Bucs 2021 Roster Makes Modern NFL History
March 26th, 2021
“Look, Glazer, I’m the Super Bowl freakin’ GM. You feel me?”
Joe wonders how often general manager Jason Licht is walking around his house fist-pumping the air these days.
If you think what the Bucs have done since their Super Bowl victory feels amazing and strange, then you’d be absolutely correct.
All the official starters from the Super Bowl team have been re-signed, and there are plenty of key pieces (not technically starters) that are back, too. It’s the same damn team — after the NFL took a hatchet to the salary cap following revenue losses from The Sickness.
It’s like some sort of endless, beautiful and indescribable dream.
Buccaneers in-house media relations guy Andrew Holman put in the research and shared on Twitter that no Super Bowl team has returned all its starters since the Steelers in 1979. That’s two NFL lifetimes ago.
And guess what? Those Steelers repeated as champs.
Opening day can’t get here soon enough.
March 26th, 2021 at 4:36 pm
All this talk about the “luxury” of being able to pick for depth….
We need cap space to sign those picks!
Is it possible we may see our first two or three picks traded away for better pics in next years draft?
With no “pro days” or other measures to help weed out the chaff, that might not be a bad idea.
Just thinking out loud
March 26th, 2021 at 4:39 pm
I can’t remember feeling less nervous about the draft than this March. It’s kind of like “yeah, whoever they take is fine with me”. We are so used to thinking about the draft starting in November or December at the latest.
March 26th, 2021 at 4:44 pm
This is great news, Really cool. Props to JL, usually SB winning team’s players get poached, the org as a whole has done an Amazing job.
Where’s the “realist? LOL
March 26th, 2021 at 4:47 pm
This team has few if any weak spots on the roster. If the Bucs can keep healthy and if we can find some quality backups in the draft, the Bucs are favorable to win again.
March 26th, 2021 at 4:48 pm
Back to Back Baby!
March 26th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
There is no way I thought this could be done…..and, it’s been using “voided years” changing salaries to signing bonus’….extensions….Licht has used every trick in the book.
I am hopeful that we can extend JPP & Jensen a year & negotiate a long-term deal with Godwin….that will pick up some more cap space.
Amazing, simply amazing…
We also have almost all of the coaches…..
Everyone on the team has a ring….younger players have more experience.
With Brady forcing players to focus & not become complacent, I expect we will have a great shot at repeating.
March 26th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
I’ve never seen a GM make this kind of turnaround. From barely winning 1/3 of his games to World Champion and looking good to contend for at least the next couple of seasons. It’s a credit to him and fortunate to pull his pal BA out of retirement. It’s an amazing chain of events really.
March 26th, 2021 at 4:53 pm
BUCS MUST SIGN A VET CORNER!
Our secondary is still the WEAKEST LINK on the team. I don’t care what anyone says about how well they played during the playoffs.
Davis, SMB, and Dean are NOT elite cover corners in the NFL. When our pass rush doesn’t get through (and they didn’t for many games) our secondary gets eaten alive.
Sign a Vet Corner (corner is the hardest position to develop and hardest to draft) and then draft a Defensive Tackle to give us depth and be Suh’s heir apparent.
In the 1st and 2nd rounds I’d go DT and then Edge rusher.
March 26th, 2021 at 4:54 pm
Has Todd Bowles committed 100% to coming back?
March 26th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Season ticket holders will have to rearrange our cap space as well. All in for the next 2-3 years, pay the extra cost, then cut the cord and start watching from home once the team crashes in three years !
March 26th, 2021 at 5:22 pm
Good story about the Steelers. Things are really looking good for we Bucs fans. Many smart and astute posters here. Happy for all the Buc fans on JoeBucs. Good folks. Now let’s get AB. Frosting on our cake.
March 26th, 2021 at 5:31 pm
gp- Good points, and maybe that’s the plan. Whoever they draft is unlikely to crack the starting lineup anyway, even in the top 2-3 rounds.
It’s good to be a Buc fan!
March 26th, 2021 at 5:43 pm
BradyBucs
I agree with the DT/Edge Rusher….or Edge Rusher/DT…….whichever is the best pick at the time…..
Then C……perhaps a WR/KR/PR
As far as Vet Corner……I tend to agree…..if we don’t, I think we need to draft another corner high.
March 26th, 2021 at 5:45 pm
I would like to know where they stand against the cap right now.
