“I Think It’s Going To Be A Teardown”
June 5th, 2022
Bucs GM Jason Licht
Fair or unfair, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht will be judged comparmentally by his pre-Tom Brady performance, his Brady years, and his post-Brady success or failure.
And it’s inevitable that many NFL analysts will say Licht must prove himself post-Brady to be considered a great GM.
Hey, maybe Brady will play another four seasons and Licht will retire along with The Goat. But that scenario is unlikely.
(If Licht did retire, Joe would consider hiring Licht to replace Sage of Tampa Bay sports Ira Kaufman in order to save money on payroll.)
Joe brings this up today because former Bills GM Doug Whaley (who was in the running for the Steelers GM job this year), was on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week talking about how if Brady retires after this season, then he believes the Bucs will be facing a “teardown” of their roster.
“This is one of those teams where the way it’s constructed is, ‘We’re all-in with Tom, and then when Tom leaves, we’re going to have to start from Square 1,” Whaley began. “… … Everybody likes to say, well, we’re going to reload. I think it’s going to be a teardown and let’s rebuild.”
Yes, Whaley acknowledged Kyle Trask’s existence, and he also said he wouldn’t bet on Brady leaving the Buccaneers after this season. But Whaley’s message was clear: the Bucs will blow up the team when Brady leaves.
Joe sees that as Whaley indirectly throwing Licht under the bus.
Two years ago the Bucs roster was good enough to challenge for a title when it added Tom Brady. If/when Brady leaves, the roster easily could be more talented and experienced than it was in 2020. Calling for a “teardown” is a lack of respect. Joe hasn’t heard Whaley call for a Saints teardown.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Why would they do that? There are a few older players like LVD, but that significantly disrespects the massive amount of young talent on this team. What an uninformed take for a dude who should do some research before throwing dirt on a colleague like this.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:27 pm
Mort, you bucs fans know how important the QB is. Without a very good to great one, it’s nearly impossible to win. The only way that happens after Brady departs, is with a #1 pick on a can’t miss guy, or a massive trade. I don’t see licht (who treats draft picks like manhole covers) giving up a draft board for a trade. The only other plausible way is going back to the bottom. The bucs have had plenty of talent before Brady, it doesn’t matter without the QB. Kyle Trask isn’t going to cut it.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:27 pm
What Mort said.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:31 pm
Sure there are some guys on one year deals
But just wait until final roster before season begins
This team is loaded. Probably best all around ever
June 5th, 2022 at 12:36 pm
Stupid. He is an ex-GM for a reason.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:39 pm
Whaley … ‘Everybody likes to say, well, we’re going to reload. I think it’s going to be a teardown and let’s rebuild.’
Little too simplistic for my liking. There’ll be a LOT of changes next year for sure, BUT … I can’t see it being a wholesale ‘teardown & rebuild’ like Whaley is predicting. Based on the way our contracts are structured right now, tend to think it’ll be more done by position groups, with some taking a harder hit next year than some others.
Couple of examples. Our LBs for instance. Unless something catastrophic happens, Bucs will surely re-sign Devin White (to a big contract most likely). That means we’ll almost surely NOT re-sign LVD, but will probably draft his replacement in the Top-2 Rnds. Pretty close to just swapping 1 salary for another.
Shaq has a current Dead CAP of $29.9 mil this year, projected to be $23.2 mil next year. He’s not going anyplace, and neither is JTS obviously. Nelson? He MIGHT get re-signed, but not for a huge contract (we can’t afford it).
Another example: our OLine. Wirfs, Mason, Jensen & Goedeke aren’t going anywhere … but Donovan probably will (his contract’s up & his Dead CAP isn’t all that unreasonable at $8 mil). Bucs will either shift 1 of our current OLinemen to LT, or draft one in the Top-3 Rnds (we’d do that whether or not we keep Donovan most likely).
Where we’ll feel the biggest sting will be in our Secondary. Lots of contracts up after this year (Dean, SMB, Edwards, Neal, Ryan, Cockrell & Delaney). That’s 7 out of the 10 DBs we’ll probably keep this year.
