The Bucs have been very busy looking to find a replacement at offensive coordinator after Liam Coen took the job to be the head coach of the Jaguars. After already completing three interviews, the Bucs announced on Monday night that have completed a fourth interview, this time in a virtual setting with Rams’ tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Nick Caley.

This is the second coach from the Rams organization that the Bucs have interviewed for the offensive coordinator position. Earlier on Monday, Tampa Bay announced that they completed an interview with Rams passing game specialist Nate Scheelhaase. They join Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady and Vikings assistant offensive coordinator Grant Udinksi as the four candidates and counting.

Latest Bucs Candidate Comes From Interesting Coaching Tree

Rams passing game coordinator Nick Caley – Photo by: USA Today

Nick Caley began coaching at college football in 2005 and spent 10 years at the collegiate level until making his break into the NFL in 2015. He comes from the Bill Belichick coaching tree as he was hired by New England to be their offensive assistant. He would eventually be promoted to tight ends coach and overall spent eight years with the Patiriots from 2015 to 2022.

In that span he won two Super Bowl with Belichick and the Patriots. As the tight ends coach he worked with former Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski for four seasons, and of course is familiar with the team’s quarterback and also former Buc, Tom Brady.

Coming from another Super Bowl winning coaching tree, Caley also learned under the tutelage of Los Angeles Rams’ head coach Sean McVay. Though Caley’s time didn’t overlap with Liam Coen, Caley went to the Rams after New England and was their tight ends coach for the 2023 season and the passing game coordinator for this most recent 2024 season.

With Caley playing a hand in the Rams’ passing game this year, Los Angeles ranked 1oth in the NFL in passing yards with 227.5. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 3,762 yards on the season while wide receiver Puka Nacua ranked third in the NFL averaging 90 receiving yards per game despite playing in only 11 games.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs seem to have a type when it comes to searching for their next offensive coordinator. After hiring Liam Coen, who went back and forth from the Rams and the University of Kentucky, Tampa Bay is going back to those channels by interviewing two coaches from the Los Angeles organization again. Let’s not forget either that Baker Mayfield had last played with the Rams before the Bucs signed him.

A benefit that the Bucs have this year with their coordinator search is that the Bucs have a much more appealing team to dial up plays for. Baker Mayfield is coming off of a career high with 4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes while Mike Evans was once again a 1,000-yard receiver while running back Bucky Irving became the first Bucs’ back to reach 1,000 rushing yards since 2015. Plus, Irving was named to the All-Rookie team after the season.

There will be more interviews to go as the Bucs carefully choose who’s next in line. But based on how the previous two coordinators got a a head coaching job after, this is a position that many will want.

Check out our latest Pewter Report Podcast where we get into some of the offensive coordinator candidates that Tampa Bay has spoken to while we also preview the upcoming Senior Bowl.