They still have time to maneuver or restructure someone like Evans.
The awesome part is, with the new TV/Amazon deal and stadiums filling up again next year… The cap should skyrocket in 2 years, so pushing off some of these contracts is not going to hurt them in the future like people think it is.
March 26th, 2021 at 5:56 pm
TBBF,
I would not be against drafting a corner with pick #32 or even moving up a bit to grab a top rated corner prospect.
People might say we already have too many defensive backs that we spent all those draft picks on, but I don’t think you can ever have too many good ones.
What happens if Davis gets hurt again and/or SMB or Dean get hurt? A hamstring pull from any of them could really hurt the secondary.
Sure would be nice to have a solid corner that we could add.
March 26th, 2021 at 6:02 pm
Buxszntkt: you got that right
March 26th, 2021 at 6:05 pm
There is a draft coming up? I had not noticed. Kidding aside, what a luxury this year to be able to select BPA as a depth / rotational player regardless of position.
March 26th, 2021 at 6:06 pm
JOE,
Any news on OJ Howard?
I assume at this point they’re keeping him.
Funny how we’re all so excited about ‘keeping the band together’ yet we overlook that Howard is a FREE BONUS to this team because we didn’t have after only WEEK FOUR last season.
Imagine how dangerous our Offense will be again with another year to work together and use many of the same plays & formations they now fully understand *AND* we add OJ Howard to the mix?
Haha. It’s almost a bit unfair to the rest of the NFL.
March 26th, 2021 at 6:08 pm
Everybody mentions Licht, and deservedly so, but they need to make sure they retain Greenberg as well. He’s the wheeler dealer behind the scenes.
March 26th, 2021 at 6:09 pm
Or you could remain loyal and watch the next batch of Bucs try and carry on the glory….
March 26th, 2021 at 6:21 pm
i always walk around throwing my fist in the air like i just dont care kuz we the SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS
March 26th, 2021 at 7:42 pm
You can’t have too many corners or WRs……RBs…….Edge Rushers….DTs……
March 26th, 2021 at 7:47 pm
Are you serious gp?
March 26th, 2021 at 7:50 pm
Winter can’t come back soon enough. My migraines have already returned.
March 26th, 2021 at 7:50 pm
Just throwing this out there, if the Joe’s want to do some investigative work on it…During a recent interview, Jason Licht said that the Bucs are covered at most positions, and could make a “luxury pick”. I’m not exactly sure what he meant by that. Then Bruce Arians, in an interview, said something about the Bucs draft and how they were “Going to get some athletes”. Maybe Arians has said that in past drafts, but I thought he’d say were going to get some football players. At Penn State’s pro day, Jayson Oweh ran a 4.39 at 257 pounds. He’s an athlete, but had zero sacks for PS in 2020. I’m like the one Joe, I want to see production, especially in a college player making the jump to the NFL. On the flip side, I remember a couple guys who didn’t have a ton of college production that were good in the NFL, Jevon Kearse and Danielle Hunter (I’m sure there’s more, those 2 just came to mind). Anyway, I thought Licht and Arians comments were interesting.
March 26th, 2021 at 7:55 pm
We need AB
March 26th, 2021 at 8:13 pm
Great days, Still letting the Superbowl sink in.. Great days.. Oh Ya..
March 26th, 2021 at 8:20 pm
Not sure why we think Licht is doing such a great job. Anyone can mortgage their future for the present knowing misery will follow once the bills come due. Not saying he shouldn’t do it, just that there’s no particular talent involved in doing and the consequences in a few years will be simply horrible. Just ask New Orleans.
March 26th, 2021 at 8:23 pm
Nobody around here makes fun of my Buxs skull and swords anymore. I’m in the bay area in Cali. Tons of 49er fans have said thanks for whipping the Chiefs apples. Raiders fans are always salty and complaining about something. It’s funny though I’ve met more so called Bucs fans this season then I had met the last 15 years I have been here combined.
March 26th, 2021 at 8:41 pm
*Disclaimer: I’m not advocating that the Bucs take Jayson Oweh if he’s there at 32. I definitely would like the Bucs to take an edge rusher in the first 3 Rounds this coming Draft.