Our DLine will be in for some big changes also. 2023 FAs will be Hicks, Gholston, RNR, O’Connor & Senat. Could get really dicey.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:45 pm
What!!!! Ok Steelers there’s your red flag, this idiot just coat himself the gm job. Steelers never do a tear down, whether they lose the coach, quarterback or both
June 5th, 2022 at 12:50 pm
So funny to see people say “Trask won’t cut it” when they have never seen him play.
You got some winning lottery numbers for us too??
June 5th, 2022 at 12:53 pm
Lol… absolutely no way to know about the blow up conjecture.
The cap is not overweighted to the extreme with any single player now, unlike a few times with massive QB cap weight. That and the cap seems to be a moving target that always increases to keep the stars paid
June 5th, 2022 at 1:01 pm
SB, Trask is a project. The QB coach said so himself. That’s a stunning admission. Do you honestly think that’s what the bucs were thinking when they drafted him? Now the excuse is he never had a chance to compete because they can’t find him the snaps. That’s bologna. Belichick kept 4 QBs on the roster Brady’s rookie year, because they saw something immediately. The bucs saw something immediately troubling not long after Trask got in the building.
June 5th, 2022 at 1:05 pm
The bad thing about pushing money down the road to create cap space is when you are still have a cap hit once they are gone. If Brady retires again after this year we will still have a 35 mil cap hit in 2023.
June 5th, 2022 at 1:07 pm
How would Whaley know – what did he ever accomplish as a GM – to give a knowledgeable evaluation of the Bucs after Brady – the foundation was there for Brady to want to be a Buc – because of the effects of Light and company.
June 5th, 2022 at 1:22 pm
This toad makes Mark Dumbernik seem competent.
Wait a minute — no. Never mind. Dumbernik is still the feeblest of all time.
June 5th, 2022 at 1:25 pm
Hey SB, Whoa ease up now, you know how the drill goes “today”, “say it enough times and it becomes true!”.. No need to actually see it in action or have any valid experienced knowledge. Just alot more Fluff&Stuff to toot their own horns.
I am excited to move forward with our GM Jason Licht. I have now seen his many drafts in action, as well as all the players he has signed as FA, UDFA, or acquired via trades. Yes it will be a difficult day when the current Tampa Bay Buccaneer QB, Tom Brady, The GOAT, Retires. Will we need to be doing a in house cleaning, or a continuing our draft plans and moving forward. Onto newer QB’s, RB, WR, OL, DL, LB, CB, S, P, K. I do not forsee Licht doing a house cleaning. Just sticking with his plan as he moves forward, he has his own legacy, see Titans GM, our own Spytek, who will get more offers advance.
GO!! BUCS!!
June 5th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
If we had to go on draft picks….
We’d be a 5 win squad
June 5th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
Even after Brady leaves, the other QBs we’ll be facing in the NFC south will be Marcus Mariota, Sam Darnold and Jameis Winston (without Sean Payton). Can anyone really say that any one of them are significantly better than Gabbert/Trask,?
June 5th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
Solid QBs who can win it all on a good team are moving around at a staggering rate, mainly thanks to the success Brady has in Tampa.
Stafford
Ryan
Wilson
Rogers had the ability tobe traded if he wanted.
Watson
Mayfield will
Garropollo will.
The point is that with the team that is built, there is a good chance they can make a splash trade (Stafford, Wilson, Watson type) to get a franchise guy or make a cheaper trade (Mayfield, Jimmy g Ryan type) and still be competitive. The answer isn’t Trask or Bust.
June 5th, 2022 at 1:48 pm
Dig Doug may be onto something. There will be some cap issues Mr. Greenberg hasn’t had to deal with before in terms of dead money. Aging stars with good players coming off rookie contracts as well.
I’m a little more concerned about the here and now with Brady waffling just a bit ( interview panel following that golf/goat show ). He wanted Miami and took back the heartbroken Bucs. I hope I’m wrong but they can’t sleep on the Saints let alone those geeky Rams.
June 5th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
Brady was retired for 40 days.
Was there ANY indication of a teardown/rebuild then?
The talk was mostly, “this will be a hard year, but we will be competitive”.
