Jason Licht On Re-Signing Jamel Dean
March 16th, 2023
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
So yesterday, Monday’s news became official. The Bucs secured their best free agent.
With the Bucs so underwater with the salary cap, Joe had no idea how Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was going pull off keeping cornerback Jamel Deal. Surely if he found a way to keep Dean, then it would be a farewell to franchise icon Lavonte David, also a free agent.
Instead, Licht worked cap voodoo and found a way to retain both. Licht, in a team-issued statement last night, admitted it helped that Dean, who grew up on the Space Coast, wanted to stay with the Bucs.
“It has been great seeing Jamel’s growth as a player these past four seasons,” Licht said. “Keeping him was a top priority for us and it worked out well that he also had a strong desire to stay here.
“Anytime you draft a player who meets and exceeds your expectations, you want to do all you can to ensure he remains a part of the organization. … We think he is only going to continue ascending as a football player and will continue to play a big role in our defensive success over the coming seasons.”
Joe believes Dean last year elevated himself to one of the league’s best corners. NextGen Stats showed Dean gave up the fifth-fewest passing yards allowed for cornerbacks who were either targeted by an opposing quarterback, or who were the nearest defender to a targeted receiver.
You can’t let a guy go who is entering his athletic prime at 26 unless you have someone of equal or greater value ready to take over in his place.
And Licht didn’t let Dean go.
March 16th, 2023 at 12:11 am
Rockstar Jason Licht.
Not Mark Dumbonik.
March 16th, 2023 at 12:12 am
This is great work by Licht… Winfield is next. Yeah, we’re overpaying for Davis but these are drafted guys who’ve grown and won together. The defense will be the identity of the team next year and Licht has built this thing pretty well through the draft.
I’m still on the fence with Bowles, but I do trust Licht and I think he’s putting all his money and this team on the back of his defense. We’ll see.
March 16th, 2023 at 12:14 am
Draft a stud safety and our Secondary is lethal
March 16th, 2023 at 12:21 am
QB — if we could sneak in another Whitehead type in the 4th round that would satisfy your condition.
Licht seems to have a knack for the secondary.
3/4 outside LBs, not so much.
March 16th, 2023 at 12:58 am
Dean did turn it on last season. If we had a pass rush this could a damn good defense
March 16th, 2023 at 1:27 am
Sorry to crash the party, but Im meh on it. He’s familiar with the D and we needed a CB so…why not
I mean its nice, we drafted him…
But the bigger question is WHERE IS OUR NEW DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR!?!
I mean dont get me wrong, im a fan of Bowles as a DC but he IS Head Coach now and very challenged! Can we get him a DC so he can operate with a little more room as HC? Is that asking too much?
March 16th, 2023 at 1:30 am
We need pass rush!! Glad we kept dean tho. He’s our best corner.
March 16th, 2023 at 1:31 am
…and of course im in moderation again….jeeze
March 16th, 2023 at 1:37 am
Always preferred Dean to Davis
March 16th, 2023 at 1:56 am
Goatfarmer, I have a challenge for you: See if you can post 3 relevant posts in a row that have nothing negative in them. It sure would be a welcome change and you sometimes have interesting things to say but usually spoil them.
March 16th, 2023 at 2:26 am
I’m excited and hope we get that safety from Florida State
March 16th, 2023 at 6:24 am
This is a forward thinking move by Licht to sign Dean. Thanks to Logan Ryan we
now know that Dean was putting in the extra work in the film room to earn this new contract. That’s one of the things made Ronde Barber great.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:02 am
Licht … “Keeping him was a top priority for us and it worked out well that he also had a strong desire to stay here.”
Jamel Dean’s listed Market Value was $16.5 mil this season. He signed for $13 mil per season (4 years) which was a huge ‘home team discount’. THAT says a LOT more about Jamel’s ‘strong desire to stay here’ than it does about JL’s negotiating prowess.
So WHY did he want to remain a Buc so badly that he’d give up $3.5 mil a year ($14 mil over 4 years) to do so? It’s not like the Bucs are a dynasty or anything? Does anyone really believe he would’ve done so unless he thought the world of his DC, Todd Bowles, and his other defensive coaches? Or that he would’ve done so unless he thought the world of his teammates, especially on defense? Or especially unless he believes that this team can return to its’ Super Bowl form?
Gut feel is that Jamel really believes in what Todd Bowles is trying to ‘rebuild’ here, and he was willing to fore-go several mil a year to to back that belief. I think it’s the same reasons that Lavonte re-signed for $7 mil instead of his $10 mil per year Market Value. But ya, let’s everyone give Licht all the kudos and continue to badmouth Bowles for being such a dinosaur. What we just saw with Jamel & Lavonte is very rare in today’s NFL BUSINESS.
And MadMax, I agree with you BTW. Todd Bowles needs to designate ‘someone’ as his DC. Not just in name only (like some HCs do), but as his real DC. I still suspect that’s why they signed George Edwards to the defensive staff (tremendous resume), and are just waiting to see how he ‘fits’ with all of this (he does have a 4-3 as opposed to 3-4 background). Time will tell I guess.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:18 am
Let’s all be 100% honest here….Dean isn’t no game changing player……
If that was the case, then he would’ve had suitors lining up to give him top CB money for atlease 60-70 mil……he didn’t get that……his agent threw feelers out on the open market found the same exact offering the Bucs offered him.
GM Licht did not offer Dean more than what he’s worth either……..and Dean and his agent knows this.
So people need stop kidding themselves if they think we retained this game changing stud of a CB……..he is definitely not that at all.
He’s now had a history of injuries that is always keeping him outta few games from the past few seasons….he doesn’t do well against top receivers…..he’s more of a hitter than a cover corner…………he’s serviceable at best.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:21 am
I am so glad that did away with the salary cap.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:21 am
@ MadMax
There ain’t gonna be a new DC…..they will do the same thing they did last season bruh……there was never any chatter of a new DC anyways.
I wanna know who’s going to be the secondary coach???????
March 16th, 2023 at 9:09 am
@DR
Like you I agree that Dean could have went elsewhere, but he chose to stay for any and all of the reasons you mentioned. He has worked hard to improve his game and encouragement from Bowles and other teammates could be a big part of it. It was an unselfish decision, IMO. He holds his own on his side of the line.
Its hard to compare our two top corners because each has some different
responsibilities in each contest. Adapting to the skillset of your opponent of the
week has everything to do with good film study. Is it possible Davis is targeted
more because Right handed QB’s favor throwing to their right and middle of the field
March 16th, 2023 at 11:38 am
Where are you Dean haters now ?
Sticking to my guns, Melvin is the real deal, a great corner that will only get better
35
Go Bucs
March 16th, 2023 at 2:04 pm
Crickett Baker, how about this – Toad the Bloweszo is really good at standing on the sidelines, dialing up coverages that his players are sure to bust.
Nothing but positivity, girl!