March 26th, 2021 at 8:53 pm
@ocala
Just thinking out loud
March 26th, 2021 at 9:17 pm
Man is t this great bucs fans. Usually since February I am arguing with idiots like the GHOST OF DARRELL HENDERSON talking about how if we don’t draft this guy we are going to regret it for the next ten years. As the team that drafted him spent another second round pick last year on a runningback and still doesn’t have a starter. And we have two good backs with different skill sets and another one who is sitting and learning and will be ready to breakout next year. How sweet it is to not look at mock drafts and thing this is the guy that finally gets us to 9-7. This is what patriots fans have had the last 20 years think about that. We can just draft the best available who isn’t expected to take anyone’s job. But learn develop and contribute. For once I am not yearning to draft a player. I will just watch the draft and hope we do what the patriots did that always pissed me off. Trade out of first round get a 2nd,3rd and 5th. Then trade the 2nd get another 2nd and third. Awesome feeling. Thank you Tom fuc**ng Brady
March 26th, 2021 at 9:29 pm
@crayhopper
We just won the big enchilada, the time is now and you pounce on it just like they did to go all out to win the last one! Dang, with this roster and TB on board you live in the present! No offense these moments are few and far between.
March 26th, 2021 at 9:36 pm
Crayhopper think the Saints are doing fine, really didn’t have to gut the team despite being yards past the cap
March 26th, 2021 at 9:56 pm
How great!!! that I have no freaking clue about any draft picks.
Even better….t doesn’t matter who we choose in any round, they aren’t starting…
Can we restructure OJ’s deal to league minimum/incentive/prove it deal? If he drops passes like he has in the past, TB will ice his ass anyways and at $6M that’s alot of cash to not produce.
In BA I Trust!
March 26th, 2021 at 11:10 pm
GP,
I have to think you were thinking combine not pro-days. There was no combine, but there has been pro-days. The bonus of no combine is teams are forced to rely more on film study than, how well a player performed in a non football setting.
As far as cap space, the team doesn’t have to worry about signing draft picks. But the idea you’re throwing out is interesting, but how much can you get with a 32nd and 64th pick? I don’t think anyone is going to bargin with future picks for anything less than a first or top of second round.
An alternative could be trade or package all the picks below round 3 for another 3rd round pick (s). Quality and % of starting vs quantity and depth.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:12 pm
Sport,
Lol…I was just saying the same thing earlier today with a fellow fan. It’s definitely new…
March 26th, 2021 at 11:14 pm
The Tom Brady factor echoes in so many ways, not just on the field.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:20 pm
@crayhopper,
Anyone can mortgage their future? Really? Everyone can get the pieces we have? Nah bro. Tom Brady makes this happen and it will be welcomed when we win again and forever change the culture here. About the future – I expect contracts to be adjusted, a few players will retire, get cut, etc. The Saints aren’t replacing guys they didn’t want to replace. Churn is part of the game, but you put your chips all in when the pot odds are in your favor!
Nobody remembers the teams that were managed perfectly but couldn’t win. This is the Not For Long league, if you’re not doing everything to win, what are you f’n around for? Careers are short and every year someone’s trying to take your job.
March 27th, 2021 at 8:08 am
lambchop … Agree totally; ‘strike while the iron’s hot’ as they say. The way the salary CAP works IMO, sometimes it’s necessary to ‘mortgage the future’ to build a team that can win today. This happens to be one of those years I think. Our young (low $$$) guys AND our veteran (high $$$) guys are all playing good enough at this point in their careers to keep us as a major competitor in the playoffs, so ‘strike while the iron’s hot’.
Soon enough … starting in 2022 but even more-so in 2023 I think … that’ll change. Our young guys will be up for their next contract & won’t be ‘low $$$’ anymore, and our veteran high $$$ guys will almost all need to be replaced.
The next 2-3 drafts will be critical to that process IMO & to our future success. ‘Mortgaging the future’ swaps today’s risk for tomorrow’s risk, and the best way to mitigate that risk is through great drafts (OK, by drafting some cheap but high quality labor). To a degree we’re drafting DEPTH for 2021, but even more-so we better be drafting future replacements for present-day starters. Most teams don’t have the luxury of doing that I think, but thanks to what’s transpired with our Bucs’ roster in the past 2 years, we do. Now to ‘strike while the iron’s hot’ … in the draft.
March 28th, 2021 at 9:16 am
I’ve been excited about upcoming seasons before but never THIS excited ! It must be a very scary thought to the rest of the NFL Teams that the Bucs could actually be better in 2021 !