Jason Licht On Jameis Winston Commanding The Offense: “He’s Running It As If He’s Been Here A Couple Of Years Already”
May 30th, 2015
Yes, Joe’s jacked up for the Tampa Bay Lightning. But for Joe, nothing right now can top fresh, amazing news on America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston.
Jameis Winston’s first month as a Buccaneer is nearly in the books, and general manager Jason Licht painted a picture yesterday of a rookie acting — and playing — like a quality veteran winning over his teammates quickly.
“He’s really crisp,” Licht told NBC Sports Radio. “He doesn’t look like a deer in the headlights like most rookie quarterbacks would. He’s got a great sense of our offense already. He’s running it as if he’s been here a couple of years already.
“He’s way ahead of the curve and he’s everything we expected. And we couldn’t be more excited about what he’s shown us so far.”
Earlier in the interview, Licht explained that Winston’s devotion has been contagious.
“What really stands out is just how passionate about playing quarterback and the amount of time that he puts into it,” Licht said. “He can’t put his playbook down, nowadays he can’t put his Surface down, and he can’t watch enough tape. It just bleeds into the entire team. They see it. You can’t fake that. The guys, you know, they feed off it.”
The Bucs kick off the preseason in 77 days and 13 hours.
May 30th, 2015 at 7:19 am
he’s paid to be a quarterback now you be a quarterback, the immaturity factor actually goes out of the window for most guys right out of college when they get salary like that. you begin to grow and your circle grows and when you start hanging like the big dogs you cant like one. johnny manziel is another classic example of the guy living the college life, he learned real quick the nfl is all about business and I think Winston can see that mistake as the example your a qb 24/7 not just at one buc place and on sunday. everyone knew he had these on the field skills so it’s honestly not a surprise
May 30th, 2015 at 7:19 am
Go Bucs! Totally jacked about the Lightning too. Let’s do another Stanley Cup/Super Bowl in short (and opposite) order this time! (Man, that would be SOMETHING…it sure was last time!)
May 30th, 2015 at 7:20 am
#BeTheThunder #GoBolts !
May 30th, 2015 at 7:46 am
It’s called “the Jamies affect”. You know sort of like the wings of a butterfly that cause a chain reaction that results in a tsunami.
May 30th, 2015 at 8:11 am
The thing I am most interested in seeing is if he is able raise the level of play of his teammates on game day. This is very possible and you see it with great leaders. It will be immediately noticeable because the offense will run smoothly without all the self-inflicted wounds we had last year (think McCown, ugh…) and obviously result in lots of touchdowns and wins. Being that I am definitely not an FSU fan it was mentally hard for me to get on board with Winston after his first sensational heisman year. But as 2014 season went along and I started paying closer attention it became abundantly clear how special this guy is. The anticipation throws, the unbelievable passes that he would thread between 3 defenders, the in-game leadership to will his team back to victory at the end of games and the infectious positivity. I really didn’t want to like this guy a year ago but now I am so happy he is a Buc. He very well may save the professional reputations of incompetent Lovie Smith and his lapdog GM!
May 30th, 2015 at 8:16 am
…and congrats to the Lighting!!! What a run and unbelievable performance last night. Can’t wait for Wednesday night. Go Bolts!
May 30th, 2015 at 8:21 am
I wanna say this,I sit back and read some of these record predictions for next season and find some of them to be laughable at best. 6 and 10 please. For those of you that don’t by my tanking theory ponder this a moment. If you really feel that four years ago Jim Irsay and the Colts went into that first season without Peyton Manning on the roster not already having Andrew Luck on they’re to do list you’re fooling yourself. He was drafted after a 2 and 14 season. The next season every member of the team did what? They elevated the level of they’re play resulting in a tournament appearance each year there after. If you can’t see the same occurring here in the Bay then I’ll leave you to your incapsulated mind. Trust me,2015 will prove theory here shortly. This squad is playoff bound. Why,because Jamies isn’t the typical rookie. This kid is like Lebron called him”Special”. He will have total command of this offence,he won’t appear to look like typical rookies. This defence will play more from a instinctual stand point and less from a thinking stand point. Great ones have that effect on team mates. What’s being said is not PR. The chit is actual.
May 30th, 2015 at 8:25 am
Great post Dallas,and maybe one day Lovie will earn your respect. But until then I appreciate your insight.
May 30th, 2015 at 8:33 am
I also wanna touch on what you said about not being a FSU fan and initially you hadn’t paid him much attention. My belief is that alot of folks are in that boat. But being a FSU fan man all I can tell is over time this guy makes you love him. Yea he did some dumb arse chit in school but I feel he’s on a mission to show folks he fully understands the magnitude of his current position and will do all that it takes to capitalize. I mean I believe the young man when he says he wants to be a hall of famer. Candy arsing has to be a thing of the past in order to accomplish that.
