“They Are The Most Talented Team In The Sport”
March 1st, 2021
Drinks to Jason Licht.
Interesting chatter from the best weekday morning football show on network television that Kay Adams isn’t on.
That would be “PFT Live” with the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, and former Bucs quarterback Chris Simms. Naturally, this time of year is free agent season and Bucs fans are nervously monitoring various NFL sites with the hope that none of the Bucs’ Big 8 will bolt the team.
It’s difficult to believe all Big 8 will return. But hey, this time last year if Joe said the Bucs would land quarterback Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown and Playoff Lenny and win the Super Bowl, you would have called the law on Joe to get him Baker Acted.
Florio and Simms discussed the Bucs and free agency last week. Florio noted that you will see other free agents linked to the Bucs. But that is absurd, he said, because the Bucs will be highly fortunate to keep their band together as it is.
In other words, if you see, say, J.J. Watt linked to Tampa, that’s very likely agent-driven chatter designed to gin up the market for Watt.
Simms believes if there is a way Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht can somehow sprinkle pixie dust on his free agents and keep them all, the Bucs don’t need any name free agents.
“They are stacked,” Simms said of the Bucs. “I mean, they are stacked. Jason Licht had done an unbelievable job. It’s hard not to look at their team and their roster and look at a spot and just go, ‘It’s awesome. It’s awesome!’ You just go, ‘It’s awesome. It’s awesome.’
“Yeah, they have some tough decisions. They don’t need much outside help with anything. If they can just re-sign their free agents, you just look at them and go, ‘OK, there they go. They are the most talented team in the sport.'”
It’s hard to dispute what Simms said. If the Bucs keep the band together, where is the weakness?
Joe sure can’t see one.
How friggin’ wild is that?
March 1st, 2021 at 5:17 am
Having too many good players is unreal. Best roster in franchise history
March 1st, 2021 at 5:29 am
Joe how great is our GM. So glad we have not only kept JL but the glazer family stuck with him and look at what he has done. Gotta love the boldness of JL to go out in the 2nd rd and draft a kicker haha best GM in Bucs history and maybe in football
March 1st, 2021 at 5:42 am
You know we say that every year. Chiefs were the most talented until the Bucs kicked their ass. Hey its a long year. Teams change. Players get hurt. Magic isn’t there this year. Teams figure out how to play us. Its hard to repeat. Doesn’t happen often. Lets bask in the glow of a superbowl and enjoy while its here. 20 years since the last one.
March 1st, 2021 at 5:44 am
If the Bucs are creative and use a couple of tricks often utilized by Mickey Loomis, they can absolutely positively afford to resign every free agent they desire to, in addition to adding a player like JJ Watt.
They just have to structure the new contracts in such a way as to where non of the big cap hits will designated to the 2021 cap.
Teams do this every year. And while the Bucs have been the been very averse to kicking the can down the road in years past, they have never ever been presented with a window like this. Every available resource at their disposal should be dedicated directly to keeping this team as good as it can be for the next 2-3 years in an effort to maximise that said window.
And I have every confidence that it will.
March 1st, 2021 at 5:48 am
Bucs need RB, but they’ll address it through the draft most likely. The only FA I see coming to the Bucs is James White. This assumes the Bucs know they aren’t re-signing Fournette and MCoy,
Hardest to replace Shaq > LVD > Succop > Suh > Godwin> Gronk > Fournette > AB
Look at how long it took the Bucs to find a good Esge rusher and Kicker. I fully expect the Bucs to look at drafting Suh’s replacement and maybe LVD’s also. OT is another option in the first 3 rounds. Look at the length of the new contracts to help see what positions will target. If the Bucs don’t resign Gronk or trade OJ/Brate, then I see them drafting a TE in the 3rd or 4th round possibly.
March 1st, 2021 at 6:37 am
Think about it. Go thru each position and try to find one.
Maybe punter. But he is not a weakness by any means and can kick off really well. Thats how true that stmt really is
Toward beginning of season , everyone would have said corner backs
But looked what they did in the playoffs?
-Smb a pick in every game but the super bowl
– Carlton davis had a terrible packers game but really was the difference in the saints (0 catches for saints diva) and chiefs game
-Jamal Dean didnt really have name mentioned at all…really quiet on that front which is a great thing cause it means his matchup did not do a ton
These guys got so much confidence and more importantly playoff experience going into next year
Bucs need to draft heavy dline this year as most are guys are at end of careers. and next year 2022 go corner backs cause we will not be able to pay all 3 of cornerbacks above
Oh and draft donovan smith replacement at some point. Maybe its this year. Donovan played well for his salary range. No doubt about it. But lets face it. …it had something to do with brady getting rid of ball in 2.5 seconds.
Even cam jordan cant stop complaining about loss to bucs. And he said what ? He said it didn’t matter if bucs had a garbage line with brady getting it out so quick. Think he even said 2 or 2.5 seconds.
Go bucs !
Sad to lose a top dawg or two
But cant wait for free agency and draft
March 1st, 2021 at 6:46 am
Bucs need to address special teams, one of the worst in the league. Need to let Fournett and McCoy go. I agree pick up a James White or Burkhead. They both run hard and have great hands. I would love to see a full season with the same receiving core, a little more time together and they will be phenomenal. Barring a major injuries if there is anyway to keep this team together they have a great chance at repeating.
March 1st, 2021 at 6:49 am
Of the Big 8, me thinks Lenny is the most expendable. The rookie Vaughn showed some pop and tore up the SEC without the benefit of great O line play. Lenny’s replacement can be found on the cheap in FA or the draft.
