“We’re Not Done Yet”
March 12th, 2014
Bucs GM Jason Licht discusses the decision to release all-world cornerback Darrelle Revis.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht spoke with the Bucs pen and mic club today following the introductory press conference for the newest Buccaneers. Licht discussed how the signings came about and he made a clear connection to the contract of all-world cornerback Darrelle Revis.
Revis’ departure “has nothing to do with the system,” Licht said. “It had nothing to do with the system. You saw the four (new Bucs) here, and you saw the transaction adding the new quarterback. We are not done yet. We wouldn’t have been able to have done [added the free agents] if certain transactions had happened.”
The vague reference to a transaction that was not executed was keeping Revis. In short, Licht said slicing Revis’s $16 million annual salary off the books gave him the luxury of bolstering the roster of the 4-12 Bucs.
“We have all the respect in the world for Darrelle,” Licht said. “He’s a very good player and we wish him the best. He will continue to be a very good player.
“We exhausted all avenues. We just came up empty.”
Licht described his relationship with Team Revis as “amicable … but not amicable enough” in order to keep Revis with a salary that the Bucs could work with.
“They made the best decision for Darrelle and we think we made the best decision for the Buccaneers.”
Licht also said it was “safe to say” one or more of the new Bucs would not be under the employ of Team Glazer had the Bucs elected to keep Revis.
To hear Licht’s full chat, click the orange button below courtesy of Joe’s good friends at WDAE-AM 620.
March 12th, 2014 at 6:43 pm
Yeah one of the players would be missing, the darn CB we just signed perhaps?
March 12th, 2014 at 6:43 pm
Not done yet? Oooooooooh boy what other goodies are you guys going to bring us?
March 12th, 2014 at 6:45 pm
Emmanuel Sanders is visiting the Bucs
March 12th, 2014 at 6:47 pm
Sanders would be an interesting pick up
March 12th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
Nice my boy Manny – he’d be a perfect complement at WR.
March 12th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
My vote is for Edelman. He helps in the return game as well as giving us the slot receiver we need
March 12th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
I love all these signings too, but just remember that games aren’t won in March. Very rarely does a team with a bunch of free agents become successful. I hope we buck that trend, but just keep that in mind.
March 12th, 2014 at 6:51 pm
Always be wary of receivers that perform well under an elite QB. An elite QB tends to make guys look a lot better than what they really are.
March 12th, 2014 at 6:54 pm
I watched Sanders at SMU and he spent 4 years without an elite QB, dude is the truth.
March 12th, 2014 at 6:55 pm
I’m still amazed we couldn’t get ANYTHING for the best corner in the game.
March 12th, 2014 at 6:58 pm
We couldn’t get anything for Revis because he wouldn’t come down even $1 on his currently salary in order to facilitate a trade, and no other team in the league wanted to pay him $16 million. Pretty simple.
March 12th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
@Hawaiian – I’d normally agree but he excelled in the return game as well and that had less to do with the QB and more to do with his speed in space
March 12th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
Best corner in the game, but with the biggest contract. Dominik left the Bucs with an albatros that no team wanted to touch.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:01 pm
Sanders would be an interesting piece…I just don’t want those two linemen slipping away. I really want to get Collins and Dietrich smith
March 12th, 2014 at 7:02 pm
I would be much more wary of someone like Eric Decker, he was a total product of Manning. I think Sanders is pretty legit #2 / slot guy.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:02 pm
And another CB would be really helpful
March 12th, 2014 at 7:05 pm
@Patrick in VA,
Legarette Blount also had huge success in the kicking return game for the Patriots, and I wouldn’t exactly qualify him as having speed in space. You have to remember, they have 10 guys blocking for them as well. Also, a couple busts in coverage can really pad those stats.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
@FireLovieSmith
Based on your name, you are a [Take is easy! — Joe] ignorant tool.
Go crawl back under the negative rock you live under.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:17 pm
Sorry Joe.
I am only stating what you are thinking, but cant say. My tolerance gland is in need of some vitamins or something. All this positive activity and some tool wants to fire the coach already. Gimme a break.
I will Take Is Easy. My bad.
Lol
March 12th, 2014 at 7:18 pm
Hope we make a deal with Evan Dietrich Smith. He can play center or gaurd like Zuttah. That would give us depth and versatility on the O line.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:23 pm
Anzac Buc…somebody had to do it.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
Elite qb? We have just signed josh can’t get more elite
March 12th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
The KC Chiefs made quite a few pickups last year and we’re pretty good.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:49 pm
@Anzac Buc, if you think I’m wrong say so, don’t just throw personal insults.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:50 pm
And I’m just upset that we’re throwing away arguably the best player on our team.
March 12th, 2014 at 8:51 pm
What do you bet we end up closer to 20 million under the cap than 10?
And spare the “money doesn’t buy championships” line either. Money equals players, and we never spend to the edge of the cap. And we never win.
March 12th, 2014 at 9:03 pm
Firelovie… Revis wasn’t even close to the best player on our team. McCoy and David had FAR superior years and there is no guarantee that Revis, who said he was never at 100%, will ever be. He said he was 100% at the Pro Bowl but you have to take that with a grain of salt, that was probably more a statement to the new Bucs regime stating he was healthy enough.. to get paid.
Quick quiz, how many Pro Bowl CBs have torn their ACLs and came back anything less than a shadow of their former selves?
Revis sure didn’t prove he was healthy… the long TD to Mike Wallace against the Dolphins, the long TD to Ted “Freaking” Ginn against the Panthers, the total crap display of shutdown CB he displayed against New Orleans in week 17 (he should’ve been healthy then too). Revis is still good, but there’s serious doubt he’ll ever be great again… he certainly wasn’t great this past season and judging from the boatload of CBs that never made it all the way back from torn ACLs, it’s reasonable to believe he won’t be great ever again… and certainly not worth of $16 millon.
March 12th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
If we can afford Edelman, he is the perfect slot receiver…not exactly speed in space, but he gets open and catches the ball.
Sanders is a different breed, small but very fast. He would offer us the receiver to take the top off the defense… I’m not sold on him really, but like most of the Bucs recently signed, his best football could still be ahead of him.
March 12th, 2014 at 11:49 pm
Miles Austin? I’d take him at the right price.