Jason Licht No. 24
May 18th, 2018
Harsh critique for Bucs leaders.
In the eyes of one columnist, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has set himself up to get run come January.
In a ranking of NFL general managers, Patrick Daugherty of Rotoworld.com isn’t overly smitten with Licht, ranking him at No. 24 and knocking him for the win-loss record of the Bucs since taking over, though he took his marching orders his first two years from inept Lovie Smith.
Yeah, Daugherty quibbles with Licht signing Cam Brate to a new contract with O.J. Howard already on board. But where Doughtery takes potshots at Licht is Daugherty’s apparent loathing of Dirk Koetter. Daugherty believes Licht put his head on the chopping block by not firing Koetter earlier this year.
Jason Licht has just 22 wins to show for four years on the job. He’s on the spot heading into 2018, something easy to ascertain from his offseason moves. Licht aggressively added to his undermanned defensive line, signing Vinny Curry, acquiring Jason Pierre-Paul and drafting Vita Vea. He got younger and cheaper at running back, swapping out enigmatic Doug Martin for second-rounder Ronald Jones. Typically a big spender, Licht was no different this spring, shelling out for DT Mitch Unrein, C Ryan Jensen and even K Chandler Catanzaro in addition to Curry. He also re-signed Cameron Brate to a surprising six-year, $40.8 million deal, committing even more resources to tight end after using his 2017 first-rounder on O.J. Howard. Despite the flurry of activity, the move Licht didn’t make could be the most consequential. Coach Dirk Koetter seemed behind the times in 2017, employing predictable schemes. Licht stuck with him. It’s up to Koetter and Jameis Winston whether Licht gets a sixth season in 2019.
This is all sorts of crazy talk. Joe has been over this before, so Koetter has his first losing season — the same season where his quarterback goes down with a bum throwing shoulder (not an ankle, but shoulder) and Koetter should have been thrown into Tampa Bay and not given a chance to right the pirate ship? Really?
In the final weeks of the season, it wasn’t like the Bucs were getting chain-whipped (so long as they didn’t play in a dome) like Raheem Morris’ troops did in his final days. Or former Bucs commander Greg Schiano and the circus the Bucs turned into in his final weeks. Or the signature twice-monthly trainwrecks of Lovie beginning with the Tennessee Ready Game, fueled by the Capitol Collapse and the cherry on top getting run out of a doomed St. Louis stadium by a team with moving vans warming up in the parking lot, getting shamed by the likes of Jeff Fisher of all people.
Look, it was Koetter himself, maybe in a moment that he may regret, who said for all the world to hear last summer that the Bucs had by far the most talented roster since he arrived in Tampa Bay.
Who does Daugherty think gathered those same players together, Randy Marsh or Dan Sileo?
May 18th, 2018 at 12:33 am
Licht had no choice but to keep Koetter If Koeter went the new coach would demand a new GM. first year of Koetter was ok. Second was Baaad. If they go 11-5 Licht gets a new deal. If they start slow, he already has an option to turn to Mike Smith as a mid season replacement. If it all fails he’ll rebuild his resume with the Patriots or Cardinals. Either way his best chance was to gamble with Koetter.
May 18th, 2018 at 12:33 am
Joe ur the BIGGEST homer I’ve ever seen. The ENTIRE staff sucks in TB. PERIOD. Are you on the Bucs’ payroll or something?jeez it’s nauseating. OBJECTIVITY. Look it up
May 18th, 2018 at 12:43 am
Dee
Joe used to be objective before they hit the bigtime now its just commercial homerism and pc team coverage. Cant blame em though.
May 18th, 2018 at 12:57 am
Whatever… This is TAMPA…
By the time OJ Matures as a player. This will bea a 5 headed monster on OFFENSE… contract moves are GENIUS…
GET READY BANDWAGON FAN/STICK CARRIERS…
Jump off the fire a coach and GM every few years bandwagon… This is how a Dynasty is built!!!!
May 18th, 2018 at 12:59 am
Joe
Come on. Koetter is old school. Eagles Rams 49ers are creative and provide “awe” and appeal. And their talent is developing at a high rate thru creativity. I don’t have to tell you that but Licht did stick his neck out there with 1 firing and kept coaches that blame players for their short comings. Coaches coach and players play I get it and that’s the problem. I was all for it for keeping them coaches but these coaches are coming off a little cocky since they can get away for blaming players.
