Adding To The Jason Licht-Bruce Arians Brilliance Scorecard
August 22nd, 2022
Those keeping score realize the Tom Brady game got more interesting over the past two days, and the past two months, even moments ago.
Word came out Saturday that the Raiders didn’t think Brady was worth the investment during the 2020 offseason, despite Brady apparently shopping for homes in Vegas and being eager to play there with Rob Gronkowski.
And that was on the heels of the Dolphins coming up empty in their bids to land Brady, per an official NFL tampering report, and the Saints deciding to stick with Drew Brees in 2020.
Many months ago it also was widely reported that the 49ers could have had Brady, who grew up a 49ers fan, but thought rolling with Jimmy Garoppolo was the better bet.
And today, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said on The Pat McAfee Show that he is certain Brady was being considered strongly by the Titans in 2020, but Tennessee passed on making a formal offer.
That’s six teams, including the Patriots, whose decision-makers either thought Brady was unworthy, or they couldn’t close the deal despite their interest. And make it seven franchises with the Chargers, whose offer to Brady was reported at the time.
The net result is Bucs general manager Jason Licht and Bucco Bruce Arians making the winning play on Brady and beating back all those teams. The way things are going, Joe would wager another Brady-2020 story will emerge involving still another club or two.
Thank goodness Licht and Arians weren’t intoxicated by Jameis Winston’s 33 touchdown passes and 5,109 yards passing in 2019, and that they had just the right touch and when it came to landing Brady and extending his contract for the 2022 season. The latter might have been the most impressive play of all.
August 22nd, 2022 at 1:57 pm
now go reel in a monster for the o line
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:02 pm
Jameis Winston had more turnovers than a pastry chef
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:08 pm
Spot on Joe. They got it done while others came up short. Bringing Brady to the Bucs is the single greatest move in franchise history; and JL & BA, along with the Glazers, deserve all the credit. Bravo!
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:10 pm
Yet another brilliant move by de facto GM Bill Belichick. Brady was on the free agent market because Belichick refused to give Brady a two-year deal. Robert Kraft refused to intervene as he worried Belichick would leave. After Brady’s exit, New England PR blasted pure spin, claiming Brady left for a team with a better shot at the Super Bowl, the 7-9 Bucs.
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:11 pm
2019 QB was the turnover margin.
1:1 TD to Turnover gets you beat more often than not!
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:12 pm
Wow what a bunch of dumb GMs. Thank goodness is right. Not sure licht deserves much credit for trading Winston for Brady tho. That’s the definition of a no brainer.
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:21 pm
The 49ers thing fell apart, not because they thought Jimmy was a better option, but because of 51. It was reported that during their meeting, Kyle was explaining his philosophy and Brady kept bringing up the superbowl as examples of what not to do.
The bucs got lucky. It had nothing to do with the coach or GM, but the roster. It isn’t hard to field good players, when you’re picking in the top 15 year in and out. Clearly, the bucs were not Brady’s first choice. He probably had some trepidation about joining such a program. They gave him the Drew Brees deal, which was what he wanted from NE. Don’t tell GOB that the roster wasn’t the driving force behind Brady decision. I’ll say it like this. At least Licht and BA realized that Brady was still a top 5 QB. Giving them anymore credit than that, is just not deserved.
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:24 pm
If Jaymiss didn’t want so much money and took a team friendly contract we would have never talked to Brady. So we should be thanking Mr. Winston.
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:29 pm
Crazy stat is Winston didn’t even set a franchise record for interceptions. Vinny have 35.
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:33 pm
Licht put together a quality team except @ QB. That made the Bucs a very attractive team to join. Brady completed the puzzle and brought home the SB trophy for all to enjoy!
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:34 pm
Not to take anything away from Licht and company, but Tampa was not Brady’s first choice.
The 49ers were, but they chose to stay with Jimmy G
Dana White of the UFC has reported that he was trying to put a deal for Brady and Gronk to go to the Raiders,, but Gruden reportedly nixed that deal.
Brady sort of fell to us, kind of like Tristan Wirfs did, and signing him became a real no brainer, just like the signing of Wirfs did.
I laud Licht for both the signings of Brady and Wirfs, but IMHO, his greatest coup was getting Bruce Arians to come here to Tampa!
Regular Posters here at JBF will remember, Licht was once in trouble here in Tampa, with plenty of Fans calling for his head!
The signing of Bruce Arians and his bunch, totally changed our fortunes, as well as greatly improving Licht’s performance in the draft!
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:35 pm
If Tom Brady landed with another team in 2020 and I found out today that the Bucs passed on Brady in favor of Jay-Miss I would have stopped following the team until Licht and Arians were fired. Passing on Brady was a catastrophically bad decision by every other team who was in the mix. This should serve as a lesson to Jason Licht that if, for some bizarre circumstance, another all time great QB who is in the the tail end of his career is available that it would be a better bet to sign him than to draft a rookie QB.
