Jason Licht Talks About Carl Nicks
July 25th, 2014
Just a couple of hours after the Bucs announced that the team and stud guard Carl Nicks parted ways, Bucs general manager Jason Licht met with the Tampa Bay pen and mic club to discuss the transaction.
Though Licht spoke highly of Nicks, he refused to give any details about a possible financial settlement of any sort with Nicks, nor would he discuss any salary cap ramifications.
“It is between Carl and the Buccaneers, the details,” Licht said. “We wanted what was best for Carl. He wanted what was best for the Buccaneers and he didn’t want to lead us down a path. We appreciated his honesty.
“Carl was an elite player and sometimes, these elite players, if they are not 100 percent, they don’t want to expose themselves. He wanted to give us his best and he felt he couldn’t be honest with us unless he was giving us 100 percent. … He did everything he could.”
Licht stated Nicks’ days with the Bucs are done. He was not placed on any type of reserve list.
“We were hopeful for Carl to play,” Licht said. “We had open lines of communication [in weeks leading to today]. If he was able to play, it would have been a bonus for us. We’ve been talking for some time.”
As for who will replace Nicks, even though rookie guard Kadeem Edwards took snaps with the first team in Nicks’ absence in OTAs and minicamp this spring, Licht wouldn’t say.
“Competition,” Licht said of how the Bucs will handle the loss. “There may be some players elsewhere. We will go down every avenue we can. We feel we have the players.”
July 25th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
First let me wish Carl and his family the best for the future. An unfortunate situation, but ending now with an amicable settlement is best for the Bucs and Carl.
The timing is such that the Bucs have time to get a replacement and there are options. Carl can move on with a tidy sum and no MRSA court battles where the lawyers get most of the money.
This was inevitable and the Bucs are not worst off for it. Nicks hasn’t played but a smidgen of football in 2 years and hasn’t practiced at all this year. I give Lovie and Licht enough credit that they knew this; that Nicks is a 350lb power blocker; and they are moving to a zone blocking scheme.
There is a plan B and they either have high expectations for some of their young up and comers or they have their eye on a trade for a veteran OG that fits their scheme.
This is not what any Buc fan would hope for, but it’s not the end of the world either. This settlement didn’t happen overnight when Nicks missed the first day of camp. There have been minds working on this for a while and I suspect plan B as well!
July 25th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
When they said that Carl Nicks was “cleared to play,” I didn’t think that meant “Playstation on his sofa.”
July 25th, 2014 at 7:47 pm
Thank Christ we can finally put this to bed not that it took a rocket scientist to predict what was going to happen.
July 25th, 2014 at 8:15 pm
More often than not, when the majority of fans are like “huh?” when you willingly deplete your guard depth and make no effort to sign or draft early a quality guard there is a decent chance that that majority is proven right.
The olinemen the Bucs took in Day 3 are noted projects. So Licht will have to scour the wire for street free agents or veterans who get cut in cap moves. It’s not impossible to make something out of it especially this early, but it’s not ideal either.
July 25th, 2014 at 8:15 pm
@Macabee
Here Here brotha. I feel the same; classy move all the way.
July 25th, 2014 at 9:57 pm
Joe, got a new #1 on your worst list?