Why Buccaneers might be targeting this coach for OC vacancy

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are once again looking for an offensive coordinator after firing Josh Grizzard, making it the fifth time in as many years the Bucs have begun this hiring process. The position has been known as a kingmaker, fielding Dave Canales (Carolina Panthers) and Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars) as head coaches, and as a result, the job should be one in high demand.

There are a lot of options (we went over five of them here), with the Bucs able to hire an experienced coordinator after trying a young mind in Grizzard or another up-and-coming tactical genius like they've favored in the past. Perhaps the best candidate with the former in mind is former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who is now on the market for a head coaching job or a new OC opportunity after Baltimore fired HC John Harbaugh.

According to two sources — Justin Melo of the Draft Network and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times — the Buccaneers could be very interested in Monken, who could bring experience to the offense in Tampa Bay.

1st known interview for former #Titans HC Brian Callahan. Todd Bowles has done a great job appointing OCs in recent years, fwiw. I've spoken with people who believe Todd Monken is the favorite in Tampa.

Will Callahan land an OC gig this offseason? https://t.co/GisEGI9IC8
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) January 9, 2026

Bucs would have a big interest in Todd Monken if he doesn’t land a HC job. https://t.co/0CdWvs7QZD
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 10, 2026

Buccaneers reportedly interested in Todd Monken

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Bucs fans will probably remember the name. Monken was the offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay from 2016-18 under head coach Dirk Koetter, where he occasionally called plays. After being fired from that job, Monken was the Browns' offensive coordinator in 2019 before doing the same job for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2020-22. Finally, from 2023 onward, he's overseen an electrifying offense in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, but he's now out of a job with Harbaugh's firing.

There would be quite a few benefits to Monken's hiring. If the Bucs and head coach Todd Bowles are looking for the opposite of Grizzard — a proven offensive mind with years of playcalling experience — Monken is their man. He led the Ravens to a No. 1 total offense in 2024 and fielded an MVP through his offense in 2023 (and probably should have in 2024, too). Monken has even worked with Baker Mayfield before, serving as his offensive coordinator when Mayfield was a rookie in 2019.

That being said, the Ravens took a nosedive in offense in 2025 and were bottom-five in the league in red zone offense, which is a huge worry. Monken, who will turn 60 in February, also wouldn't run an offense at the forefront of current trends, which would be another concern with his offense. There's also the matter of whether or not he'd return to a team in the same position he was at almost 10 years ago now, and he'd have to feel comfortable working with Mayfield after his stint in 2019.

The Buccaneers will bring in plenty of names to interview, but Monken could be at the front of the conversation.

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