Jason Licht: Bucs Are A Better Team Already
April 2nd, 2024
“You heard me, Glazer.”
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht has been throwing uppercuts this offseason without mixing in too many jabs.
Licht is a confident cat and he’s unhappy about how so many media clowns outside Tampa aren’t hot for his team.
The 2024 NFL Draft? Licht is excited about adding players and improving his club, of course. But heck, Licht thinks the team already is better than the one that walked off the field in Detroit 10 weeks ago.
“Of course, there are some positions that may be a little bit more higher priority, and I think everybody kind of knows what those are,” Licht told WDAE radio host Tom Krasniqi of the Bucs’ draft approach. “But, like you said, we could line up and play right now. And I think we’d be better than what we were last year already. But you don’t want to handicap yourself knowing that you are going to force yourself to take a certain position, so I don’t think we’re going to do that.”
Joe agrees with Licht after the ousting Devin White the addition of Jordan Whitehead and various depth moves. But Joe can’t say the Bucs are significantly better than the 10-win team they were.
If Licht nails another draft class like he did a year ago, watch out for the 2024 Bucs.
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:01 pm
He’s delusional. How are we better? Whitehead is a definite improvement, but you’re down a corner, two linebackers and a 3 receiver. Otherwise stagnant.
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:06 pm
And no pass rush #!!
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:18 pm
Pass Rush will solve all and is the most Critical area of improvement still for them to go further this next year. Pass Rush.
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:20 pm
Yes the team is better than last year for sure. We’ve improved at safety and ever so slightly on the offensive line. The loss of Shaq is really only a loss of depth. Joe Tryon had more sacks than Shaq last year. But the real difference is going to be the amount of players who make a big jump from year 1 to year 2. I fully expect to add two starters in the draft and a few more depth pieces. Plus I don’t think we are done in free agency either.
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:22 pm
Licht has been able to keep us competitive while rebuilding. That to me makes him a superstar! There have only been a couple of teams in recent history that have been able to avoid the dreaded 4-6 win rebuild and now the Bucs seem to be one of them.
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:32 pm
God bless Licht! God bless JTS, Zy McCollum, and that #26 draft pick. And most importantly, God Bless the Bucs of Tampa Bay!!!
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:40 pm
So much negativity..enjoy our team not being awful every year. The pre-adolescent me had no idea what winning was 😎🏴☠️
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:40 pm
Last year & previous years Jason didn’t talk this much & now he’s trying to win the ‘press’ but the battle is out on the field in the Fall not in April
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:49 pm
@Cleanhouse.
They are better. They retained the FA that they needed too, added corner depth, and upgraded heavily at SS. They still have the draft and the 3rd wave of FA after the draft. This team is definitely better even if you cant see it. Far from stagnant.
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:50 pm
Its addition by subtraction and playing your best football at the end of the season. The guys we moved on from were not producing and taking snaps from younger players that need them. This team has a competitive streak and found ways to win. Todd Bowles snatched his career from the jaws of defeat and managed to win back to back division titles and a playoff game. When you play the underdog for so long, then enjoy success, maybe you just gotta roll with it.
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Hey Joe,
Did you finally nix that annoying ad on the first click?
I haven’t encountered it in a few days.
If so, thank you very much.
April 2nd, 2024 at 3:59 pm
Doosh: ditto.
April 2nd, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Now’s not the time to smell your own farts even though all of the GM’s do it. No team in the NFL thinks they are getting worse in the offseason lol.
He needs to be focused on how we can win a SB with this team and right now I doubt he thinks he’s done enough from a talent perspective.
April 2nd, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Addition by subtraction is a truth. Also, the team was “starting” to gel at the end of the further development of rookies and varsity guys Will take a step forward.
Adding Whitehead will have a bigger impact than we even realize, new editions so far are a push in my view.
I don’t think he’s done bringing in more help before thr draft either. He may just have a welcome surprise or two up his sleeve still as well. We’ll see.
I have more confidence in his drafting abilities than ever and we are almost perfectly young when and where we need to be.
At least we know that JL will be in the locker room banging the “respect/ disrespect” drums Personally. All preseason long!
April 2nd, 2024 at 4:16 pm
Ask me if we’re a better team a month from now. Asking the question now is like asking if the Bucs will win in the last 2 minutes of the game at half time. You may be up by 20 or down by 20 with 2 minutes left. You may not even get the ball in the last 2 minutes.