Dispose of these coaches they game has pass them by
May 18th, 2018 at 1:00 am
You guys crack Joe up. Just a couple of things he has gotten crucified over in recent months:
* Pointing out how the defensive coaches cannot develop rookie corners.
* Pointing out Doug Martin was done.
* Asking why Koetter doesn’t craft an offense around Jameis more like what Aaron Rodgers has, since Koetter himself said Jameis is like Aaron Rodgers and stats back that claim up.
* Noting how Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David both put up goose eggs in sacks last year, despite being used on blitzes.
* Singling out how Will Gholston was a complete and total no-show last season.
And those are just a few things Joe has been called out for the past two months or so.
So yeah, Joe’s a homer. smh
May 18th, 2018 at 1:14 am
I don’t think Licht should be fired for sticking with Koetter.
In fact I think Licht should get another year, unless we somehow win less than 6 games.
But Koetter is 100% on the hot seat.
His scheme was outdated and predictable FAR TOO OFTEN last season.
I can fault Licht for certain things over the years, but the fact is he has now added talent to every position on the roster (well, the right side of our o-line is suspect… but every other position has been addressed.)
It’s up to the coaches (and players) to make it happen. This year.
May 18th, 2018 at 1:48 am
This site is called Joebucsfan.com. Did I miss something? Joe, you better be a homer! I realize you have press credentials and you guys probably got a degree in journalism, but that doesn’t mean you need to be objective. This isn’t the Wall Street Journal. Don’t let other people’s negativity cause you to distance yourself from your core beliefs.
Let me be very clear on why I read this website on a daily basis. I love the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I want someone to give me some hope that the team I love can be successful. Otherwise, what’s the point? You should be pointing out areas that need improvement and are all together terrible (Swaggy Baker) but ultimately, you need to be biased.
Get your mind right.
May 18th, 2018 at 2:51 am
Changing HCs and GMs every couple of years is not the way to build a dynasty. The Bucs have the best balance of talent ever from offense to defense. We need stability in leadership to have a team that contends year after year. I believe in Licht and Koetter. Stick with them.
May 18th, 2018 at 3:07 am
So many couch gm’s here 😳
May 18th, 2018 at 3:39 am
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Licht deserves an immediate extension … Koetter and Smitty need to go 9-7 at worst to simply avoid being fired imho.
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May 18th, 2018 at 5:22 am
When you’re rebuilding from a dumpster fire, a little patience is needed.
Sure, Licht has made some mistakes, what 1st time GM doesn’t?
But look at overall improvement in roster – 2018 will hopefully be relatively injury free and Jameis will cut down on bonehead plays. With new additions in draft and free agency, Defense will be better.
Last year’s loss of Spence to injury and Baker being a bust devastated an already aging has-been defensive line. Martin’s lack of speed and quickness and interior OL run blocking devastated the running game last year- Licht has addressed both of these issues- and with young players, not has-beens.
May 18th, 2018 at 5:47 am
I don’t think Joe has been a homer here. He has clearly been subjective in numerous articles in regards to Licht and/or Koetter. Often discussing both sides of the issue for perspective.
I also think that this team is loaded with talent, and it was last year. I am not a Koetter fan as him being a HC, but he was probably the best option at this point. We’ve changed up the head of the ship consistently every two years, when we need to be more consistent as a team. I would’ve liked to see some more staff personnel changes, but I’m not sure who gets the final say in those things. Koetter or Licht?
Regardless, Koetter is a proven offensive mind who has helped developed Jameis the past three years. I think he deserves one more shot as HC.
May 18th, 2018 at 6:20 am
Harsh won-loss record equals harsh rating
May 18th, 2018 at 6:35 am
Yah – you guys are way off
I did criticize the Joe’s early on because they shoved Jameis Winston down our throats with 10 out of 12 articles every day being about americas quarterback. Called it joejameisfan.com. However , That has changed. And the entire team gets some love.
I agree with the Joe’s. Licht and koetter get another year. Licht may get more because of his draft skills. When it’s all said and done it ,comes down to what happens with #3 If he stays the same (rollercoaster that goes down way to much) then everyone is gone. With that said, I think Jameis takes it to another level this year and has best season.
