Dave Canales' deliberate process is speeding up Bucs' learning curve on offense
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales is full of energy and charisma, so it's understandable that he has to pull the reins back, so to speak, at times. But, his scrupulous approach is also part of a bigger plan. "The whole thought process coming into this offseason was, and I have to keep reminding […]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales is full of energy and charisma, so it's understandable that he has to pull the reins back, so to speak, at times. But, his scrupulous approach is also part of a bigger plan.
"The whole thought process coming into this offseason was, and I have to keep reminding myself: don’t rush it. Don’t rush anything," Canales told reporters a couple of weeks ago. "… They’ve gotten the simplest, most vanilla formation possible with just some of the things I know we’re going to call. That’s the thing as a coaching staff we talked about – before I introduce all these concepts to you, let me prove it to you that they work."
The Bucs are undertaking an offensive transformation in 2023. Gone is the Bruce Arians offensive philosophy that helped bring Tom Brady and another Lombardi to Tampa Bay. Now, it's the 42-year-old Canales leading a modern day NFL offense that is going to look a lot different than what we've seen over the last few years.
Canales' method may initially sound a bit counterproductive when considering the limited practice time teams have these days. But the more one thinks about it, the more it makes sense: Instead of overwhelming guys and brushing over minor mistakes, Canales and co. are making sure every detail is understood before moving on to the next topic.
And so far, it's working.
"That was the best part about how Dave [Canales] wanted to come in and install this offense – to really take it slow and make sure we have all of the details and the foundation of what we want to be," Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield told reporters Tuesday. "Everybody is on the same page. I think that was the best part about what we’ve done up to this point to now prepare ourselves to be ready to compete. It just seemed like everybody was on the same page when we went out there. When you get the live bullets flying for the first time, a lot of times it can seem a little messy, especially with the younger guys for the first time, but it was very organized. We limited pre-snap penalties and things like that.
"There is always room for improvement, but for a first day – I think because of how Dave installed the offense – it was pretty good.”
There's obviously still a long ways to go and anyone worth their salt knows that the conversations today can easily change tomorrow. However, it's still notable that players already have a foundation of comfort under them and it'll only lead to quicker, more impactful growth.
What's even more important is the players are noticing what Canales is doing and they are buying in because of the results on the field, so far.
"I think the first thing that really comes to mind is he’s a very smart guy," Chris Godwin said Tuesday. "… He really knows what he wants to do in terms of installing the offense and attacking defenses… He’s a teacher and he wants to effectively communicate that. It’s been working so far.
"We had a really good first day and guys are flying around – the intensity is high. It kind of felt like a training camp practice, so I think it’s going to be really cool watching this whole thing develop."
It would undoubtedly be huge if the Bucs offense can get off to a fast start once the regular season starts. And maybe, just maybe, Canales' decision to take his time will help the team achieve just that.