Of course there were a few players that would probably not return under that scenario, such as Suh and JPP, and maybe a few others….
I have confidence that we’ll still be competitive when Brady does finally hang up the cleats.
Part of that confidence is based on my opinion of Licht’s performance.
Part is based on my homerism from being a fan since inception.
I never bet against the Bucs, even when they disappoint.
June 5th, 2022 at 1:55 pm
Lovesbucs
All those quarterbacks you named are already on teams with new contracts. Mayfield was on a good team and couldn’t do anything. He had a running game and a good defense and didn’t do nothing. That playoff win against a beat up Pittsburgh team don’t mean nothing. Jimmy G is soft and now it’s time for the bucs to do something they have never done and that’s develop a quarterback . This is why I hated the Brady move because I knew this was going to happen once he leaves. Yall made everything about Brady just like the media done and now yall believe once he’s gone they have to blow up the team and that’s not true. This is also why I don’t look at Jamies the same way yall do . We have a young quarterback who was the number one quarterback in college in every stat in 2020 . How much longer are yall going to keep blaming the quarterbacks??
June 5th, 2022 at 1:57 pm
Osqueel — still showing your raging moron. Good for you.
June 5th, 2022 at 2:04 pm
Goatfarmer. Lol 😆 🤣 you hate the truth you are the moron 🤣 !! Oh yeah you either a Patriots fan or you apart of the suckaneers fan base. But I can tell you ain’t a bucs fan. You are one of the ones who believes without Brady we can’t win and Brady was the only reason why we won the superbowl again the mindset of a true suckaneer fan !!
June 5th, 2022 at 2:09 pm
Maybe Whaley is jealous of Licht? Licht’s already the best gm in the league regardless of what the bloated headed numbnuts in the media up north think. He’s easily our best gm ever and if he ever figures out how to draft running backs and outside corners, he’ll be in the hall of fame someday.
June 5th, 2022 at 2:10 pm
When you overpay for that “special” quarterback, it makes it damn difficult to field a team around them unless you are perfect in the draft and pick nothing but stars from first to seventh rounds. Dream on!
There’s only so much that special QB can do on their own without talented support.
I should hope that we’ve learned our lesson about the “can’t miss” first pick of the draft.
Yes, we need a competent field general with talent on the field but there has to be a complimentary “team” to support him.
And it is the “team” that will win out the vast majority of the time.
No matter how much the rules and style of play change that will still be the case
When the changes get to the point that the “team” is unimportant, and the individual carries everything, the game will become unwatchable and the league will die.
June 5th, 2022 at 2:13 pm
It’s June people, talk is plentiful but mostly cheap(except for you Joe’s)I am neither a Lucht fan or detractor…..after Capt.America departs we could still have a core of solid veterans a superstar in D.White,and some ascending young Def. talent and a coach who will be able to transform the team to one with more of a defensive orientation. Maybe by then Spytek will take the reigns.It’s a beautiful day…. Outside 🌞go play!✌🏽🤟🏽✊🏾
June 5th, 2022 at 2:15 pm
GP I agree with you on that bro 💯 percent !!!
June 5th, 2022 at 2:16 pm
If anyone remembers, Licht was sort of on the hot seat, until Arians and his bunch came to Tampa.
The minute Arians got here, Licht drastically improved as a GM.
Then, he was gifted Tom Brady, and make no mistake, he was gifted.
Tampa was not Brady’s first choice, the 49ers were, but they did not want him, so Brady picked Tampa instead.
Licht was also gifted Tristan Wirfs, who fell to us.
I think Licht has become one of the better General Managers in Football.
June 5th, 2022 at 2:21 pm
Injury is always one snap away for Brady and every other player.
June 5th, 2022 at 2:23 pm
Oneil-. I never said to try and get those guys, I know they aren’t available. I am making a point that QBs are moving around a lot more now. The market for trades will be more open for different tiers of players, and more QBs will try to get to free agency. I don’t know who it will be, but I think that the new norm is that you can trade for solid QBs options or serviceable trade options if you have the draft capital.
June 5th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
I’m not being a smart a$$ here, I’m just curious about something. What is a apple roof cleaner Chris? I’ve never heard of it before.
