It’s Not About The Stats
April 14th, 2023
Joe swears he didn’t try to set up Jason Licht.
The Bucs’ AC/DC-loving general manager yesterday had his annual pre-draft press conference and, obviously, Licht would not show his hand on what he plans to do in less than two weeks when the draft kicks off.
With Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett’s status up in the air coming off an Achilles injury and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka not yet having turned the corner, Joe wonders if the Bucs might draft an edge rusher. Again.
When Joe asked Licht a pass rusher question, Licht chuckled. He knows Joe has a hangup about sacks. So Joe asked Licht what he considers a good rookie year for a pass rusher? Most rookie pass rushers have little impact.
Joe was actually looking for a number. But Licht wouldn’t go there. He said it’s not always about stats.
“Helping us win games, playing hard, playing well, affecting the quarterback [and] helping us play good defense,” is how Licht described a solid rookie season from a pass rusher. “Sometimes it’s not in the stats. A lot of people want to relate it to the stats, but it’s not always in the stats.”
Maybe Licht thought Joe would use whatever number he might have offered to go after Tryon-Shoyinka and Logan Hall. Not so. Every fan knows the Bucs need more than four sacks from JTS. And we all know Hall simply didn’t show up last year (even if he did tie for fourth on the team in quarterback hits). Way too early to throw in the towel on him.
Regardless, the Bucs need more sack production from JTS and Hall if they plan to compete for a division title this fall. It’s no more complex than that.
April 14th, 2023 at 8:29 am
I saw this quote from Anthony Richardson, Quarterback from Florida – pay attention JOE.
“Watching Kyle Trask helped my game a lot,” he said. “One of the best things I learned from watching him is, if you know your offense like the back of your hand, it’s easy to expose another defense. All you have to do is learn their tendencies and exploit them. Kyle knows almost every protection check, every route. And it clicked for me like, OK, that’s why it’s so easy for him to pick apart a defense. Seeing how easy it was for him to communicate with Coach Mullen, and Kyle knowing almost as much as Coach, it was like, This is probably why that guy is so good. So I just tried to implement that in my game, and add a little flavor to it whenever I’m on the field.”
April 14th, 2023 at 8:36 am
Lets go out and select the best at a position……even if it’s a S, RB, TE.
Ho more of these question marks with our first picks……JTS, Hall.
April 14th, 2023 at 8:40 am
Jason and his team have definitely had a history of selecting some slam dunks – Evans/Wirf/Winfield
But also a lot of projection picks too high like Hall, JTS –
I believe picks 1-3 should always be as safe as possible based on production not projections
Let the late rounds picks turn into gems
Build your core with proven producers
April 14th, 2023 at 8:43 am
Who are the position coaches who are supposed to coach up JTS and Logan Hall?
Maybe he (or she) needs more help? What Vet is there to help mentor these young players? Losing JPP, Suh, Hicks to the whirlpool all year and Shaq Barrett to injury, you have to wonder who is setting the example for these young linemen.
April 14th, 2023 at 9:19 am
It’s not about the stats if he is taking 2 to 3 blockers and freeing up others, which he is not.
April 14th, 2023 at 9:38 am
What 80forBrady said. Is JTS working with a coach or at a camp during the offseason? If not, why not? He has to improve or he’s a career backup.
April 14th, 2023 at 9:40 am
Well I feel Licht’s draft weakness is edge rushers and running backs. Other than that I feel I trust his picks early, but after the fourth or fifth rounds players don’t often stick even for special teams. I would not say he is 17th best GM either, that is highly irresponsible as a reporter, I now have to question everything that dude says.
April 14th, 2023 at 9:45 am
The problem always is reaching for players. Do you take the fourth or fifth best Defensive end or do you take the best player available at any position. Besides kicker of course.
April 14th, 2023 at 10:07 am
No idea if he is doing that or not. He did after his rookie year. He stayed in town and actually went to a pass rushing camp for NFL players at Michigan State.
April 14th, 2023 at 10:23 am
@ TBBF
“Ho more of these question marks with our first picks……JTS, Hall.”
Picking at #19 should help a little bit… JTS was the last pick in rnd #1 and Hall was the first pick in rnd #2.
I wouldn’t mind drafting BPA at #19 but we still need an OT. Licht might have his eye on a few lineman that might fall to us at pick #50 – but we still need a starting LT – I’m not 100% confident in M. Feiler starting at LT/RT.
April 14th, 2023 at 10:37 am
Licht gave the correct answer. It ISN’T just about a sack number. He’s also not in the business of assisting JBF or other outlets in setting up the criteria for being intolerant about rookie performance. You guys excel at being unreasonable already.
April 14th, 2023 at 10:49 am
Best available, hopefully it’s a lineman, offensive or defensive, or a linebacker, inside or outside, or a corner..need someone to play nickel.
April 14th, 2023 at 11:05 am
Sacklust 🤣🤣🤣
April 14th, 2023 at 11:05 am
STATS ARE FOR LOSERS (& FANTASY PLAYERS)
Example: Vea collapses the pocket, takes on double teams, and opens the door for other rushers. His impact is enormous (no pun) but it doesn’t show up in stats.
Vea and Hicks were 5-2 in the regular season. “They help us win games.”
April 14th, 2023 at 11:54 am
Jason spells it out. Win games, everything else is fluff and excuses for losing.
April 14th, 2023 at 1:01 pm
Agree with best player available with every single pick. It’s not rocket science.
April 14th, 2023 at 1:43 pm
NFL POWER RANKINGS
# 17) Jason Licht, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seems like the JL loving Joe-Joes think way to much of the Bucs GM. JL is on the bottom half (and way over ranked).
April 14th, 2023 at 1:45 pm
Oh yeah, that’s #17 out of 24 GMs BTW. That puts him ahead of only 29% of other GMs. They only ranked 24 GMs because they needed to have at least 2 drafts.
April 14th, 2023 at 1:46 pm
NFL POWER RANKINGS
# 17 or 24) Jason Licht, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seems like the JL loving Joe-Joes think way to much of the Bucs GM. JL is on the bottom half (and way over ranked).
April 14th, 2023 at 1:48 pm
What’s wrong JOES-JOES. Why do you delete comments that are TRUE. The JL at #17 of 24 came from nfl.com. Get off you high high horse and stop changing the news. If no one cusses or is harrasing anyone, why would you do that? Please help me understand before we escalate this.
April 14th, 2023 at 1:51 pm
You have me email address. Let me know why you delete people’s comments. JL is the worst GM in the league. Just because you are friends you shouldn’t delete comments from nfl.com that says he sucks. You are just making yourslef look bad. Let me know why you do that.
April 14th, 2023 at 2:52 pm
They don’t delete comments unless they’re egregious. Joe uses canned moderation software and the oddest things set it off. Happens to me once or twice a week. Wait an hour or two, he’ll notice it and let it post
April 14th, 2023 at 3:13 pm
Thank you Beej.
April 14th, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Allen Lofton – they are totally going to drop the ball on Trask. He will go elsewhere and become a star in the league. It will define Licht’s and Bowles career and be yet another scar on this franchise’s inability to draft and develop great players – QB in particular.
The two eras they successfully drafted and developed players led to the two super bowls on the shelf. It’s pretty obvious how important drafting is.
April 14th, 2023 at 4:20 pm
LOL Joe, my comment right there got modded
April 14th, 2023 at 6:00 pm
Trask will be a good-possibly great QB in this league. Whether it is in Tampa or elsewhere is tbd
April 15th, 2023 at 12:38 am
Dumbo needs to be medded. Thorazine. Lots of it.