“You Are Kind Of Playing For Right Now.”
April 10th, 2018
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
It seems the offseason motives of the Bucs are clear to some within NFL circles.
That’s the word from an unnamed NFL source with BSPN.
Typing for the four-letter, Mike Sando spoke with unnamed NFL sources about who they thought were the winners and losers in the NFL free agency season.
Though the Bucs were neither labeled as a winner or a loser for their pre-draft moves, an unnamed NFL source told Sando it is clear the Bucs and AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht are playing to win now.
“They could do worse than having JPP,” an evaluator said. “At least they took a stab at it. They got JPP, they got Vinny Curry, so they definitely improved their rush. Now the question is, I don’t know where they go draft-wise. Maybe back to the defensive line.”
The Bucs got deals done with No. 1 receiver Mike Evans and tight end Cameron Brate. They landed center Ryan Jensen instead of higher-priced line alternatives such as Norwell, which could pay off for Tampa Bay when the team meets Ali Marpet at the negotiating table. On the downside, Jensen has started just one season, so he is less proven.
“If Jensen plays the way he did in Baltimore last year, that deal is a good one,” an insider said. “If you go after an established guy, you just pay so much. Solder and Norwell are great examples. They are not the best tackle and guard in the NFL, but they were just paid that way. Olivier Vernon was not the best defensive end, but when the Giants wanted him on their team, they had to pay him that way. It is just the way free agency is.” …
“I don’t think they have done anything bad,” an exec said. “It is just how good the older guys play when you could have had picks. You are kind of playing for right now.”
Of course, wins and losses and, more importantly, meaningful games in January will determine if Licht had a successful March or not.
Joe still thinks the key to the defensive line isn’t so much JPP or Curry, but Noah Spence. If the guy can stay healthy and get, say, six or more sacks, it just might make a world of difference.
April 10th, 2018 at 10:03 am
Harold Landry please
April 10th, 2018 at 10:08 am
This unnamed source says:
“an unnamed NFL source told Sando it is clear the Bucs and AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht are playing to win now.” AND..
“Now the question is, I don’t know where they go draft-wise.”
Now….what better way to hammer out the “win-now” philosophy from this unnamed executive says is happening, than to go SA-QUON BARKLEY in this draft for the ultimate WIN NOW?!
🙂
Go Bucs! Go Bold! Go Barkley! Go Primetime!
April 10th, 2018 at 10:10 am
Playing for right now my Azz, they are playing for their jobs, their football future.
April 10th, 2018 at 10:11 am
Re watched Bucs vs Giants. JPP had slim to no effect in the game outside of one maybe two plays. This has me worried. Big 3 or trade back and then Vea or Davenport.
April 10th, 2018 at 10:16 am
Agreed there Chris. Despite reports to the contrary, This Buc coaching staff and GM are fighting and playing for their livelihoods at Buc One Place. They know the fans and Glazers are not gonna tolerate another losing season. So this year is do or die for them. We all expect to see a newly improved exciting Defense this upcoming season. And we don’t want to hear any excuses.We would also like to see pressbox Smitty come down out of the clouds and coach on the sidelines. Save the hype and show us on the playing field.
April 10th, 2018 at 10:19 am
Holding Licht’s feet to the fire has forced him to pick the players based on need and not his usual BPA which has kept us in the basement up to now and he was too stubborn to change. If he fills our needs you will see good results this year.
April 10th, 2018 at 10:22 am
Owl….what about lat year ?……….SMH…
April 10th, 2018 at 10:26 am
Chris virtually every coach plays for their life every season; that’s the harsh new reality of the new world where fans don’t understand you can’t win it all every year. The Tomlins and Belicheks of the world are few and far between.
April 10th, 2018 at 10:27 am
“I don’t think they have done anything bad,” an exec said. “It is just how good the older guys play when you could have had picks. You are kind of playing for right now.”
Not even sure what this means. It’s not like there are any young guys in FA or we let any promising players leave. And what are these picks we could have had? I don’t see anything we have done in FA that would lead anyone to believe that we are playing for now other than the fact that just about every other NFL team is playing for now.
April 10th, 2018 at 10:36 am
If not now when? If not us, who?
I mean this is Mr. Licht’s fifth season as GM.
It is either coming together this year, or it ain’t.