The big head scratcher was some defensive coaches keeping jobs-mainly mike smith. Mike can’t blame anything on not having enough talent this year.
Keep it up Joe’s. You have to read all 4 or 5 other Buc websites to get the amount of articles (action ) you guys pump out. I envy your job – to be able to make a living covering your dream team sounds like heaven to me. I’m in here 10-15 times a day!
May 18th, 2018 at 7:03 am
Licht has been really good GM including not firing everyone last year. Why is everyone obsessed with the right side of the line? The left side may be dominant and that’s pretty special. The RG will be passable and the RT was our best Olineman last year. Not exactly a disaster in the making.
May 18th, 2018 at 7:13 am
I think the rankings are fair!!!!! IF you look at the carousel in the trenches the past few seasons, then you have to look at NFL GM Licht!!!!!! There are many so called fans and sheep that are mistaking bad line play with “play-calling” and “predictable schemes” !!!!!!
If the draft had gone by and NFL GM Licht would have not selected something for the “trenches” I was going to roast him!!!! I was getting ready to call him out for ignoring the trenches, for building the Fantasy Team with all the skill players he over valued!!!!!
The simple fact is that the roster that talk show dominik left was horrible!!!!! It has been a full rebuild since!!!!! The pace has not been full speed due to trying to salvage some of the old players and not trading them for picks!!!!!! Loser lovie was mucking up player personal and falling asleep during combine scouting!!!!!! That was only 3 years ago!!!!!!!!!
I have no problem the delusional fan over-estimating the talent like always, But when they start that the only thing holding all this talent back is coaches, then I have a huge problem with that!!!!!! No one knows that when he have not seen all the new players together yet!!!!!! The team is not set like some say, when the GM had to do a massive Defensive rebuild because it has been ignored for too long!!!!!!!!!!!
Stay in your lane sheep!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!
May 18th, 2018 at 7:34 am
If Koetter has another soft training camp again like he did last year we will another soft team like we last year.
May 18th, 2018 at 8:07 am
With a .333 winning/losing percentage…24th might be a bit generous. Those calling for an immediate extension have awfully low standards.
May 18th, 2018 at 8:24 am
The comments on this site are HILARIOUS!
The Joes have been berated all week for being “too negative” about the Bucs and never writing anything positive, and then in these comments people are complaining that “they’re homers” because they’ve gotten “too big.”
Hahahahahahahaha—-some of y’all are just plain morons. Keep up or keep off.
May 18th, 2018 at 8:52 am
__TGH__ :
You are correct. The success of this site is not being objective but being fair. If someone stinks, Joe calls them out. If someone plays well, they get praise.
The reason why JoeBucsFan is the prime destination of Bucs fans is that Joe keeps it real. Can’t please everyone all the time and that is the beauty of JoeBucsFan. Joe doesn’t need to have pictures taken with Bucs players or coaches to try to sell himself.
May 18th, 2018 at 8:52 am
Dirk Koetter will have to develop a better game plan to:
A. Score at least 10-13 points before halftime
B. Improve short passing game to keep more manageable 3rd downs
C. Defense come out strong and finish strong
D. Get DeSean Jackson involved in punt returns
E. Get better run blocking
F. Play plan more movement of Winston to be throwing outside pocket
The team has enough players now to be able to pressure Ryan, Brees and Newton to at least have a 3-3 division record. A 6-4 record outside the division is the only way Koetter should stay, 9-7 would be minimum Buc fans should expect. Nevada has them 6.5 over/under, better get over that number for Dirk.
May 18th, 2018 at 9:02 am
Realist he has added D Smith, A Marpet, K Phamphile, C Beneoch, A Cappa, Stevie T, V Vea, J Hawley, R Jensen, N Spence, V Curry, B Allen, M Unrein, and JPP. That is 14 trench players and don’t forget we needed a QB, WR, TE, MLB and entire secondary as well when he got here. He has had to rebuild the entire team!
May 18th, 2018 at 9:11 am
@Ndog
And how many of those trench players were added this offseason!!!!! I said if he did not value the trenches and prioritized the skill positions again!!!!! Read it one more time!!!!!
