Report: Buccaneers interested in interviewing Arians for HC vacancy

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reportedly aiming high in their search for a replacement for recently fired head coach Dirk Koetter.

The team has legitimate interest in interviewing former Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians for the position, according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio.

Jack Del Rio and Jim Caldwell are also potential candidates, Marvez adds.

For his part, Arians seems open to the possibility.

"I know (general manager) Jason (Licht). So, I would listen," Arians texted NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Monday.

The Buccaneers dismissed Koetter on Sunday evening following a 34-32 home loss to the rival Atlanta Falcons, which left Tampa Bay at the bottom of the NFC South at 5-11. He spent three seasons as head coach after being hired as offensive coordinator in 2015.

Arians retired at the end of the 2017 season following a five-year run with the Cardinals. He's spent this season as an analyst with CBS but said multiple times that he would consider a return to the NFL sidelines to coach the Cleveland Browns.

Del Rio most recently served as Oakland Raiders head coach from 2015-17 but was let go following a 6-10 campaign. The 55-year-old served the Jacksonville Jaguars in the same role from 2003-11 and has experience as a defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos.

The Detroit Lions dismissed Caldwell at the end of the 2017 season after a four-year run as head coach. He built a 62-50 record between his tenure with the Lions and three prior campaigns with the Indianapolis Colts.

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