June 5th, 2022 at 2:41 pm
The teams that are consistently contenders are always rotating in young blood to gradually replace older vets as they eventually decline. Using draft picks, tradea and free agents wisely is the key. And some good luck is a big help. I think the Bucs have done a very good job the past few years in all facets of recruitment.
June 5th, 2022 at 2:56 pm
We’re talking about the Bill’s GM right? The same team that has NEVER WON the Super Bowl? Buffalo Lombardis = 0. That team right? The team that should probably keep their opinions to themselves. TB12 owned the Bills for years, and years and still owns the Bills.
June 5th, 2022 at 3:04 pm
I must be in the minority. Licht hasn’t been “all in” in terms of the draft, and he has been somewhat middle of the road in terms of mortgaging the future with contracts. He took a QB in the second round last season, which was a shocker. This year’s draft was about getting developmental players rather than trading up, either by packaging picks or using future picks.
In short, Licht already has his eyes on Life After Brady.
June 5th, 2022 at 3:51 pm
Licht was hired by love Smith and love and his staff made those picks and built those teams. After love I believe Dirk also had primary say in roster and draft maybe with light becoming slightly more involved. Now I believe lights has been and will be fully.in charge but judging light on the years love was here? Nope!!!!!!!!!!
June 5th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Why would they blow up the team after Brady leaves? That’s not necessary. If you have to unload a few aging, underperforming, and overpaid players, go for it… But they have plenty of young talent to keep rolling competitively. Maybe they wouldn’t be a SB contender, but there’s no reason to think they couldn’t continue to compete for the NFC South title.
Blowing up teams is the kind of thing you do when you don’t have much talent to work with.
June 5th, 2022 at 4:15 pm
Right on, BigMac!
June 5th, 2022 at 4:17 pm
I thought they already started it by not signing Suh and JPP
June 5th, 2022 at 4:18 pm
No need to tear down…..we have a great Oline…..WR corps….set of RBs…..couple of new TEs….all under contract…
On D we have 2 young Dlinemen…..young secondary & Devin White….
We have some older players to deal with….Brady, Gronk, LVD……replacing them will make us younger….
Nope….tear down isn’t necessary.
June 5th, 2022 at 4:25 pm
Without the QB, the roster really doesn’t matter sasquatch. As for the NFC south, how long do you folks think they’ll stay with terrible QBs? It’s called the Not For Long league for a reason. Sometimes you need to go backward before you go forward. Even this current roster, (which is very good) couldn’t compete for a title without a top flight QB. Take Brady off this team for a minute. If you think they could win a Superbowl with Jimmy G, Matt Ryan, or Baker, you need to be blue papered.
June 5th, 2022 at 4:42 pm
Hey Y’All wake up if/when Brady leaves this team will most likely pursue a FA QB such as Lamar J, Jimmy G, or Baker M. Don’t see them sticking with an unproven commodity such as Trask or journeyman backup (like Gaebbert) with the playoff talent they have on both sides of the ball.
June 5th, 2022 at 4:44 pm
GOB disagree think they win NFC South with Jimmy G
June 5th, 2022 at 5:06 pm
Jackson will stay in Baltimore, Jimmy G is hurt half time and Mayfield is a glorified backup sorry Tony.
June 5th, 2022 at 5:24 pm
I’ve been a Buc fan since day one, I am 74, we have had some good runs with Rent A QB’s … it sure would be nice to find one of those drafted QB’s that becomes the long term starter. There are some very good young ones out there and I would just like to know what that feels like.
June 5th, 2022 at 5:25 pm
Irish, maybe the division, but no way a Superbowl.
June 5th, 2022 at 5:27 pm
That photo of JL should be one of his reoccurring JBF pixs … it’s a good one.
