"There are four NFL teams yet to hire replacements for fired coaches. And once they do, the new coach immediately will face one of his most critical tasks: assembling a staff.

The Bucs are one team, having fired Raheem Morris on Jan. 2.

With each day that passes, the odds of putting together an ideal staff — particularly coordinators — get a little longer.

Brad Childress, who has interviewed for the job and is coaching in Saturday's East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field, has been through the process. He expressed no frustration with the time line of the Bucs' search, saying the Glazer family was up front that it would be lengthy. But Childress didn't deny that putting together a staff can be impacted by the timing of a hiring.

"If you're at the beginning of the hiring cycle, then you probably have guys that you're aware of who aren't going to be under contract or are (working) in college," the former Vikings coach said. "If anybody falls off your list, then you're going to (need) more time if you didn't have a list four deep or so."

Five of the eight candidates known to have interviewed for Tampa Bay's opening aren't in contention for other jobs (Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin with the Dolphins, and Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray and Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer with the Colts.) But many top assistants are less likely to be available if this search takes much longer."