May 30th, 2015 at 8:38 am
I think Winston is a great talent and will prove to everyone in tampa and around the league that we have a franchise quarterback and we’ll be back to the postseason very soon but I don’t think that has as much to do with Winston as the other pieces on the roster. will they step up their level of play indeed but it bothers me to say that a squad full of grown men basically trying to match the intensity of a kid. you cant just turn it on and if you sucked last year (not including new guys learning to play in the nfl) your not worth the paycheck and should be replaced in the upcoming draft. logan mankins but a lot of vets disappointed last year.
Winston will be great but I just don’t believe his head wont be swimming with adrenaline and the nfl game doesn’t slow down for rookies In practice and training camp, you gotta earn game checks for that. will he be calling his own protections and audible on his own or will it be the center taking that off his shoulders? all valid questions and I cant wait to see the answers unfold
May 30th, 2015 at 8:55 am
Bucs will make the playoffs.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:01 am
I respect your viewpoint Buc4lyfe.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:07 am
meant to say logan mankins was in schock from the trade but he’s on the wrong end of an NFL career and should have been more professional unless someone wants to admit marcus arroyo was a hot mess game planning. if you wouldn’t play for mccown or glennon just don’t know how much you can elevate to play for Winston but I know one thing they’ll be panic or fear does elevate your play lol who will be the first to let Winston get sacked that’s the one who will panic and I hope it’s a vet and not a rook
May 30th, 2015 at 9:09 am
Winston has already called audibles at his rookie mini camp, and the coaching staff had to shut him down because he was so far ahead of the other rookies, and they weren’t there yet. I’m telling you this young man is special, and has the leadership ability not only to elevate the play of his team mates but inspire them, to play up to his standard. L&L new this when they drafted him. after preseason, when the spit hits the fan he will be the man that this club will run thru a brick wall for, and in dec when we are fighting for a playoff birth as NFCS champs I will say I told you so.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:13 am
jameis my brother, I’m having a Cajun crab shrimp boil on the fourth of july, and you sir, are fully invited!!!!! go bucs fire the cannons and let’s rock this house!!!!
May 30th, 2015 at 9:16 am
I like the low expectations for this team. The team knows that too, but they also know this division is winnable. This is the first time in a while, you see competition at several positions, that in itself should be a motivating factor. This team will have its balance of stars and Jameis will enhance that. Like others, not a FSU fan “it’s all about the U”, but. Saw enough FSU games to see the star potential from his very first college game against Pitt. Once Noles get to the league and become Bucs, I become a fan of them. That being said, we need more Canes and the Bucs do have the potential to win 10.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:17 am
im a believer for sure but I also know even if we do become a playoff team in 2015 which is a possibility not a high one but it could happen, they wont be until after week 8. you cant get to the postseason after a 2-14 season without growing pains. and I fully expect the offensive line that starts game one of the season wont be the one that ends the season, I expect lots of shuffling to weed out bad play. Winston needs to play in preseason with starters and backups so he can feel the difference in how he’s being protected
May 30th, 2015 at 9:33 am
Hoping Jameis can save us from Lovie’s ineptitude. Go Bucs!!!
May 30th, 2015 at 9:35 am
Be careful that Jameis isn’t being oversold…..I’m certainly cautiously optimistic….but
May 30th, 2015 at 9:37 am
But…..like anything else or anybody else….we have to see performance on the field in a meaningul game.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:41 am
Morning Fellas . Go Bolts and go me, I won $600 at the poker table last night!!
Woooo hoooo
May 30th, 2015 at 9:42 am
I definitely like everything that we are being told about Winston thus far. Hopefully it will translate into wins this season. I think he needs to take most of the snaps in preseason too so he can get some “free” quasi NFL game experience before the games count.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:48 am
Oh yeah! What a storm in NYC last night as Lightning struck Madison Square Gardens!!! Go Bolts!!! Bring back the cup!!!
May 30th, 2015 at 9:54 am
I believe Jameis will prove all of his critics wrong, and it wont take him very long to do it either…You don’t hear many guys (if any) coming into the league say they wanna be a HOF’r one day…That tells me that Winston isn’t chasing money, he’s chasing greatness…When someone with his God-given talent has that mindset and is willing to put in all the extra work to make it happen, they’re usually unstoppable…It hurt me to my heart to watch my Bucs go 2-14 last season; with that said, Jameis Winston was one hell of a consolation prive…
GO Bucs!, Let’s shock the world…
May 30th, 2015 at 10:13 am
Just wait. All these “beyond expectations” reports by coaches and teammates are just the beginning. ’87 and I and Nole on Sat and a few others were telling all you guys before the draft how special this kid is and that he’s gonna be a star QB in the NFL and bring winning ways back to the Buccaneers.