Let’s wait until after the draft, after we see UFAs and the next wave of FA before making an evaluation on if the Bucs appear to be a better team (and by how much).
April 2nd, 2024 at 4:16 pm
We should take a flyer on Chandler Jones!! I know he’s not playing with a full deck!! But really a nice veteran with some gas left?? Go Bucs…
April 2nd, 2024 at 5:03 pm
I think Logan Hall is gonna do something this year
April 2nd, 2024 at 5:24 pm
For the life of me I can’t figure out why everyone seems to be focusing on the Bucs’ DEFENSE. I mean we did finish the year with the #7 defense, only allowing 325 points, the least allowed since 2008. We lost Shaq, we lost White, we lost Davis, we lost Neal (big whup there). We gained Whitehead, we gained Tavierre Thomas, we gained Bryce Hall, we re-signed a bunch of key defenders to include LVD, Antoine Winfield & Greg Gaines. We’ve got talent ready to move up, we’ve got a LOT of continuity AND … we still have the draft in front of us. Call me naive, but I’m thinking that our defense will be fine by the time that Game 1 rolls around.
Our Special Teams will be fine also. Jake Camarda set the world on fire with his punting, and Chase McLaughlin had the best kicking percentage in the NFL. They’re both money in the bank.
Can’t say that I feel the same way about our offense. I see several areas where we will HOPEFULLY improve in 2024:
1 – OLine: Center & Left Guard specifically. Even without the draft, we’ve got 3 guys who SHOULD contend for a starting slot there: Hainsey, Opeta & Bredeson. But my real HOPE is that we address at least 1 of those 2 positions high in the draft. We’ve simply got to improve our run blocking this year.
2 – RB: Bucs only scored 8 TDs rushing the ball in 2023 (Rachaad got 6 of those, Baker got 1 & CG14 got 1). We need to do a LOT better than that in 2024 to compete with the big boys, and it’ll take better run blocking AND a power back to make that happen IMO. We NEED to draft a beastly RB to complement Rachaad, and preferably in the first 3 Rnds.
3 – WR3: I like Trey Palmer a lot in terms of POTENTIAL, but his 2023 numbers were underwhelming IMO (718 offensive snaps, 68 targets, 39 receptions for 57.4% catch rate with 385 yards & 3 TDs). That’s not a great production IMO for a player who was on the field for 2/3rds of our offensive snaps. Do like his speed though, and I think that helps ME13 & CG14 in several ways.
4 – TE: Cade Otton played fine, but more like a #2 TE than a #1. Cade was on the field for a ridiculous 1064 offensive snaps (97%), isn’t considered to be a great blocker, but his production was similar to what we got out of Palmer (67 targets, 47 catches for a 70.1% catch rate with 455 yards & 4 TDs). Payne Durham either needs to step up or we need to draft another TE, preferably one who can put defenders on their butts.
April 2nd, 2024 at 5:27 pm
Clean house- who is the 2nd LB – Shaq, ok almost forgot about him. We lost depth at LB and CB but McCollum was basically a starter already with those other guys missing time nonstop. White wasn’t a starter by the end. The lost depth of Davis is replaced somewhere with the 3rd round pick. I would say the OL is currently better than it was and more help likely on the way. Shaq will be replaced in draft.
I mean I wouldn’t say it’s much better right now but have to believe it’s currently set up to be better and will be after the draft. Safety and IOL are upgraded… lost depth at CB LB and OLB. Palmer was already the #3 in my opinion. Gage wasn’t out there and Moore wasn’t used any more than Palmer. Get a C, OLB, CB and WR with the first 4 picks and assuming they aren’t useless busts we have an upgraded OL, Secondary and WR room. Linebackers and OLB depth is weak but we have “starters” in place.
April 2nd, 2024 at 5:44 pm
SO MUCH BETTER ALREADY
The Bucs had the 32nd Ranked Rushing & 19th Ranked Offense.
Swapping Canales for Coen is a massive upgrade.
Ryan Neal lost the Bucs several games.
Whitehead is a massive upgrade.
Devin White was hot garbage and a headcase.
Removing him altogether is a massive upgrade.
Wirfs (new position), Goedeke (position), Yaya, CK, Mauch, Mayfield.
2nd year in Bucs system. They’ll all improve.
7 draft picks. $10M in cap. The offseason isn’t over. Bucs NFCS 4-Peat is Loading.