And who do you think has been screaming that this has been a total rebuild from talk show dominik days, who was also ordered by team Glazer to build a potent offense!!!!!!! Since you asked, you request will be met Ndog……. Its Another “Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
January 29th, 2018 at 10:31 am
I can’t wait until next month’s article where it is finally “Realized” that the lack of talent was from the TOTAL rebuild from talk show dominik days 4 season ago, which only has 2 drafted players and 1 drafted free-agent left from those dark days!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 18th, 2018 at 9:14 am
Licht knows that Jamies is the Weak Link.
So he is building up the defense to bail him out.
Should be a fun season to watch.
Minus the Jamies heartbreaks in the last seconds of the game.
May 18th, 2018 at 9:37 am
Patrick Daugherty is a numbers guy, obviously.
I don’t really care what he thinks. I care more about what Licht and the bucs do this year. These media guys always try to generate discussion and garner attention by saying things that tick people off. They don’t want to be agreed with all the time. That’s too boring. So they get it wrong…a lot…and sometimes on purpose.
For the record, I don’t consider Joe a media guy. I consider him a fellow fan. A real fan.
May 18th, 2018 at 9:41 am
It’s may long way to go. Literally all this talk is wash cause Jameis gonna eliminate those silly plays he has and turn the corner. MVP breakout year for Jameis Bet.
May 18th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Patrick Daugherty also does not acknowledge the fact that Licht had to pretty much take the mess left him by Mark Dominick and make it better. Lovie, as much as I respect the man, did not help his cause. Licht, whether it was under Glazer orders or not, gave too much power over to Lovie.
That makes him equally responsible for that first year. Plus he was a rookie GM.
He’s improved each year, except for his free agency moves. This year I think he finally got that part right…and I think he’s get 3-5 good players from this draft…which is pretty amazing.
Rebuilding from absolute trash is not easy. Fans want everything right away. Remember how they used to mention the 49ers turning things around in one year? Where were they the following year?
Winning the superbowl was a great experience for me as a fan…but now I want more than one great year. I want the bucs to contend every year, and I want them to be capable of winning the superbowl at least three times in a decade span. That means improving the team from top to bottom, and the fact that it would take a while to rebuild meant it had to happen through the draft so the players would start out young enough.
No one…NO ONE…can accurately claim that Jason Licht has not made this team much, much better since coming here. This team has more talent on it than Dungy’s team did. More than Gruden’s team. If we played in a weak division, we would dominate it like the Patriots do their division.
The Bucs are not destined to be the bottom of the NFC South. The Saint’s are. They are the ones with no franchise QB after Brees retires (which will be very soon). When he is gone, they are gone.
But we will still have to face the Falcons and Panthers. It will be a shootout every year, but Licht is a genius. He’s building this team to win those shootouts.
Two years ago, I wanted JPP when he was a free agent. He turned down more money from the Bucs to stay in New York. The fact that he was willing to come here now says a lot. He could have raised a stink about the trade, but he didn’t. He knows how good things are going to be here.
Simeon Rice came to the Bucs around the age of 27. JPP is 29.
At 29, Simeon Rice had 15 sacks for the Bucs, then had 14 and 12 in the following years. If we can get that from JPP, I’m be plenty happy.
May 18th, 2018 at 10:16 am
Sticking w Smith is more of a concern than Koetter because he infects both of them !!
Mike Smith thought Doug Martin looked great in practice and of coarse he did , big difference between practice and Sun , enough said !!!
Winston hits deep balls in practice all the time , enough said !!!
Gerald McCoy has 6 tackles in practice !!! Is the theme familiar
Enough said !!!
May 18th, 2018 at 12:06 pm
10wins and playoffs or this staff goes fishing…..simple as that!!!!!
I wouldn’t mind keeping licht….I think he’s done a decent job but the coaches have screwed him over…..
folks need to blame this current staff for the 5-11 season and not folks that haven’t been here for 4-5years!!!!!!…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
May 18th, 2018 at 4:14 pm
No, number 24 is way too high of a ranking for Jason Licht. I for one would immediately rank all the newly hired GM’s this offseason over Jason Licht because having no track record at all in a given GM tenure is better than Lichts out, so that would give Lichts out a ceiling of 30 and a floor of 32 in the league. But hey, at least we don’t have to reach as high to replace this faulty light bulb as Lichts out does with his reaches in the draft.