June 5th, 2022 at 5:27 pm
SB~LV, you had one, his name was John Steven Young. USFL excluded
June 5th, 2022 at 5:29 pm
I am typing because I can’t look at the Lightning, it too tense
June 5th, 2022 at 5:32 pm
Brady was a literal nobody before he became the starter in NE. Nobody knew anything about him. Let’s not discount the fact that some player, perhaps some unknown, obscure QB hidden on a depth chart somewhere could be the next great QB. I’m not referencing Trask here, nor any known name. Stars, before they were stars, were no-names. Personally, I like this roster post-Brady. It’s a great core of guys, and I doubt a rebuild or teardown will happen after Brady with this roster. At worst, we will be a .500 team at first. Have faith in the team!
June 5th, 2022 at 6:08 pm
I think a lot folks on here have already said what would happen, and a major overhaul isn’t it. If Arians, Bowles and the coaching staff, for the most part stay, they’ll continue to build like they have since Arians showed up. Still got a lot of young talent and the offensive weapons will be ready to go for the next QB next year if Brady retires or leaves. Might not be able to choose which free agents you get because Brady isn’t here, but they built it and free agents will come!
June 5th, 2022 at 6:39 pm
D-Rok, Brady is a poor comp. You need to go all the way back to Mark Rypien to find a QB drafted in the 6th round that won a Superbowl. I think Joe Theismann was 4th rounder. Beyond that you need to go back to Bart Starr and Roger Staubach. I think Starr was taken in the 17th round. Staubach in the 10th. Unicorns are rare.
June 5th, 2022 at 6:53 pm
Dang, GOB, you come at me with history and precedent. Well done, sir, well done!!! Obviously an obscure player becoming a star is quite rare, but as I alluded to, it (rarely) does happen. This is what I love about being a life-long fan of the NFL: occasionally as a fan we are treated to the rags-to-riches story. I dunno, Warner is a good example, and of course, Mr. Majestic himself: Brady. I used to love watching Theismann until they did him dirty and snapped his leg.
June 5th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
Lol D-Rok, me too. Just for fun, the average draft position for QBs who have won the Superbowl in the last 14 years is 50th. BTW I happened to be in the stands that fateful Monday in 1985.
June 5th, 2022 at 7:12 pm
But to fully realize where my loyalties lie, I grew up in Cali watching Montana and Rice. Until about 10 years, I would have fought somebody who said Montana wasn’t the goat. But now, I am completely on-board with the title of GOAT being assigned to Brady. Montana-Rice was prolly the best QB/WR duo, and of course Brady-Moss was super phenomenal. O man GOB when you started ripping off names of some great players in this league back in the day, it got me reminiscing. How did the star-struck eyes of my youth get so dang old? Of course, being a Niners fan back then, I always “hated” the talent of E Smith, Aikman, and Irvin et al…but that was fear and respect. I just love football, and the stories beyond stats and accomplishments on the field.
June 5th, 2022 at 7:14 pm
Dude, GOB, you saw the injury to Theismann in person? I mean, we all have seen the replays, but dang, what was that like in person? I’ll bet if you looked all around you the silence was deafening waiting to see if he would get up. I’ll bet that was intense.
June 5th, 2022 at 7:16 pm
A teardown at QB….and even at that, not really a teardown. Dont worry, Mr. Lichts got this, as well as others….
If we can get Will Levis next draft, we’re well on our way into the future. QB and bu QB in Trask….or vice versa if Trask comes on strong so we can break Levis in easy. Gonna need another ILB and possibly a Center unless Hainsey is coming on strong.
Trust me, we got this!
June 5th, 2022 at 7:47 pm
Any QB who can do what Trask did in the SEC, has what it takes to do well in the NFL. I suspect that Trask wants to be the Buccaneer QB a lot more than Brady does. I believe Brady is just looking ahead to his next best opportunity. The Bucs are just a stepping stone.
June 5th, 2022 at 7:54 pm
@madmax
If Will Levis is as good as they say this year he will be long gone before the Bucs select.
June 5th, 2022 at 8:05 pm
D-Rok I was 11. I was visiting my old man at the time, who was living in Fredericksburg. We had good seats around the 50, but the only thing I remember is LT waving his hands like somebody had died on the field.
June 5th, 2022 at 8:11 pm
Oh D-Rok how I loved me some 9ers. I moved to Maine in 1988. The Patriots were blacked out. The 49ers were on almost every damn week, so I feel in love with greatness. I too lived and died with those boys.