April 10th, 2018 at 10:45 am
Stop it with the Harold Landry stuff. The dude has one move, a speed move. That’s it! No counter move or hand placement technique. You want Gaines Adams 2.0 then draft Landry
April 10th, 2018 at 10:52 am
Joe
Agree completely about Spence. I can’t forget Jax last summer when Jags and Bucs were raving about Spence. The kid clearly has talent…a motor…and guts to play with that mangled wing.
If he comes back totally healthy….watch out NFL South. Six is a conservative number. He got 5.5 as a rookie with a bad shoulder in a harness. Imagine now two years later with experience and hopefully a healthy shoulder.
I totally get why many here don’t consider him. So far he has lacked the most important ability….availability. If he can stay on the field….
April 10th, 2018 at 10:53 am
Don’t draft another kicker in the second round you idiot…
April 10th, 2018 at 11:02 am
Like they say, therewill be plenty of time to count the money when the delings done.
Evaluations at this time is pointless.
April 10th, 2018 at 11:18 am
Marine is absofreakinlutely correct. Might be the worst pick in Bucs history other than Booker Reese. The Raiders should be the only team even allowed to take a kicker or punter with a high pick (Ray Guy , Chris Bahr , Sebastian Janikowski). Pick Nelson at 7 and let your Oline dominate , your new RB you take in 2nd round flourish , your QB look like the smartest pick you ever made. Just do not try to reinvent the wheel and mess it up.
April 10th, 2018 at 11:21 am
Spence is definitely the biggest X factor. He was by far the biggest loss last year other than Winston in terms of injury.
Regarding JPP vs the Bucs last year – he had 4 tackles a QB hit and was in on the only sack of the game. So that’s a least a couple pressures and run stops.
Sounds pretty damn good to me; considering our DE that lead in sacks last year had 2.5 for the entire year.
I still am all for adding a DE & DT in this draft if we trade down. Or taking Chubb if available somehow at 7.
If we can’t trade down I just hope we attack it in the late rounds – because I don’t see us ignoring RB or CB in R2 and possibly will need to go there R4; if we go Nelson/RB first 2 picks for example.
Ade Aruda R5 would be sweet.
April 10th, 2018 at 11:28 am
Agreed Lord Cornelius. They need Spence to become the guy they hoped they drafted. If he doesn’t, we have no DE on the roster under 28 with any potential to be a quality starter.
I think drafting another DE is a MUST, not a luxury. Would prefer they trade down to add more picks as well. More picks gives more chances to be right and wrong (we always miss on someone each year).
April 10th, 2018 at 11:28 am
chris
I agree!!!!…..that was evident when they kept touting Winston out there and airing it out with a bum shoulder……and Winston saved their azz by ignoring dirk and connecting with godwin instead of playing for the FG…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
April 10th, 2018 at 11:32 am
It is time to win,our owners have given our GM enough time to build this team the way he thinks a team should be bu bilt.i believe this is the year that results have to happen or heads will roll.the draft will be very crucial for our team cause we still have some holes on this roster like at defensive back and running back as well as left guard.this should be a very interesting year and it is time for the bucs to make some noise.its been way to long since Tampa has been relevant and this crap has to stop this year!enough is enough and the players and coaches need to step there game up now!!
April 10th, 2018 at 11:50 am
It’s the NFL I think everybody is “kinda playing for right now”.
There are usually a couple of teams who admit to going into full blast “rebuild” mode…Cleveland every season.
But most teams are like us…win or important coaches and players are cut.
April 10th, 2018 at 12:05 pm
@ lord c
You know as well as anyone we have buc fans that come on this site and spew falsehoods all the time for whatever reason i dont know. Jpp had 68 tackles to go along with his 8.5 sacks. Thats an upgrade in every sense of the word.
April 10th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
JPP is an upgrade yes I agree. Not the answer though. Acquire more D-line help.
April 10th, 2018 at 2:23 pm
The team’s biggest Needs IMO:
DE, CB, OG, RB
Next biggest:
SS, DT, DE, CB, OT
Obviously you can’t fill all those from 1 draft. But you could bring in some guys on 1year prove-it deals to address some of those positions, for this year at least. Then you fill the remaining holes next offseason / draft.
April 10th, 2018 at 4:22 pm
regarding spence, at this point I only want to see him on 3rd down or obvious passing situation……he’s shown he’s not a full time DE…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
April 10th, 2018 at 8:29 pm
Next year is the draft to go Dline, this year it’s RB, SS, CB, OG