Jason Licht Talks Combine
March 5th, 2018
Insider access at combine.
This is an excellent interview.
Buccaneers.com reporter Casey Phillips had a sitdown with Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to break down the combine for fans.
Why does Joe call this “excellent?” Licht pulls back the curtains on how the sausage is made at the combine. Some really good stuff in here.
For example, Licht — man, the dude just tenses up so bad during interviews — notes players are so coached up for their interviews that rather than try to trick them into answers, Licht and his staff are just as likely to ask them about the best players they have faced. Say, interviewing Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith about what makes LSU running back Derrius Guice so good.
Players are usually very honest and upfront with details about players on the other side of the ball, Licht said and it usually turns out to be good intel.
Licht also let the cat out of the bag that Joe came to learn this past week. An “informal interview” is bulls(p)it. Why? It doesn’t mean a team is interested in a guy at all. Licht stated to Phillips he and his staff will informally interview every player at the combine.
Joe noticed this in the past few days when players were asked by reporters if they talked to (Team-X) and virtually each time, the player would say, “informally, yeah.”
You can watch the video below, courtesy of Buccaneers.com.
March 5th, 2018 at 8:07 am
Licht’s Out has proven he’s a capable scout. As a GM, he oftentimes appears to be in over his head. Not everyone is suited for leadership/managerial positions. Should be interesting if not gut wrenching to watch “Licht’s Last Year”.Est.2018
March 5th, 2018 at 8:07 am
Maybe he should have been closing a deal versus wasting his time with the useless media…
Winners close deals. Losers make excuses to justify missing out.
March 5th, 2018 at 8:12 am
If this intel was coming from a GM that I had respect for, then it would mean something, getting intel info from Licht is laughable.
March 5th, 2018 at 8:27 am
He seems to take a lot of things as a joke like the bucs record
March 5th, 2018 at 8:31 am
This is a guy that was diving into a pool over one winning season that didn’t equate to a playoff birth…..
March 5th, 2018 at 8:36 am
Bobby M. Licht was jumping into polos during a 2-14 season .lol
March 5th, 2018 at 8:39 am
Wow! Gotta be the highlight of the Combine.
March 5th, 2018 at 8:53 am
Blah, blah, blah, drink a cup of shut the f&*%# up and make some deals to improve this football team…….
March 5th, 2018 at 9:00 am
You are right joe Casey Phillips is awesome.
March 5th, 2018 at 9:05 am
Wonder what questions he asks the FA’s in interviews?
March 5th, 2018 at 9:08 am
AlteredEgo
Question 1: Will you lose quietly.
Question 2: would be bucs verifying a lengthy injury history.
March 5th, 2018 at 9:09 am
Smh @ some of you guys.
March 5th, 2018 at 9:38 am
There is no way that the stick quitters make it to the second game before they are chanting to fire everyone!!!!!!
And these are the so-called hardcore fans???????
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 5th, 2018 at 9:41 am
Man this is going to be a long off season. I mean can we a least try to be positive a little bit? There is a long way to go fellas and I know we have not done anything yet but that does not mean that we wont. Lets at least wait until we get near OTAs before we say that we are just going to be horrible again and of course if we do nothing lets give them to full force of our frustration.
March 5th, 2018 at 9:45 am
Come on Realist why are you trying to divide people man, the Stick Carriers are angry, you are angry, EVERY fan of the team is angry, but we are all rooting for the same team at the end of the day. Well you aren’t angry cause you think we have the great defensive coaching staff in football history, but everyone else is angry, but lets all just see how it plays out.
March 5th, 2018 at 9:53 am
@ndog
I called those so-called fans out when they gave up around game 6 last year!!!!! And these so called fans thing NFL GM Licht has already blown free-agency and the draft!!!!!!!!
The sheep did not get their shiny toy and now they are mad!!!!!!!
And you are right!!! they should at least let free-agency start!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!
March 5th, 2018 at 9:57 am
Ndog
Not true pickgrin, stpete, tbbf and bonzi are quit content
March 5th, 2018 at 9:58 am
The question I would have asked is did you happen to notice that DT Taven Bryant had almost identical stats at the combine as the stats that JJ Watt posted when he went through the combine? So, if you don’t have Chubb fall to you at seven, would you consider grabbing Taven Bryant so our new DL Coach can teach him how to be a high impact DE for us like J.J. Watt? After all you should realize the Glazers have raised seat prices and if you are going to try and put some Gator Fans in those seats after you bombed on the Gator DB you took, don’t you think the Glazers would like that pick? Taven Bryant has a quick get off and is a disruptor and sacker as a DT, he should really be a good DE too, right?
March 5th, 2018 at 10:03 am
Man…you all know if he goes DL in round one, it would be hard to not get a superstar.
At 7, we could get
DE Bradley Chubb (if we are lucky)
NT Vita Vea
DE Marcus Davenport
Personally, I doubt Chubb will be there, and if he isn’t, I think the pick has to be Vita Vea…as much as we need an edge rusher.