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:35 pm
No risk it, no biscuit!!!
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:39 pm
So, what have any of them done for us lately?
Tom going on vacation in the middle of training camp.
BA riding around drunk in his golf cart (in the middle of the morning)
Licht….jumping in his pool and sitting on his fat a$$ while our Oline falls apart.
(Sarcasm)
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:39 pm
I am with Joe about giving Licht and Arians credit for what happened.
Not giving them credit would be like acting like the Patriots never got Brady. As great as coach as Belichick is would he have ever won a Super Bowl?
And if he never won a Super Bowl, he would not be on the team as coach any longer and there would be no Patriots way.
Sorry, getting one of the top quarterbacks to play for your team just makes you an instant contender. As great as Brady is, he could not have won the Super Bowl without the coaching of this Bucs staff or the moves of the GM.
Pretty simple in my mind.
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:39 pm
Now extend Brady again before the Season starts…
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:41 pm
Ereck Flowers or J.C. Tretter please
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:50 pm
There should be a reason that nobody picks tretter, more than fair to say……
August 22nd, 2022 at 2:58 pm
No one is doing it better than Licht right now and most certainly not that spiteful, cheatng, little hobbit coach from boston.
August 22nd, 2022 at 3:00 pm
I’m as big of a Winston fan as there is out there, and I think he’s still going to probably play another 10-15 years, but I also said at the time, that if you have a chance to get Brady, you do it. He changes the franchise. Also, watching his tape, he wasn’t washed up, but his supporting cast in New England was terrible, but he still threw with zip, and you knew he was going to be more motivated than ever.
I just wish the Bucs wouldn’t have been so stupid that, once there wasn’t a big market for Winston, they should have tried to resign him as the backup, since even Winston said you can’t be mad at losing your job to the GOAT. If that had happened, you’d have a QB in the pipeline and wouldn’t be wasting a 2nd rounder on Trask, that could have gone into more offensive line depth or getting another corner, etc, and when Brady did retire, or leaves the team, you’d now have a seasoned vet who is still fairly young, and learned from the best, ready to take over.
What was laughed at, at the time, was all the BS rumors that the Bucs were dumping Winston to sign Teddy Bridgewater. That is still one of the dumbest fake news stories I’ve ever read in sports. No one is dumping your 5000+ 33 TD passer for a guy with a noodle arm who is afraid to throw the ball, and putting them in a deep ball offense.
As for Brady, I really don’t think this was a brilliant move. It was an obvious move. The only brillant part was convincing Brady to sign a multi-year deal, and getting him to extend it by a year. The risk for the Bucs side was nearly nothing. If the pick backfires, well, what do you expect, it’s the Buccaneers. If everything goes well – then you’re the smartest guys in football and other teams are raiding your coaching staff… oh wait.
August 22nd, 2022 at 3:18 pm
Jason’s job was on the line
No Brady
No winning seasons
No free agent signings
August 22nd, 2022 at 3:19 pm
I think if they do anything they will wait until cuts tomorrow. Every agent is telling their OL clients the Bucs might be calling.
August 22nd, 2022 at 3:26 pm
As always, Licht’s main strength is plucking offensive lineman, either in the draft, or in free agency. I’m certain that whatever he does is going to work out just fine. That’s literally the one position where everyone, fans, media, players, other GM’s, should defer to Licht, he’s proven he’s at the top of the list in terms of scouting offensive lineman (and he used to be one, which is probably why).
August 22nd, 2022 at 3:36 pm
geno, I don’t think Bill or Brady win six rings without each other. Belichick would be the first to tell you players are more important than coaches. However, two out of the first three Superbowls, were won largely on defense. All Brady had to do was not lose the game. No crappy roster ever wins it all. Bill also had total roster control. The last three were certainly more Brady than Bill. The bucs situation reminds me of Mannings last years in Denver. The broncos were smart enough to realize that Mannings offense was part of the player. It’s obvious that the bucs did the same for Brady. I give BA and Licht credit for that, but to take credit because Brady’s other options fell through, is a little confounding..
August 22nd, 2022 at 3:49 pm
D Rome Brady is a once in a lifetime QB Licht will never get a chance to get another QB of Bradys caliber so might as well develop one like most of the NFL. Enjoy the goat while hes here.
August 22nd, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Oh why not let’s call Josh Freeman back to finish his career here. Dumbernik’s dream.
Seriously, we do as Warren Sapp observed years ago, have some of the dumbest fans to walk upright and take nourishment from a bowl.
