The annual offseason coach poaching is well underway, as teams look to shake up their staffs under new and existing regimes. The Seattle Seahawks are not untouched this time of year, as they have lost quarterbacks coach Dave Canales, who has been hired as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Canales has been an assistant to coach Pete Carroll 14 years, even dating back to a season at USC. Now he gets his shot to lead an offense, especially under defensive-minded Bucs coach Todd Bowles. The implications of Canales going to Tampa digs further than Seattle losing a trusted assistant who survived several staff shakeups.
Could Canales lure quarterback Geno Smith to the Buccaneers?
With Tom Brady officially retiring (for the second time) Tampa is in dire need of a quarterback. Currently, the only quarterback the Bucs have under contract is former Florida signal caller Kyle Trask, so it’s safe to say the reigning NFC South champs will look to add more options.
Tampa’s need for quarterback lines up with Smith’s impending free agency. Should he and the Seahawks be unable to see eye to eye on a new deal before the start of the new league year, Smith will likely test the waters to see what other options are out there.
When scrolling through Canales’ Twitter account, it doesn’t take long to see he is one of Smith’s biggest fans. As this will be Canales’ first time leading an NFL offense, it stands to reason he would like a quarterback he knows he can have success with.
It should also be noted Smith grew up in Miramar, Florida. Perhaps playing closer to home – in addition to continuing to play under Canales – will be a strong enough lure to bring him back to the Sunshine State.
One substantial barrier in the way is the fact the Buccaneers are roughly $55 million over the salary cap. This may be one hurdle Tampa can’t quite clear if Smith is looking for a major payday.
Regardless of the likelihood of this outcome, keep an eye out for the Bucs in the Smith sweepstakes.
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