Today Begins The Jason Licht Era
February 20th, 2014
Despite what some Bucs fans will have you believe, the draft is the foundation of a team. If you stink at drafting, then you will almost always be watching other teams play football in January. If a team is draft savvy, it will deliver lasting success.
Jason Licht, come on down.
Today the NFL Combine begins in not too chilly Indianapolis (February in the Midwest can be so much worse that the 50s) and this will basically be Licht’s first day on the job in a matter of speaking.
Because what Licht can learn the next few days while monitoring and interviewing players will have a long-term effect on the Buccaneers. Licht seems to suggest to Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune that coach Lovie Smith has told him what he wants. Now, Licht will start his shopping.
A self-proclaimed “meathead’’ who likes to watch football and won’t be disrespected if you call him a scout, Licht’s work at the combine will be critical to the Bucs’ cause.
“The coach has to tell (the general manager) what kind of players he wants, and it’s my job as general manager to make sure that we, me and my staff, bring those players to him,’’ Licht said. “We have to find the right fits.
“The player has to be a player that we like on tape and grades out at the right price, but he also has to be extremely passionate, intelligent, and have good football character.”
Of course, it will be likely three years before we can fairly determine if Licht’s work this week in the gloomy Midwestern winter pays off. If Licht can do well this week, and beyond, he will be the Bucs general manager for years to come.
If Licht’s work is not well, well, we will be back to this very spot in five years or so.
Bucs fans wanted to skin former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik early on. (Joe has a pretty good idea why) His drafts unquestionably got better as he learned the ropes. Joe hopes fans give Licht the patience they refused to grant Dominik.
Extensive research this week on that No. 7 pick will go a long way towards Licht having a long, tenured career with the Bucs. Dominik would still be here if his initial first-round pick panned out.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:40 am
This will be one page I will gladly turn. The last 5 years have been very dark years for the Bucs. To finish 4th, 3rd, 4th , 4th and 3rd in the division is beyond embarrassing. I am proud of Joe though, I think this is his first time that he admitted that the former Gm was fired due to job performance and not just caught in the “Schaino mess” .
So I am hoping for Licht to have a successful offseason!!!
Go Bucs!!!
February 20th, 2014 at 8:45 am
I’m sorry, but Mark Dominick’s drafts did not improve. Greg Schiano arrived and HIS drafts were the best I have seen with any team in a long time.
Last year’s draft I was skeptical of, but low and behold, it turned out Greg made good picks.
I liked Mark because of his negotiating and budget planning skills, but he sucked at player evaluation from top to bottom.
Personally I thought he and Schiano would have made a great team had they stayed longer, but after all the bad press last year, the MRSA, Freeman, etc., there was just no chance of that happening.
The media turned the fans against Schiano…and losing just lent to the frenzy.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:47 am
And I think it was Sullivan that screwed up the offense.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:47 am
Joe, where is there a stream of the combine?
February 20th, 2014 at 8:50 am
Dominik was granted extraordinary patience, five years worth.
If his drafts were so improving how did we end up as the worst offensive team in pro football after five drafts and a 4-12 record.
Thank goodness that nightmare is over.
Good things are around the corner.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:55 am
Dominik would still be here if his initial first-round pick panned out.
Agree completely Joe! Now think about that statement. Why would Licht shorten his window of opportunity by selecting a Q.B. in the first round?
Seriously! In terms of their own personal careers Lovie Smith and Todd Licht would be foolish to select a Q.B. in the first round. They will have effectively rolled the dice and tied their Buccaneer careers to a college kid who hasn’t played a single down of professional football. Again do names like Ryan Leaf, Jamarcus Russell, Brady Quinn and many others come to mind?
If I was Licht or Smith there is NO way I’d select a Q.B. even if I didn’t believe in Glennon. Glennon is smart, if anything overly conservative and protects the ball too much. He’s not the kind of kid who will get you fired. They can bring in a Vet, McCown?, let the two compete and then see how Q.B.’s shake out next year. Nobody claims this years crop of Q.B.s blows away next year’s.
Again do not mistake me. I’m not saying this from the perspective of a Buc fan, perhaps Joe is right and Johnny Football is the best bet. I’m saying this from Licht and Smith’s perspective, their self interest. And I don’t blame them. I think they SHOULD protect their jobs. I don’t demand they risk those jobs with a shot at a college kid.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:57 am
Joe, Even you have to admit that everyone gave the pop-star a lot more patience, then you have given to Mike Glennon!
February 20th, 2014 at 8:59 am
Developing players is just as important, if not more, than drafting them. That’s my two cents.
February 20th, 2014 at 9:08 am
Everyone needs to quit crying about Glennon in every post. joe gets bashed about talking JFB ,the same whining a$$ cry babies talk up Glennon , and it goes on and on , I like Glennon but long way to go to be great ,you ask the joe’s to post something else and he delivers but then you take your shots , try to comment on the subject and quit beating a dead horse
February 20th, 2014 at 10:00 am
Live stream of the combine will be on nfl.com
February 20th, 2014 at 10:14 am
Mediocre Mark?
I will take a meathead scout over a pretty boy contract guru every time.
February 20th, 2014 at 11:44 am
What can you do with the later round picks, the problem with the Schiano/rock star era was they were focused on Schiano guys he coached, coached against or recruited in high school. Vision too small.
February 20th, 2014 at 8:03 pm
Really 5 years wasn’t enough patience for the ‘MDM’ (Mark Dominick Mob)? Schiano got 2 years (though Schiano revealing to everyone that Rah and Dom’s franchise QB pick was a bust was the kiss of death for Rockstar)…I’d say Dom got the better deal.