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:06 pm
Personally I don’t think Tom had to many opportunities. Well, I guess that’s pretty much the Facts. I get that we got lucky BUT let’s face it, TOM BRADY GOT LUCKY! That’s how I see it. Nobody REALLY wanted him. Nobody. EXCEPT US! I don’t think it’s very cool that he was double dealing on us though I completely understand. I SURE don’t like it but it is a business after all. However it should also be clear that I see him no differently than Suh or any other “mercenary” out there. I won’t buy his jersey because of my view. The truth is I might have picked up a Suh jersey this year if he were here but after the word that Brady was trying to go to so many others before choosing us and the fact that he was double dealing behind the Buccaneers backs while still under contract with us in what sounds like a full blown see ya to me and became MORE THAN CLEAR after watching Arians body language and comments, that he and the org DID catch wind of what Brady was doing behind our teams back with the statement that it would take “6”, count them “6” first round draft picks for him to move on to any other team. It was VERY PIONTED! That tells me that they (the Bucs) were pissed off… And they didn’t appreciate what he was doing behind their backs. ESPECIALLY when NOBODY wanted him anywhere just the year before. Good thing for him and us in 2020 that he truly still had what it took and seems to be that he still does. I think feelings were HURT but again, it’s still a business after all. I suggest he made a seriously bad decision by taking advantage of us and blowing off the opportunity to make better chemistry with the team. ESPECIALLY since it was a NOTHING vacation and not something a bit more serious. Yeah, a mercenary. Top of the line merc but still, just a merc. Everything he has been doing shows (to me) that he’s not really a team guy. Everyone has their feelings and that’s mine. So if he gets hurt, I WON’T get upset for him so much as I will for my team. Also, I don’t believe for a second that his vacation was on the schedule. Not for a second. I believe it was a take it or leave it situation. I hope for all our sakes, his decision to take a vacation at the MOST inappropriate time possible doesn’t get him injured due to no chemistry with this “still undetermined” O line.. Danger Will Robinson! Danger!
Try not to be mad at me for my views. It’s a “business view point” after all. And I simply won’t spend jersy money on a part timer. I want to see him take us all the way again this year! But like him, for my own selfish reasons.
GO BUCS!
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:07 pm
Brady keeps winning. That’s the only way he gets away with this crap. The man almost beat the eventual champions on plain guile. He’s making Brett Farve look selfless. Again, let’s see how they start the season. If it’s 1-3, Brady’s absence will be blamed. Right, wrong or indifferent. If they go 3-1, all will be forgotten and forgiven.
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:14 pm
“Thank goodness Licht and Arians weren’t intoxicated by Jameis Winston’s 33 touchdown passes and 5,109 yards passing in 2019”
The 33 picks sobered them up.
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:27 pm
GOB, you are wrong on two points. First Shanahan was quizzing Brady on situational scenarios and Brady got pissed and used the Atlanta SB as examples because at that time Shanahan was Atlanta’s OC. Shanahan I still bitter about that game, rightfully so. As far as the SB’s I’ll give you St. Louis and Carolina but not the rest. In fact I’ll say Belichick cost them two SB’s the 2nd Philly and losing to Indy, the Indy/Bears SB. The only credit I will give Ariens and Licht is for signing him. Brady definitely said yes to Tampa because of the player talent. I guess they do get some credit for that.
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:36 pm
GOB:
I get your New England perspective and I am not trying to disrespect Bill Belichick. If that is what you read, then it reads wrong.
Bill deserves to be ranked as the best or at worst top 5 all-time NFL coach and of course Arians does not sniff that.
But there sometimes seems to be this other side of the New England bias that comes out with some posters that for some reason that Arians should get very little credit. This is pro football. You do not win a lot without good coaching. So, suggestions that BA and Licht are just lucky do get responses from me every time.
By the way, when you talk in 3rd person about yourself, i.e. “… dont tell GOB…”, it is distracting from your point. It feels like you are protecting that if anyone should disagree that they do not have the importance that you do.
P.S. Arians has been a good coach wherever he has been. Suggesting he get no more credit than realizing that Brady was a top 5 quarterback is just a biased New England perspective IMO. Guys who followed Arians as Bucs coach the year before Brady got here saw the difference he made as a coach.
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:46 pm
“Jameis Winston had more turnovers than a pastry chef…”
Working in a Disney World Restaurant….
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:47 pm
Develope a quarterback first .
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:52 pm
The 33 picks sobered them up….
Couldn’t ignore that. Makes me wonder what the conversations were like Jameis before a game losing pick 6? Maybe something like this?
“Just hit the open man, Jameis. Don’t try to do too much. We don’t have to win this game on one play, Even if we have to punt, the D will have to do their job. Now let’s drive it Jameis….”
“The short man is open… take the short yardage play, Jameis. Jameis… JAMEIS… NOOOOOO….”
August 22nd, 2022 at 5:14 pm
If your coaches philosophy is NO Risk it, No Biscuit! I don’t care who the QB is, the more you fling it downfield the more susceptible you are to the int. If your QB struggles with that then you change the QB or change the philosophy. BA chose.the QB. Here’s a question, what if Brady says No Thanks, dies he stick with Winsten?
