rhule said via Matt Foster. “When I was in the draft room at Carolina, I brought his name up. I said he should be on the draft board. I got vetoed on that one.”

• The Athletic’s Joe Person says he’s heard something similar in the past about Purdy but adds the belief from others on the team was he was too small. 

Saints

Saints WR Chris Olave was asked about his first year playing with QB Derek Carr.

“Oh yeah he’s a veteran, man,” Olave said on the CHGO Sports podcast. “He’s 10 years in the league, he’s played real good ball with the Raiders. First year with the Saints offense, we’ve just got to build. It’s just about chemistry.”

As for the decision to move on from OC Pete Carmichael, Olave said they had a “really good” relationship, but he’s still excited about the future.

“We had really good relationships with the offensive coaches my past two years, but I wish (Carmichael) the best moving forward. Having someone new come in means there’s going to be a new scheme and new offense, so I’m excited to learn the playbook here and keep moving forward,” Olave said, via Bleacher Report.