Bucs GM among NFL’s top movers and shakers.

We are two days from the dead period of the NFL (though this here site will be the polar opposite of dead — many posts daily, as usual). But the NFL is a 24/7 news-making machine.

It’s a big part of why the NFL is the 500-pound gorilla of sports in the western world. As Joe likes to say, “We live in a football world.”

Resistance to the NFL is futile. The only two safehouses from the NFL seem to be St. Louis and to a lesser degree Boston. Other sports are rank minor leagues compared to the mighty NFL.

But there is a period, annually, of about six weeks where the NFL goes into a virtual slumber (again, not Joe). No news is made, short of police blotters. It’s the calm before the storm known as training camp. Just about the whole league goes on vacation.

Yet, because it is the NFL, because of its all-encompassing ways, the NFL has built a beast in that fans crave news every waking moment. And the beast needs to be fed (that’s why Joe posts many times a day).

So how to get daily news to hungry fans when the league is in sleepmode? Manufacture news, which is what the folks over at theMMQB.com are doing.

Peter King and his restless minions have concocted the “The MMQB 100,” a list of the most influential people in and around the NFL. You will see many such-type lists over the coming weeks.

(For example, No. 99 is Rachel Nichols. Really, Rachel Nichols? Joe just cannot think of any scenario where an owner, marketing type, personnel man or coach, sits down to devise strategy and the thought of Rachel Nichols crosses any of their minds. Seriously, Rachel Nichols? Joe could sort of understand her stepmother, Diane Sawyer, sort of being influencial — didn’t Nichols cut her TV teeth at BSPN, sister network of ABC? Oh, don’t bring up nepotism. Seriously, Rachel Nichols? What about Britt McHenry or Aditi Kinkhabwala? C’mon, Rachel Nichols?)

However, poking his head on the list — and this is shocking to Joe — is none other than Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht at No. 89. Joe will let Taylor Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-listening, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training Peter King, of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame take it from here.

89. Jason Licht, General Manager, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jason LichtThe unassuming second-year general manager for the Bucs, Jason Licht led the charge for the franchise to pick Jameis Winston, with all his baggage, first overall last April. There’s little doubt Licht knew what he wanted to do with the pick for quite a while. “Bad guy or immaturity?’’ he said over breakfast at the scouting combine, way back in February. “I’m leaning toward the latter.” Licht, 44, also said in February: “This is the most important pick, potentially, in the history of the franchise.” That’s because Tampa Bay, in its 39 seasons of football, has never had a franchise quarterback. No Buc quarterback has led the team in passing more than five times. Five years was the tenure for Doug Williams, Vinny Testaverde and Trent Dilfer. You’d think, over four decades, Tampa Bay would stumble into one long-term franchise guy. But the Bucs never have. Make no mistake: As this year progresses, Licht (pronounced Light) will be judged by this pick more than any other decision he’s made or will make. General managers who make the right pick at No. 1 overall work for a long time. GMs who don’t have a potentially short shelf life. “When it was over, and we made the decision and we made the pick, I felt good,’’ said Licht. “I have the utmost confidence in the guy. I believe him. What it comes down is, I believe in him.” During a 19-year NFL scouting career, Licht worked on Bill Belichick’s personnel staff for eight seasons in New England. One of the lessons he learned under Belichick is to make a decision and believe in it—but if you’re wrong, cut the cord quickly. This is one decision that can’t be wrong.

Joe has written the following before, but it is not so much “America’s Quarterback,” Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, that will make or break Licht’s tenure with the Bucs. It will be his second-round draft picks, including rookie left tackle Donovan Smith and right guard Ali Marpet. For if the two rookie offensive linemen stink up the joint, and Jameis gets pummeled, injured or simply gun-shy, that’s not on Jameis.

As Joe’s old man used to say about quarterbacks, “It’s damn hard to complete a pass when your quarterback is on his arse.”