Here’s some scenarios (unlikely but would be cool):
#1
Bucs trade Gerald McCoy to the Browns, along with a 6th rounder, for the 4th overall pick, giving the Bucs the forth and seventh picks. With them, they take Bradley Chubb and Vita Vea. Instantly the number one DL in the league.
#2
Bucs take Vita Vea with the 7th pick (because Chubb is gone), then trade Desean Jackson and a 3rd to the 49ers for their 9th overall pick, and take Marcus Davenport.
Either way, I think Vea is our 7th overall pick.
March 5th, 2018 at 10:13 am
Bonzi
Even cancer93’s own mother understands he is only worth a 6th or conditional 5th… look at history of trades before making such delusional statements. No intelligent gm would give anything for 30 yr old career loser with a track record of quiting on coaches and coming out flat. Wow dude you’ve really went off deep end. You have always been a lover of losing and choirboys but man I’m sincerely worried about you.
March 5th, 2018 at 10:32 am
Bonzai where do you get your weed? McCoy for the fourth pick in the draft? Besides Cleveland plays us this year, they want to win, that’s impossible with blowout cancer93 on your team. Tmax, beat you to it!
March 5th, 2018 at 10:47 am
Bonzai,
You are DRASTICALLY OVERVALUING GMC and DJax.
To get the #4 pick, the Browns would want GMC and our #7 and they might throw in like a 4th round pick at best.
To get the #9 pick the 49’ers would want DJax and our 2nd and 3rd and 4th round picks … and even that probably would not be enough.
Just as-is I’d say GMC is worth a late 2nd to a contender … maybe.
DJax? He’s probably worth no more than a 4th rounder.
Now, if you’re willing to give up Mike Evans you could probably easily get the #9 and maybe even the #4 … but I doubt the Bucs would even consider that.
Personally, I’m waiting for the nutso’s to come out on draft day and when the Bucs get on the clock and one of the big 4 QBs is still on the board to start ranting that the Bucs need to draft a QB with the #7 overall pick and then look to trade Jameis … maybe to the Cardinals for the #15 pick, Patrick Peterson and an additional pick or two, or to the Bills for the #21, #22 and their 1st rounder next year … loons.
March 5th, 2018 at 10:57 am
well, the “real fans” have seen the way this has played out and we know whats in store!!!!!……last year we whiffed on CC and folks said, let it play out…..we settled for bottom tier FA’s…baker, ward, jj Wilcox…..
now this same exact situation is playing out yet again…..we whiffed on RQ….Bennett looks to be ATL bound….
im sure others like ealy, big mo and suh already have a plan in place and have talked to teams that don’t include the bucs…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!
March 5th, 2018 at 11:01 am
Including Roberto because he was attached to a fourth round pick , the Bucs over draft guru Lichts 4 years have had appx 18 picks rounds 4 thru 7,including the Roberto picks
Players contributing
Kwon
Kevin P
Caleb B
D Bond
R Smith
Kendel B 3 rd but really 4 th and a sixth ………more than what Licht was willing to give for Quinn
After F Agency this list will prob shrink, so out of that list you have maybe three starters for the Bucs and maybe two starters for a playoff team!!!
So per Lichts drafts it is very clear any time you can get a starter for any of your picks 4 th through 7 th and or any combination of those picks you are way ahead.Assuming cap room .
See the Bucs are building through the draft , well how in the heck can you do that when out of the last 4 drafts you will only have 4 players on your roster in 2019 that were were part of appx 15 picks 2014- 2018 …………
Last year you have K Beck to show for rounds 4,5,6 and 7………..Who’s going to impact the Def more Quinn or Beck, Talib or Beck , Shld Rich or Beck and you can prob have all three of them on you roster or another combo of talented vets for the next few years for three of your four picks rounds 4 through 7.
This isn’t that hard people ,it just isn’t , Licht has almost 85 mil in cap room avail and McCoy would rework in a heart beat to save another three.
Yes it will get more difficult two years from now but that’s then and this is 85 mil now …….. Someone please remind Licht that the goal is to win the Super Bowl not to have a winning record !! And Btw not to live in this dream world that he is this Draft magician , he just simply isn’t but I think he really thinks he is !!
Gave up a fifth for G Johnson, 3 rd and 4 th for a kicker that always kicked from a hash in college ( who watched the film on this guy , I told everyone near me that he couldn’t kick in the NFL the day he was drafted)……… one very good player ( Kwon
Pretty good but ain’t great ) one prospect Beckwith and one borderline starter Kevin P that’s not to impressive for 4 years of picks rounds 4,5,6 and 7.
Take a look at new England’s o line now that’s GM work
Hey I don’t wanna hate on Licht but I’m not going to drink his GM 101 standard my team will never win protocol Bull S Koolaid !! You have the worst DB s and D line in the NFL , J J Watt And W Sapp didn’t do much as rookies and V Hardgraves didn’t either, you r not fixing 6 totally void positions in this years draft. When I say void I mean like expansion, first year team void !!! BTW the o line ain’t great either…………. Use your rounds 4-7 to start cleaning this mess up with top tier veterans that make you better ASAP because the only top talent you got over 4 years is Kwon , so you can bat really high like . 600 or you can batt what you have been .060 .