Many were doubtful and too many were just Aholes about it with all the crap that was being said about Winston pre-draft.
But this young man is the Real Deal with a capital “R”.
Yea – yea – I know – he hasn’t even thrown a live NFL pass yet. Just wait and watch. This is going to be Sooooo awesome having a Real QB for the 1st time since um…. um…..
May 30th, 2015 at 10:37 am
Joe….we are all excited to see young Winston, but remember this….he is a rook! Remember what happens to rooks….they get lit up early (and many times often) in their careers! Don’t put so much pressure on the young man…”America’s QB”…seriously! No offense to Jameis but I would trade him this instant for Aaron Rodgers or Andrew Luck or Matt Ryan or Russell Wilson!
I believe Jameis will have his fair share of success and be a good QB in this league….after he gets knocked around, sacked, bamboozled and intercepted quite a few times…as ALL rookie QBs do! Be excited, but don’t set the bar so impossibly high that anything less than perfection feels like failure!
May 30th, 2015 at 10:53 am
Jeagan1999,
Jason Licht is the one who said Jameis is running the offense as though he’s been at it for a couple years rather than just having had a rookie minicamp and an OTA under his belt. Joe didn’t say that.
May 30th, 2015 at 11:02 am
I believe.
And you will will too. Soon.
May 30th, 2015 at 11:10 am
Jeagan I give-a-chit about what either of those guys have accomplished. I ain’t trading Jamies for a d@$! thang. Very soon,this entire league will be bowing down to Jamies. F@$! any other QB.
May 30th, 2015 at 11:15 am
@daldevs…..Jason Licht is not the one who has anointed Winston as “Ameica’s Quarterback” ….Joe has. Jason Licht doesn’t pen 4 articles a day about how awesome Winston is…Joe does. Jason Licht is not the one setting the bar so incredibly high for Jameis….Joe is.
I was not accusing Jason Licht of anything….merely trying to save Joe from a massive let down the first time Winston goes 12-28 for 132 yds and 3 INTS in a game. It will happen….it happened to Manning and Brady and Rothlisberger and Eli…..rookies play like rookies sometimes! Give Jameis the freedom to fail and become a better player because of it. That’s all I’m saying!
May 30th, 2015 at 11:19 am
Jeagan,
Would you agree that Jason Licht’s comments are setting the bar high for Jameis? Do you get the impression that he is concerned about setting the bar high for the QB that he selected in the draft?
If Licht isn’t concerned or doesn’t think that those comments are setting the bar high, why should Joe be? That was my point.
May 30th, 2015 at 11:22 am
it shouldn’t be very hard to impress this fanbase at all. last year we had the 5th best quarterback in the division but for some reason this fanbase thought glennon was some superstar franchise quarterback so Winston should make you think he’s another brady that’s bringing like 7 superbowls to town with that low bar of expectations. I expect rookie mistakes but I expect him to make the overall team better despite rookie mistakes, im not saying he’ll be Andrew luck but the guy made colts better despite his interceptions.
May 30th, 2015 at 11:30 am
For better or worse, I always say that I don’t take much away from our team until they face opposing competition. With that said, it doesn’t mean practice, OTA’s, and training camp are meaningless. This is the opportunity for the players to bond and for leaders to emerge. JW is emerging. His play on the field will be tough to judge but his devotion to his craft and his willingness to put forth the time is contagious and respected by teammates.
May 30th, 2015 at 11:35 am
Pickgrin Says:
May 30th, 2015 at 10:13 am
’87 and I and Nole on Sat and a few others…”
***********
No love for your boy 99? 🙁
REJOICE!! For the kingdom of Jameis is near!!!!
May 30th, 2015 at 11:44 am
daldevs Says:
May 30th, 2015 at 11:19 am
Jeagan,
Would you agree that Jason Licht’s comments are setting the bar high for Jameis? Do you get the impression that he is concerned about setting the bar high for the QB that he selected in the draft?
to answer your questions…..”No” to the first and “possibly” to the second. I think if you were to ask Licht directly he would probably say something like…”We are very pleased with what we have seen from Jameis, he’s done everything we’ve asked of him so far, but we also realize that he is very young and inexperienced and becoming a great QB in the NFL takes time and a lot of hard work. We just don’t want him to feel like he has to carry the entire weight of the team on his shoulders.”
All I’m saying is temper the enthusiasm with a little reality….rookie QBs ALL make mistakes….it’s how they learn from them that matters!
May 30th, 2015 at 11:50 am
Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. Says:
May 30th, 2015 at 11:10 am
Jeagan I give-a-chit about what either of those guys have accomplished. I ain’t trading Jamies for a d@$! thang. Very soon,this entire league will be bowing down to Jamies. F@$! any other QB.
