Buccaneers Rumors: Antwaan Randle El, Alex Van Pelt Interview for OC Job

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have interviewed a pair of coaches for their vacant offensive coordinator position.

According to Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper, the Bucs completed interviews with Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El and former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

The Bucs started their search for a new offensive coordinator last week after Dave Canales left to take over as the Carolina Panthers head coach. Canales spent just one season with Bucs, so Tampa Bay will be moving on to its third offensive coordinator in as many years.

Randle El, a nine-year NFL veteran, got his coaching start in Tampa Bay, serving as an offensive assistant from 2019 to 2020 before landing with the Lions. This season, Randle El helped lead the Lions to notching 4,606 receiving yards, which was the fourth-best number in the NFL. Detroit also had the fifth-most receiving touchdowns and the eighth-most yards per reception.

Randle El was integral to the development of third-year wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and if the Bucs land him, they will hope he can have similar success developing their young pieces.

Like Randle El, Van Pelt also has Tampa Bay ties, as he was the Bucs' quarterback coach in 2010 and 2011.

The Browns fired Van Pelt just days after their playoff exit along with a handful of assistant coaches after he spent four seasons with the Browns as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. It was a somewhat surprising move given a relatively successful season, but Cleveland ultimately saw it best to move in a different direction.

Along with the two aforementioned coaches, the Bucs have also been linked to Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, Los Angeles pass game specialist Jake Peetz and former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.