Playing Hardball With GMC, DJax
February 28th, 2019
Pushing pay cuts from stars?
One NFL insider has read and heard the words of Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht. And he believes he has Licht figured out.
Licht said on Wednesday to many of the assembled NFL media at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis that he would like to have both Bucs stud defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and malcontent wide receiver DeSean Jackson back in 2019 with the Bucs.
Heavy metal, headbanging Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports has Licht deciphered and believes he is posturing with GMC and Jackson’s agents, telling them their clients will hit the street and work elsewhere for much less than they will with the Bucs if they don’t sit down with Licht and restructure their contracts.
Bucs GM Jason Licht on Gerald McCoy and DeSean Jackson’s future with the team: “(McCoy) is under contract, and we want him to be back … I’d love to have DeSean back.”
Translation: These dudes are not going to be making what [they’re] owed this year, at least not in Tampa. League sources said the Bucs are prepared to move on from Jackson unless he restructures his deal to stay — which doesn’t seem all that likely — and their days of paying McCoy $13 million a year are probably drawing to a close, too, now that he’s over the age of 30 and with that defense being such a big problem for so long. Licht himself hinted at the tenuous nature of the situation — when asked if he would want everyone back who he has under contract, he smiled and said: “Correct.” But that’s not how it works.
This is smart hardball by Licht. He sits with the No. 5 pick in the draft, a draft loaded with defensive linemen. He has a roster loaded at wide receiver and could use cash allocated for Jackson to bring Adam Humphries back.
In short, Licht is playing with a loaded hand. Ed Oliver could be plugged in at defensive tackle for peanuts. Chris Godwin or John Brown or Humphries could replace Jackson at a cheaper price.
So Licht is basically telling the agents for GMC and DJax, per La Canfora, either work with me or work for someone else for less money.
February 28th, 2019 at 12:17 am
Has Licht restructured any contracts in his career with the Bucs? I can’t remember any instances
It’s a smart play that’s why he probably won’t pull it off
February 28th, 2019 at 12:17 am
I still say get rid of DJax. I just dont see us winning a Super Bowl with him. I dont care how good he is. Ask yourself, has DJax ever been on a championship team? Too much of a headache
February 28th, 2019 at 12:22 am
I’m sorry but how do you disseminate that reasoning from that statement? …reporters ..smh
February 28th, 2019 at 12:24 am
I don’t recall Licht restructuring anyone. Licht is doing the smart thing if he is. They are under contract…..period. They should be willing to work with him considering their age.
February 28th, 2019 at 12:44 am
Licht restructured tight end Brandon Myers contract
February 28th, 2019 at 2:37 am
At first that made sense but when I heard Licht talk I never got the feeling that he was thinking restructure. I felt like he was keeping options open for a trade.
How much would Djax sign for if he was cut? Well if people are talking Hump getting 8M+, Djax still might get pretty close to his 10M.
Gerald I’m not sure, but for reference Suh signed a 1yr/14M contract last year for 4.5 sacks and Gerald just got six. I think he could probably still get at least 10M+. I just don’t see where Licht has very much leverage here.
February 28th, 2019 at 2:42 am
Trade D-Jax to the Bengals for John Ross. He costs 5 million per year.
February 28th, 2019 at 4:28 am
I had Backstabbin’ Jason Licht figured out a long time ago. Too many misses in FA, too many gaffes in the draft, and inept at constructing a winner after 5 years.
February 28th, 2019 at 6:00 am
Jason La Canfora isnt the most reliable person.
February 28th, 2019 at 6:35 am
This is no surprise. Am I the only one who thought it was fishy that the bucs leaked that GMC was staying? Why do you even have to say anything about a player that is under control and not asking for a trade? You say it so other GMs know that he won’t be released and that he can’t be had for free. If no one makes an offer he will be asked to take a pay cut. Djax miraculously makes amends with the staff before the combine? Sure he did.
February 28th, 2019 at 6:37 am
Teacher. I believe Ross is a little over 2 million the next 2 years. Maybe the 5 million you are referring to is over 2 seasons.
February 28th, 2019 at 6:42 am
@ LoyalToTheEnd – Has Licht restructured any contracts in his career with the Bucs?
Licht never had to as the Bucs were never so close to the salary cap.
February 28th, 2019 at 6:43 am
Of course you try to restructure GMC…..he has no guaranteed salary from this point…..so you bring the total down and firm it up.
With Djax…..it’s a matter of making him an offer that he has to refuse….Djax’s ego will not let him take one dime less…..s
omeone may trade for him or he might get his $10 on the open market…..but there is practically no way he restructures.
I never believed the GMC story completely…..I believe they want to keep him….but cheaper.
February 28th, 2019 at 6:48 am
I believe he’s setting up the trade market for them both. Niners need help on the D line and at WR, maybe we could trade our 5th pick packaged with D-Jax and or McCoy to the Niners for their 2nd pick and end up picking Josh Allen or Q Williams. Yes I prefer Josh Allen.
February 28th, 2019 at 7:07 am
@alabamabucsfan
Because he just enjoys overpaying underperforming players
Dude is an awful GM
February 28th, 2019 at 7:30 am
I know Grimes wasn’t restructured but he did say he wasn’t paid enough to cover the leagues top receivers so this is the attitude you will be getting.
February 28th, 2019 at 7:56 am
This proposed theory sounds too intelligent for it to be Licht’s original thought because, McCoy & DJerk should return only after restructuring.
February 28th, 2019 at 7:59 am
Licht has restructured Martin and Sweeney.
February 28th, 2019 at 8:20 am
Licht is playing with a hard ball and DJax is playing with a bat….
February 28th, 2019 at 8:36 am
First, the ‘leak’ that GMC was staying came from Stroud. Other media people might not be able to call him out, but I’ll say it.
Over the years, I have seen Stroud make up stories many times, only to be proven wrong over time. I think he tries to make educated guesses and attributes them to unnamed ‘sources’ in the hopes of getting those guesses right.
He does it because it gets him national exposure and interviews, and not one media guy has pointed out his misleading claims. Go ahead. Look through the things he’s said over the years. A lot of lies in there.
That’s why I prefer JBF. They have moral standards.
February 28th, 2019 at 8:55 am
send djax packing….
restructure GMC….
trade down….
draft Ed Oliver….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
February 28th, 2019 at 9:38 am
813
Agree with everything except perhaps Ed Oliver. I do not disagree but I do not know enough to make a definitive comment on who we should draft.
It might just be me but it seems that every year I see a few prospects that truly excite me…”generational” or “can’t miss” guys. When I say a few I mean it literally as in three guys who will be gone before we pick. This seems to take place every year…except of course when we had the #1 pick.
February 28th, 2019 at 11:56 am
Bonzai
Writers get stuff wrong. Ira famously wrote about Farve coming to the Bucs. The Joes opinions on Winston, Manziel, Dominik, Leveon Bell and a poor run blocking unit calls into question their football IQ and understanding of the game in general
Besides how can you have journalistic integrity when you don’t credit who writes which post and hide behind the anonymous Joe moniker
February 28th, 2019 at 1:00 pm
And they could hold onto McCoy and/or Jackson all the way up the start of training camp and then cut them and eliminating the possibility of a big free agent pay day. Just the threat of that can make both or either of them come down quite a bit in their contract conversations with the Bucs.