June 5th, 2022 at 8:36 pm
Is the coach in control of the roster or is the roster and asst coaches in TOTAL Control of the Coach !!
That is the difference!!
June 5th, 2022 at 9:15 pm
Sorry about your Steelers job, buddy. Granted Licht gets way too much credit, just like his QB whisperer boy. But teardown? C’mon, is there no other talent on this team?
June 5th, 2022 at 9:58 pm
Sfw,? This is a win now league. This season
Is all that matters. Nobody knows what injuries will derail what team. All this hot air about future seasons is rubbish.
June 6th, 2022 at 8:21 am
We need to win the superbowl if not all this jocking of money will be for nothing.
June 6th, 2022 at 8:25 am
When Brady retires we will return to the dark ages. There are no available quarterbacks in 2023 that are much better than what we already have. There are not any quarterbacks worth drafting in the next couple of years unless a sleeper rises up.
June 6th, 2022 at 8:27 am
@Elita, oh he’s probably going 5 to 8…it will def require a trade up….but it’ll be worth it in the long run.
June 6th, 2022 at 10:09 am
GOB Says:
“BucBoy, Trask will never be anything more than a backup.”
YOU HAVE NO EVIDENCE TO BACK THIS UP OTHER THAN YOU BEING A GATOR-HATING, JAMEIS-LOVING, FSU-FAN.
“If he can’t beat out Blane freaking gabbert, it’s a bad sign.”
THAT HASN’T HAPPENED. ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE NO EVIDENCE. MORE, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR A VETERAN TO BACK UP BRADY IN A SUPER BOWL CONTENDING SEASON. JUST LIKE LAST YEAR, MORON.
“Something, almost immediately startled the bucs once they got him in the building.”
LMAO. YOU HAVE ZERO EVIDENCE OF THIS. BEING A GATOR-HATING, JAMEIS-LOVING, FSU-FAN IS NOT EVIDENCE.
“I strongly suspect his entire delivery is being rebuilt.”
AGAIN, YOU KNOW NOTHING. WASH THAT STINKING JAMEIS JERSEY. MY SOURCES SAY YOU’RE ACTUALLY TRASK-HATING ROD MUNCH USING A NEW JOEBUCS ACCOUNT.
June 6th, 2022 at 10:18 am
Hey GOB, suck on this from Bucs veteran tight end Cameron Bates:
“I thought Kyle did a great job. He made a couple of great throws. I think the future is really bright for Kyle. Obviously the arm talent is there.”
LMAO
June 6th, 2022 at 11:13 am
Licht just moved over 6 mil of hicks money to 2023 we are currently -58.5 mil in the hole for next year. Its only going to get worse we still have 4 draft picks to be signed with is about 4.5 mil. That leaves about 6 mil for Gronk whos going to get at least 10 to 11 mil and I am sure half of that will go to 2023 cap hit. That means we will be about -70 mil in the hole next year and every defensive back but Carlton Davis and are 5th round pick Z -man are free agents.
June 6th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
@BucBoy, I don’t have a dog in the fight. I could give a damn about Florida, or Florida state. It’s called an option. If you honestly think the bucs spent the 64th pick on what they thought was a developmental QB, I suggest you take less of whatever you’re on. Clyde said, he’s a developmental guy. I guarantee they didn’t think that when they drafted him. Now they can’t find enough snaps for the kids? It’s always a competition, those are Clyde’s words. Grow up and use your brain. I’m no fan of Winston, you invented that. Stop bleeding Gator blood into your opinion, which is a joke.
BTW, I’m not the only one here with that opinion.
June 6th, 2022 at 6:39 pm
Hey GOB/Rod Munch! Call Cameron Bates and set him straight! He shouldn’t be saying the following without consulting an expert couch potato like you first!
“I thought Kyle did a great job. He made great throws. I think the future is really bright for Kyle. I think he has got a really good mindset and demeanor about him to play the quarterback position in the NFL, and obviously the arm talent is there, as well.”
BWAHAHAHAHA
June 7th, 2022 at 12:39 am
Doug Whaley blows. The Bills started winning as soon as he left. Bozo!