How The Band Of Bucs Returned
April 15th, 2021
Bringing the band back.
There is only one piece of the jigsaw puzzle missing from the Bucs becoming a super team defending a Super Bowl. That’s furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing receiver Antonio Brown — assuming the Bucs want him back now or even have enough cash to bring him back.
So the job done by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht getting all 22 starters back and key depth is incredible. A former agent detailed some of the tricks.
First was the franchise tag. Based on Licht interviews, it seems he had much more confidence he could re-sign Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett than receiver Chris Godwin. So not only did Licht maneuver to keep both by tagging Godwin, per former NFL agent and current NFL analyst for CBS Sports Joel Corry, Licht saved some $5 million.
Godwin was kept off the open market with a $15.983 million franchise tag. A second tag on Barrett would have been $20.64 million because the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement-mandated 20 percent increase would have applied to Barrett’s $15.828 million linebacker designation in 2020 and the $1.372 million from the settlement of his grievance to be classified as a defensive end for franchise tag purposes.
Corry then noted the Bucs signaled change when they signed linebacker Lavonte David.
David’s deal was revealing. The Buccaneers uncharacteristically deviated from their preferred “pay as you go” contract structure utilized with practically all veteran signings ever since Mark Dominick’s tenure as general manager, which ran from 2009 through 2013. A player’s cash and salary cap numbers are the same in each contract year with the “pay as you go” structure because there isn’t a signing bonus that’s prorated over the life of the contract (for a maximum of five years).
Then came the extensions, Corry writes. Freeing up some $19 million was the extension for park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, Bucs-Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady.
Donovan Smith’s extension allowed Licht to re-sign both Playoff Lenny and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Corry noted.
Collectively, Barrett, David, Fournette, Gronkowski, Succop and Suh are taking up $21.1 million of 2021 cap space while making a combined $53.75 million per year. This would not have been possible without [the Bucs] willingness to be creative and flexible with Tampa Bay’s structural contract preferences.
It was wizardry how Licht was able to pull this off. Hopefully, the organization is rewarded in February in Los Angeles with NFL strongman Roger Goodell handing Team Glazer the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Again.
April 15th, 2021 at 12:05 am
This will never happen again. Plus, we kept all the coaches.
April 15th, 2021 at 12:19 am
Excellent job! Bravo! LFG Bucs!
April 15th, 2021 at 1:48 am
Just realized how much difference just 2 letters make. The letters are the difference between ‘AD’ and ‘ON’.
Can anyone figure out what I’m talking about?
April 15th, 2021 at 1:52 am
Time for another splash in the pool Jason. Well done. GO BUCS!!!!!!
April 15th, 2021 at 3:07 am
28 in a row, another world championship…it’s coming
April 15th, 2021 at 5:31 am
Watched every snap last year. Some of those RB toses, the play never developed and a catch would have probably been a loss of yardage.
April 15th, 2021 at 8:01 am
If Licht did not think he could re-sign Godwin, I would assume that means he is gone in 2022? If that is the case, I would assume that means the Bucs will draft his replacement at either #32 or #64 in this draft; a big and strong, but also fast WR who can play in the slot and block as well as catch.
April 15th, 2021 at 8:44 am
It’s amazing how only a few short years ago, Licht was being blasted by commenters on this site. Now he’s a hero and has a stadium named after him.
April 15th, 2021 at 9:20 am
AB will return right before the draft…book it…
GO BUCS!!!!
April 15th, 2021 at 9:37 am
Licht for executive of the year for 2021. (He should have won it last year).
April 15th, 2021 at 9:43 am
Buczilla agreed
April 15th, 2021 at 9:51 am
It’s not rocket science!!! The owner gave up the money, not the GM. The salary cap is crap. When an owner wants to keep a team together, it’s not that difficult. If tom brady were 30, they’d of cut bait with Godwin for sure, shu, shaq, david would all be gone.bthe owner knows brady is in for 3 more seasons. Then it’s back to the yucks, they’ll suck again and the owner knows it. Spend like a drunken sailor, and enjoy the next few years.
April 15th, 2021 at 10:49 am
I think the players realized that they have something special in Tampa and didn’t want to let it go. They also got better as the season drew to the end, let’s ride this until the wheels fall off. GO BUCS!
April 15th, 2021 at 10:52 am
Ben Green never played ball. Knows nothing about the heart of a team.
April 15th, 2021 at 11:00 am
I would lay a Cnote down right now that the Bucs work out a contract w/ Godwin before the season starts. There by freeing up enough $ for draft picks
April 15th, 2021 at 11:16 am
Ben green played qb in highschool eddie marz. I’m still the fastest jew in Maine. You’re just mad because you know you’ll suck again when brady retires. Have fun now, because the doormat franchises you love will return to it’s original state of suckatude.
April 15th, 2021 at 2:44 pm
Ben Green I’m a bucs fan and the most hated on this site . I will tell you this bro I don’t think Brady is playing 3 more years. And this year could be the year he falls off . Me personally I belive Brady have declined all you have to do is look at his last 2 years with the Patriots . And his last year with the Patriots when the runningback got hurt he sucked . The bucs put enough good players around him to hide his declined. But with being said if the bucs bring in a young quarterback and give him coaches that is willing to bring in a system that does what the young people does well. Then the bucs will be ok and give him a running game and don’t have him throwing 45 times a game up the field . Then they can keep it going because the defense should be good in the near future .
April 15th, 2021 at 5:25 pm
Never underestimate Jason Licht’s magic for the future !
April 16th, 2021 at 1:03 pm
Tom Brady had his 2nd best year for TD’s 40, 50 including the Post Season, had over 5600 yrds including post season, at 43. So decline is not what the play on the field says. The tape does not lie. GO BUCS!!!!!