March 1st, 2021 at 6:55 am
Let me just say that a named FA that might demand the Brinks truck to join another team, may come fairly cheap on a 1-year get-me-closer-to-the-Lombardi/HOF deal in Tampa. But, honestly, Tampa is not the only dream destination. Every playoff team has an opportunity to win and get FAs.
I can’t see Fournette sticking around, but you never know. He may want another ring to solidify his resume and I don’t see any team overpaying for a RB. That era is gone.
March 1st, 2021 at 7:44 am
everything turned around once jason licht gave that old burgundy blazer to goodwill…
someone really has gotta ask him about the dismissal of the ron burgundy jacket…
gotta wonder if greenberg had anything to do with it
March 1st, 2021 at 7:53 am
Unfortunately Tompa doesn’t play defense. As it stands right now we have the best defense in the league. If anyone denies that, they didn’t pay attention. Who is world champions??????? Mahomes is an amazing athlete. NORMALLY he would be a DC nightmare. Also Jackson and a few other QBs that are really mobile. I truly believe that Tompa is so smart that his attitude spills over to the defense. The defense feels like if they stop the other team, our offense will shove it down their throat. Here is a rhetorical question; How would you like to be a DC playing the Bucs???? You can be 99% sure Tom is NOT going to run. You know EXACTLY where he will be. But yet they still can’t stop him. His brain is clicking as he’s walking up to the line. The ball is out so damn quick. The only way to sack him is if the receivers are all covered. here’s a good analogy. It’s like shootin an old re-curve bow. you’re aiming as you pull the string back
March 1st, 2021 at 8:44 am
IMO, Hardest to replace based on depth:
Shaq (clearly, you VV ppl are crazy) > LVD > Succop > Gronk > Godwin > Suh > AB > Fournette
The Bucs have no one behind Shaq and have went years without a pass rusher; and it is VERY unlikely we get VERY lucky with the pick @ #32 as a replacement. Same with Succop and kicking- years without a kicker. One could argue, Gronk should be ahead of LVD – LVD can be somewhat replaced with our #32 draft pick (don’t hate on me, he is getting old). Gronk is still so talented, he allows us to cut either OJ (Mr. Potential) or Brate, which would give us a extra $6MM to sign other FAs.
But this has NOTHING to do with WHO is most likely resigning:
Most likely to leave and why:
1) Fournette: Big money awaits him, and he is the easiest to replace thru FA
2) Shaq: wants huge money and will get it! Sure he likes the Bucs, but he has two rings; to me, Shaq is the most important to sign, but not sure it happens
3) Godwin: I love CG, but he is the easiest to replace bc of the depth; if we don’t resign Shaq, we have to replace Shaq – see #6 below
EASIEST to resign and why (in order of “why”, not importance to team):
1) Gronk: will only play with Brady, and TB will push this one the hardest; team discount
2) AB: still no love out there for AB, team discount and keeping him keeps our WR group scary good
3) LVD: has loyalty to Bucs and he had his biggest payday, team discount
4) Succop: he is a kicker, they don’t “break the bank”
5) Suh: A 2nd SB would greatly enhance his legacy and HOF potential
6) FA EDGE: someone who wants a ring, TB influence gets a slight discount and we HAVE to replace Shaq, by not resigning Shaq and Godwin, we have the money
I am going to catch sh!t on this one, I know. But surely you can see the argument
March 1st, 2021 at 8:55 am
Defense is the priority it is strange to say but we have really good depth on the offensive side of the ball. We can let some offensive players leave and we still can win with the ones we keep. I am a big Scottie Miller fan and he can take over for Godwin. Keep the Defense together!!!
March 1st, 2021 at 10:32 am
adam
LMAO!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
March 1st, 2021 at 10:37 am
My, my. What a SB can do to change people’s perspective. I remember not so many years ago, fans on this site, many fans, were yelling to tar and feather Licht and send him out of town on the midnight train to GA. Well now he’s brilliant and a statue ought to be erected in his honor. Did he suddenly get smart? Is he receiving outside help that was absent before? It just takes time and a little luck to get things to gel. Bringing in Arians was brilliant. Bringing in Brady was miraculous. Now the real test of Licht’s talent will be how well he can keep the team together and continue with a winning strategy after both Brady and Arians are part of Bucs history.
March 1st, 2021 at 11:19 am
Just looking down the street at Stevie Y and Julian Brisebois have done. I love that we have virtually no dead money but you set yourself up for this very moment. Don’t waste it! Get them all signed push out payments where you can and if we can get 1 or two more Super Bowls it will be worth it if we have to blow up and start over in 4 years.
March 1st, 2021 at 11:51 am
Unless a FA gets an absurd deal (not going to be too many of those this year), the Bucs can resign everyone under the cap.
The trick is bonuses.
Say you want to resign Godwin and Shaq for avg $17M per year for six years. You pay $17M per year except year one has a $15M signing bonus. That mean only $2M goes to the cap. The $15M bonus gets distributed over 5 years for a $20M/year cap hit.
You mortgage you future but isn’t what a title run period is for?
March 1st, 2021 at 11:52 am
Some key depth guys have to be signed too. Nacho etc
March 1st, 2021 at 12:04 pm
Use all of our “cap smoke and mirrors” and resign everybody. Our team is literally so good that there is no draft pick who can break our starting lineup!
Especially picking 32nd. OTOH the Alabama QB is projected to go anywhere from top ten to top of 2nd round. If he falls he could make the perfect understudy to Brady.
Then take the BPA the rest of the draft because they’ll be depth players on this team anyway.
March 1st, 2021 at 7:36 pm
I don’t know this show Joe, although I do think Simms is a pretty darn good analyst, however I’m pleased you acknowledged nobody beats Kay !
Imagine a show anchored by Kay and Charissa !! Perhaps have to identify a couple of others to join them !