Judging Jason Licht
March 28th, 2018
Talks GM job status.
There is no standing edict for Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
And where does this information come from? None other than the very top office at One Buc Palace, that’s where.
Yesterday afternoon, Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer, as is his custom, graciously gave members of the local pen and mic club an exclusive, on-the-record audience from the NFL owners meetings held this year in Orlando.
First, some background: NFL types, knowing Licht is currently in the final year of his contract, have not been shy in suggesting publicly that Licht is working under a win-or-else order from Team Glazer. You know, have a winning season and you get a new contract; have a losing season and a U-Haul van may be parked in front of your house.
Two known NFL types who have been open in these thoughts are legendary former Cowboys pro player personnel director Gil Brandt and cranky Greg Gabriel, a former scouting director of the Bears.
Joe recounted Brandt and Gabriel’s words to Glazer yesterday and Glazer openly scoffed at the notion.
“That’s oversimplifying,” Glazer said. ‘You have got to do this or else… You have got to win this or else.’
“We are focused on the season. … We are happy with the job Jason is doing. We are pleased with the direction; pleased with our offseason; pleased with the players that have been brought in.
“I think everyone is on the same page. Everyone is swimming in the same direction, which I think is critical. We are very excited about this season and the upcoming draft.”
Did it seem as if Glazer was giving Licht a vote of confidence? You can decide for yourself. And just for the record, Glazer noted this same philosophy also applies to Bucs coach Dirk Koetter as well: No edicts have been issued to Koetter by ownership.
Tomorrow, Joe will have a story on the criteria Team Glazer uses in grading a general manager.
March 28th, 2018 at 5:13 am
Glazers are giving him every chance this season to succeed. He’s bringing in some quality players now let’s see what the coaching staff can do with them.
March 28th, 2018 at 5:29 am
He’s done a pretty good job bringing in players. But the one move (or non-move) that could bring him down is sticking w Mike Smith and the entire secondary coaching staff. I still can’t figure that out. How are they still here?
March 28th, 2018 at 5:45 am
A fish stinks from the head and by all measurements the Bucs stink and have for some time.
The question is: Are we moving in the right direction?
There have been many examples of quick turnarounds in the NFL…..the Bucs are certainly not one of them. Jason has done a good job with the draft and UDFAs but has failed miserably with FA. This year has a different feel and look to it.
I hope I’m right.
What I like about Licht is the well-crafted team-friendly contracts….we will need that skill as we move forward with the signings of Winston, Marpet, Smith & Alexander.
I think Winston will be fine with a running game (yet to be formed) and a decent defense (yet to be formed)…..we need both of those soon.
March 28th, 2018 at 5:51 am
Licht can’t control if his starting QB gets suspended….even if it’s for the exact issues the player had in college. No extension says enough though.
March 28th, 2018 at 6:08 am
We have full confidence in you until we don’t.
March 28th, 2018 at 6:15 am
I think they hate high priced free agents, and hate cocky GMs and coaches even more… you know they type? Ahem, Gruden, Allen, Raheem.
The glazers are my least favorite sports owners right now, even in the sad state the Rays are in, that’s saying something. They just don’t get it, yet, it appears they are making strides…
I still say “FIRE THE GLAZERS” but maybe one more year…
March 28th, 2018 at 6:16 am
I see what Jacksonville has done. What the browns, 49ers Colts and bills are doing and I hope the bucs can get on this trend. We need a head coach that can bring guys in. I hope next year we sign a coach from a strong football team that can get guys to follow him to Tampa. I hope we can acquire extra draft picks and build a talents young team that can be good for a long time like the old days. Not sure our coaching staff is good for anything other than falcon fall offs.
March 28th, 2018 at 6:22 am
87…..where are you…..please reveal yourself….I’m sure many miss you.
March 28th, 2018 at 6:33 am
LOL! Vote of confidence?
Then in the very next second….You’re Fired!
How many times must we hear some owner give a “vote of confidence” only to turn around and fire the guy.
If anything, a vote of confidence from an owner is a sure sign you are soon out the door!
March 28th, 2018 at 6:44 am
I think Licht and Koetter are beneficiaries of past failed regimes who ownership quickly moved on from. They want stability and continuity just like we do. They want this regime to suceed so they are giving them every opportunity to do so.
Despite what some may say about him, his drafts are really good, his contracts keep the team flexible. The scouting could be improved but it’s not bad but Licht biggest weakness has been his Free Agent signings, if he cleans this phase of his offseason he will be a really good GM.