April 2nd, 2024 at 6:08 pm
Can only say the team upgraded at S & OC…But stayed talent stagnate elsewhere, IMO.
Losing Shaq, Davis, Gholston & White is a wash to me…Keeping Baker, Evans, Whitehead, LVD & McLaughlin is a wash, as well…Can’t say the team is better or worse yet, not until we see what happens between now & roster set date.
Need to see how the chips fall in the draft & how those picks look in camp/preseason settings before making any judgement calls…But 100% believe draft resources need distributed among OLB-Edge, ILB, 3-4 DE, CB, RB, WR & IOL.
Would not be opposed to Licht dealing out of Day 1 all together for more DAY 2/3 draft capitol to spread the $10M in rookie cap space across more position groups & stock the cupboards with added depth pieces… Competition breeds excellence.
April 2nd, 2024 at 6:08 pm
I’m not so sure we’ve gotten “better.”. Whitehead is a nice acquisition, though. Those two IOLs are more just replacements than upgrades. I don’t think the two corners we signed are more than JAGs. I expect the rookies will be better. I’m especially looking forward to seeing Kansey and Diaby. I think Rodriguez and Watts will be better too. As to who we ought to draft? Damifiknow. I’ll let Jason handle the alka-seltzer parts. I just know I’d rather take a good player I may not need immediately than a mediocre player at a need spot…up to a point.
April 2nd, 2024 at 7:11 pm
Jason Lichts over confidence in the OLine cost Tom Brady his last season.
His only losing season.
Lets not repeat history, shall we Jason.
Get some damn Olinemen in pewter and red
April 2nd, 2024 at 7:40 pm
agreed capt Tim
April 2nd, 2024 at 8:39 pm
I think they like the 2 guards they signed better than what they had last year. They improved safety, added versatility and depth at CB. And they’re counting on a continued upward trend for some of their young players. I don’t think he’s delusional. I also think they upgraded the offensive coaching staff. So I think he’s optimistic and not unrealistic in that statement. Losing Devin White is nothing. Carlton Davis was hurt too often. Shaq was ineffective as a pass rusher. So, it remains to be seen how much progress last year’s rookie class makes this year, but I definitely could see why he feels they’re in better shape right now.
April 2nd, 2024 at 8:47 pm
They are young and improving!
April 3rd, 2024 at 7:05 am
So many future nfl GM’s here nfl owners are missing the boat obviously
April 3rd, 2024 at 8:41 am
Not going to try and be a scout or draft expert with my comments (I think we have enough Licht wannabes here already 😂)
Regardless, it doesn’t take a genius to see what’s needed on offense – G/C, a 3rd WR and a RB that can hammer the ball up the middle and can influence DB’s into making “sudden business decisions” at tackling time.
On the D, we seriously need a drastically improved pass rush. There are no Bosas, Watts or Khalil Mack clones on the team, on the free agent list or in the draft. That means we need to obtain the best veteran available, whether by trade or what’s left in the free agent market, and then draft the best available in the draft in the 2nd round.
In the 2nd round? Huh? What?
It’s going to take time to improve the pass rush regardless of who is signed, traded for and/or drafted. This means that the secondary is going to have to step up.
This also means that we need to use the 1st round pick on a stud CB. My wish is that Cooper Dejean is still available and we get him
Seriously. Go watch his highlights. If he’s still available at 26 then he’s the best player available. He is smart, fast, smooth and tough as hell. He can also return punts and would not just make the secondary better, but the overall D and the team as well.
That’s just my “non GM/scout/Draft expert opinion this morning.
April 3rd, 2024 at 9:20 am
We definitely got better at the safety position with Whitehead coming back with Winfield, best safety duo in the league imo. Davis misses too many games and Zyon will probably have a really good year 3, plus I think Bryce hall will be good with this defense. Shaq is the only real loss and he just wasn’t productive enough for his salary. We will get another edge rusher and address the oline in the draft, so we will be better after the draft as long as these guys pick up where they left off
April 3rd, 2024 at 9:56 am
@JeremyBucNH
I couldn’t have said it better myself.. some fans don’t know or remember the years when the Bucs were a laughing stock. I’m staying positive and in Licht I trust 😏👍
April 3rd, 2024 at 2:49 pm
No pass rush ??? Bucs were top ten in sacks last year . Young players know what to expect now . I agree with Licht .