People I am telling you this isn’t hard at all when you have the cap the Bucs do , all these deals would only be for two years and would have very little cap ramifications.New England does this year in and year out while everyone else sits around and follows the same exact NFL GM protocall .
March 5th, 2018 at 11:06 am
Licht seems to be able to evaluate talent better in the draft than FA. There is such a drop-off of him choosing good players in free agency. Why is that? Can he not take the same interviewing skills for the draft and use them in FA?
March 5th, 2018 at 11:07 am
Issic Haggins
If it’s not that hard at all why has this franchise not won a single meaningful game in 16 years and not even played in a menaingful game in 11 years… yeah it’s so easy!
March 5th, 2018 at 11:07 am
*********************
DENZEL WARD just ran a 4.32! He also threw down on the bench press.
I really think Licht might want to plan to take a CB at #7, be it Minkah, Denzel or Joshua Jackson as Saquon, Chubb and Quenton Nelson may all be off the board by the time we pick … that could affect Licht’s free agent plan as their are a lot of quality free agent CBs but no DEs … he may try to sign an OG, DT and SS though and leave the CBs and DEs to the draft.
*****************
March 5th, 2018 at 11:16 am
Did ya’ll here Max Kellerman calling for the Browns to trade both the #1 and #4 picks for injured Andrew Luck? Yeah, um, okay … maybe Max really should stick to politics, hahahaha
March 5th, 2018 at 11:25 am
OWLYKAT….I AGREE….TAVEN BRYAN IS A BEAST!!!!!!…..TRADE DOWN AND GRAB HIM!!!!!
813bucboi Says:
March 2nd, 2018 at 9:17 am
vita is nice…..but along with talent we need versatility!!!!!!!…….taven bryan gives you that!!!!!….can play DT or DE…..43 OR 34…….
watch his film @joe…..you’ll fall in love……
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
March 5th, 2018 at 11:38 am
Ike Haggins…have heard that name in years….any RB recommendation for Licht ?
March 5th, 2018 at 1:07 pm
How many long snappers and kickers has Jason Licht interview?
March 5th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
Amazing how the haters responded and identified themselves after my post.
No point in arguing with you, because none of you would ever admit how wrong you are. It would serve no point in discussing it.
(not that any of you want true discussion)
March 5th, 2018 at 1:49 pm
bonzi
it’s not haters it’s people truly concerned for your well being that you would think a 30 yr fragile, out of shape, dt with declining skills and a history of disappearing during big games worht the 4th overall pick in the draft. they baker act people for much less than that line of thinking.
March 5th, 2018 at 2:00 pm
If GMC would net us the 4th overall pick, then the trade would’ve already happened.
Not happening Bomzai, as much as I would like it to.
March 5th, 2018 at 2:10 pm
Can’t we lose the same amount of games without 93 over the course of the last 8 years?
We sure aren’t winning with him. So, what difference did he make. None.
Let’s get at least 2 to 3 draft picks for him and get excited for the long term, younger future.
March 5th, 2018 at 2:26 pm
It’s really crazy talk. People want to hate on Licht at the combine yet every draft except for the Aquayo pick he has knocked it outta the park. I’ll understand his and the Glazers BS FA moves when that time comes around shortly, but not the draft.
@Bonzai
I don’t know if I’m taking Vea at seven. I’d love to have him. Put up 41 reps of 225 lbs. bench press. Second of all d-line. Damn! If Nelson or Fitzpatrick are still there and we don’t pick up a stud OG in FA, they’re both just too sure to be good/ great players IMO. If those two and Barkley (haha) and Chubb are gone, I’d love to trade down. I’d also would love to trade back into the first. Vea and Davenport? Dear lord. Noah, Vea, GMC, Davenport? That’s a line the size of the Titanic.
March 5th, 2018 at 4:08 pm
maxi says:
“pickgrin, stpete, tbbf and bonzi are quit content”
Hardly. Last year was difficult to watch to say the least – for any Bucs fan. Almost as hard to stomach as 2-14 in 2014 or Schiano’s 0-8 start in 2013.
There are numerous pieces in place for this team however. In fact – over 40+ years of being a Bucs fan I’ve never seen this much young talent assembled – especially on offense.
If Grimes comes back and McDonald gets re-signed – The Bucs are 4 good players away from being legit contenders in 2018. Find solid FAs or rookies who can make an impact at OG, RB, DE and CB and this team will likely have vastly different results in 2018 vs what happened last year.
And yes – maxi – the “turnaround” for the BUcs into a winning and playoff bound team (whether its in 2018 or 2019 with a different coaching staff if need be) WILL happen with “cancer93” playing an integral part.