March 28th, 2018 at 6:52 am
Oh and this class of Free Agents could be his best and show signs of improvement, we will see.
March 28th, 2018 at 7:05 am
Ownership are in a “we will see” mode and I don’t blame them. I don’t think Licht is that good of a GM and may be a little over his head.
Imo Licht has over paid for our players and the FA players maybe because no one wants to come over here, but when you draft a TE with a high pick then turn around and hand out that contract to Brate even though Brate didn’t finish the year on a high note specially when we could’ve transition tagged him.
March 28th, 2018 at 7:48 am
“Tomorrow, Joe will have a story on the criteria Team Glazer uses in grading a general manager.”
Joe, could you also PLEASE have a story on the criteria they used for grading the design and color scheme of the current uniforms– and hopefully how that criteria will change in the near future. Thanks.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:05 am
It’s good to hear Joel sound so rationale and hopeful toward the season and the draft. I know he has said that he only stresses balance to Jason, but I wonder if in his eagerness for the draft, if he might have made his wishes known for a certain RB to be taken high, say out of Penn State???
Go Bucs!
March 28th, 2018 at 8:15 am
YOU CANNOT CHANGE COACHES AND EXECUTIVES EVERY COUPLE YEARS AND EXPECT TO CONSISTENTLY WIN.
Hopefully the powers that be are figuring this out now. It can always be worse (cough-Lovie-cough).
March 28th, 2018 at 8:28 am
Also cant win….when you get 1 starter from two entire drafts. Or when you trade up in the 2nd rd for a kicker…..or draft a QB with #1 overall pick with character concerns and he’s under investigation by the NFL….or waste picks on depth at your strongest positions when there’s holes at 5 different starting spots on the offense/defense…..or when you do actually find talent and you play musical chairs with where they’ll play season after season….because you have a roster littered with holes.
That’s just a brief summary of his drafting…….Free agent signings have been worse and for those that blame coaching…..Licht had the opportunity to hire whomever he wanted….including Pederson with the Eagles. He stuck with Koetter….the Eagles got Pederson. Eagles just won a super bowl after dismantling the Chip Kelly era in less then two years and developing a franchise Qb.
Licht isn’t that good and the lack of an extension says so. Always follow the money….it speaks the loudest.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:29 am
The owners understand that licht is bringing in bonafide talent and they like it. Quick turnarounds? Like the rams? They have the same gm i believe for 8 years. The difference is they realized fisher could not coach the talent assembled in the first 6 years. Jacksonville? Same thing, they assembled talent for 6 years then coughlin put a bow on it last year. The talent licht has assembled in 4 years is encouraging to the glazers. No need to fire him now.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:34 am
Licht needs 6 wins to eclipse the pathetic tenure of Mark Dominik, who was 28-52 as GM after the Chucky ouster and subsequent veteran purge. I think 9 wins and he’s safe, 8 wins opens lots of questions about whether there were too many injuries. 7 wins, real dicey. 6 wins or less, he and Koetter are gone pecan.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:43 am
They brought everyone back so that alone should tell people they want this garbage staff to succeed. Win or else is what everyone else is saying so you can’t necessarily say that is what ownership thinks. Obviously if they have a season like last year with this roster koetter should be fired but that’s not on the gm Licht should get an extension
March 28th, 2018 at 8:46 am
Im ready for Koetter and Smith to hit the door. They are not long time answers. They aren’t even short term answers.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:54 am
I wonder what the wrong direction would look like.
Say last in league on defense for example?
One lucky win in the division?
Five games out of 3rd in a four team division four years into a rebuild?
March 28th, 2018 at 9:13 am
Glazers and licht are complete and total failures the ON FIELD RESULTS prove.. the only result that matters is wins and the bucs are the worst in NFL at getting the job done… failed owners, failed staff and failed on field leadership led by pos cancer93 the face of the basement years
March 28th, 2018 at 9:53 am
licht has done well this offseason……dirk and smitty are still on the hot seat!!!!!……we’ll see if it was the coaches or players……execution or scheme…..
pressures on the coaches now!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
March 28th, 2018 at 11:25 am
You forgot longest NFC playoff drought and worst NFC home record in the past decade.
🙂
March 28th, 2018 at 12:18 pm
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I think what Glazer was basically saying is, “Jason’s been good and is on pace to earn an extension. If anyone would get fired after this upcoming season, based on our W/L record, it would be Dirk Koetter and Mike Smith as we believe Jason has given them the required talent and roster to have a winning record.”
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