August 22nd, 2022 at 5:43 pm
Call me after the Dallas Game.
August 22nd, 2022 at 5:50 pm
@Oneilbuc
Ever hear the old proverb, “You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken excrement”? The problem isn’t the development of a draftee, but rather who they drafted.
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:12 pm
Pretty sure he had interest in the Saints too, but Brees told him he was playing 1 more season.
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:14 pm
Man, those guys drink a lot. I drink too much too. I’m way older than Jason and younger than Bruce, but it’s amazing what exercise can do to keep you in good shape!
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:15 pm
After lovie goes 0-16 arians will be headed to houston!
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:40 pm
Winston burned it to the ground.
He ripped everyone’s heart out as a Bucs fan.
They knew his numbers were not representative of quality.
5 years of garbage was not ever getting resigned.
That said, Brady to the Bucs entitles BA a look at the HOF.
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:43 pm
Alvan… I think these guys are probably wired pretty tight. That is probably part of why they got where they did. And they probably attack a plate of food like they do the NFL draft or game plan.
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:45 pm
EEK… the big question mark with Winston is, was the last year and some games before his injury, indicative of a real change? Or was it because Payton was on his backside and Brees was in his ear? Time will tell.
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:01 pm
I’d short on Winston in NOLA.
Sadly we Bucs fans were telling ourselves “wait and see” for long enough for our heads to explode.
The pick 6 on his last pass as a Buc was the best thing that ever happened to this franchise. Eliminating any possibility of Winston getting resigned.
I still get nauseated seeing Winston stare down the D and throw that terrible pick.
The season was lost 2 months earlier and Winston was racking up numbers and making some people forget his pattern or inconsistency.
I expect Winston to set the Saints back too. Good for the Bucs.
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:23 pm
So why did BA continue to play him???
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:06 pm
Listn, I don’t think I misrepresented Brady and KSs meeting. I think I basically said the same thing as you did. Bill certainly deserves blame for the Butler benching, and 06, when Brady was outgunned. I’ll take 20 years and six rings though.
geno, certainly I come at this with some bias. Your comments about Belichick are fair. A hell of a lot more fair than most people here. Here’s my problem. Giving people credit for Brady basically falling into their collective laps. That’d be like giving credit to the couple that won the Powerball. I think the jury is still out on Licht. He’s a competent GM, but let’s see how the Brady effected picks turn out. It’s easy to draft in the top 15 every year. I simply disagree about BA. Unless you consider 7-9 culture change.
The GOB stuff is just a joke. In no way is it meant to be anything more than that. If it offends, I apologize and will use it less. You have GOBs word.
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:26 pm
Licht and BA were smart enough to make a deal with Brady. For that they get major kudos . However, we have seen a lot of wasted draft Picks by Licht and BA unnecessarily ran off AB, which cost us a Super Bowl last year . So overall slightly above average. Once Brady is gone this is back to being a 7-8 win team.
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:57 pm
It is worth stating… that the damn reason the GOAT Tom Brady was even interested in COMING to TAMPA BAY….
…. was because of the roster that was in place…
… which was built by Jason Light & staff.
I know we were all ready to run him off a couple of years ago,
but facts are facts.
August 22nd, 2022 at 10:23 pm
Brilliantly going to get our a$$ets kicked if we dont get this O-line situation resolved…and I mean stat!
Yall know I dont play around when I see stuff, and I was predicting 1-4, maybe 2-4 then we turn things around… now I dont know, 0-4 start and its gonna suck…dont kill the messenger….
Just go get Tretter already to give us somewhat of a chance!
August 23rd, 2022 at 12:06 am
BA should still be head coach. With all the injury turmoil and drama, he probably feels that way too. Todd is already gasping for breath. The idea to set Todd up with a great roster has some serious soft spots in it.
August 23rd, 2022 at 12:31 am
I love hearing all these teams that decided no add Brady. Even though he knows about it, as it comes out and becomes public it’s just more fuel! We all know, just like with MJ, the tiniest perceived slight fuels his competitive nature
August 23rd, 2022 at 8:05 am
Lmao..
Hindsight 2020. Brady made the best choice based on roster , warm weather , natural grass, and his wife in a bikini every day.
The botched SF and LV options show how difficult the decision is.. to flip out your young QB for a 42 year old.. shanahan is the dumbest tho. Brady to go play in his hometown with a superbowl roster… what a great story. Kyle pooped his pants.
Licht gets credit for the roster. Brucee much less since he ended up undoing part of it.. and got properly dismissed.
August 23rd, 2022 at 6:20 pm
IMO, the O line will be fine, perphaps unbelievable by playoff time. Start slow, loose a couple perhaps, then it all comes together! BAM! The rookie is a beast!