No one cares whether you “give-a-chit” or not! It’s OK to be a homer and root for your guy. But when you say stupid sh*t like “Very soon, this entire league will be bowing down to Jameis…”, you just come across as a “stupid homer”! You really think JJ Watt or any other defender in the NFL fears a rookie QB?
May 30th, 2015 at 12:09 pm
homie you got no room to call anyone stupid.
jeagan1999 says:
May 14, 2014 4:24 PM
The Bucs are now a matchup nightmare for the rest of the NFC South! 2 – 6’5″ WR’s (Jackson & Evans) who can not only leap, but who both have great hands and run in the 4.5’s (I also like rookie Robert Herron as the “Wess Welker” type of speedy slot guy)…2- TE’s (Jenkins at 6’6″ and Tim Wright at 6’4″) who can both get down the field and catch…Doug Martin, Chris Simms, Mike James and Bobby Rainey at RB…if the Bucs can solidify and stabilize their O-line, they are going to cause a lot of sleepless nights for the D-coordinators in Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans and EVERY other NFL team they play…the potential is there for this team to be scary good! Kudos to Coach Smith and Jason Licht for dedicating all their draft picks this year to fixing an offense that had too few weapons last season!
**********************
It’s amazing how accurate you were, lol. Smh.
May 30th, 2015 at 12:32 pm
My concern isn’t Jameis this year or next. He will have success early bc he wants to prove himself and heal his image etc. my concern is when he has a cpl of years of success and is giving the key to the city of Tampa. Will he pull a j fro or will he continue to lead this team for another decade. I hope it’s the latter but that’s just my concern
May 30th, 2015 at 12:40 pm
@WS99…seriously? What did I say that was so inaccurate? That 2 six foot five inch WR’s and another six foot five inch TE are matchup nightmares? That if the Bucs could fix their O-line issues (which I called out before last season as being an issue) they had the potential to be good? That the offense had been neglected for a while and had few weapons? Would you like to give Evans back? Do you require remedial reading lessons? I was pretty smack on with everything I said! Had I known that Josh McCown would have a total meltdown, I might have tempered my enthusiasm a bit more…
Dude, if that’s supposed to be your idea of putting me in my place, you failed miserably!
May 30th, 2015 at 1:02 pm
My favorite was the Robert Herron Wes Walker comment. You sounded really excited last year but not so much this year. It’s alright the stupid homers will continue to support JW and we’ll see what happens by mid season.
May 30th, 2015 at 1:11 pm
Yo jeagan if responding to dumb a$$ comments like I would trade Jameis for so and so when this site is filled with Jamies supporters if that makes me a homer then so be it home boy.
May 30th, 2015 at 1:18 pm
I would have had it memorized by my 1st press conference. Jamies aint got sh#t on me.
May 30th, 2015 at 1:20 pm
And I’ll say it again “Very soon this entire league will bowing down to Jamies”. Not in a literal since smart guy,more so figuratively speaking. Defences and DQs will have to respect his game get it.
May 30th, 2015 at 1:22 pm
WS99…you mean the “I like Robert Herron as a “Wes Welker” type of slot guy” comment? I never compared Herron to Welker as a player…only the roles they play. I guess if we had better QB and O-line play last year, he might have been more effective last year.
Just to clarify, I like Winston! I just think it’s too early to award him the ROY and MVP just yet!
May 30th, 2015 at 1:27 pm
jeagan
Believe brother Believe!!! Truth is every generation has a special athlete and I truly believe JW is that guy. Believe in the Savior for he will deliver us from sucktitude.
May 30th, 2015 at 1:43 pm
What if?
That’s what I say to myself the most throughout the day when I think of Winston as the Bucs QB.
What if? Like WS99 says : “Truth is every generation has a special athlete and I truly believe JW is that guy”.
This is the stuff I think about….a lot.
What if Winston is that type of QB? I LIKE having these thoughts. It’s better thoughts towards this team than I had 6 months ago. Even if he doesn’t pan out (in my mind highly unlikely) I like having these thoughts.
What if we do have the next Brady or Manning on our hands? I like having these thoughts and right now, no one can take them away from me.
I’m in a happy place right now with this team.
Thank you for drafting Jameis Winston.
May 30th, 2015 at 2:18 pm
WS99…I will root for him as loudly as anyone! But history suggests that rookie QBs often face struggles.
May 30th, 2015 at 2:21 pm
Any other rook and Id agree with you 1000%.
May 30th, 2015 at 2:23 pm
@ Joe
The “team” dam sure aren’t the only ones “feeding” off news like this…Thanks for the news and all the effort.
May 30th, 2015 at 2:47 pm
as a commenter said on espn:
bishop takes king.
go lightning!
May 30th, 2015 at 3:03 pm
@Nole
Well to be fair, the Colts had a historic playoff streak before Manning went down, then they drafted Luck and went right back to the playoffs. Not the same situation with the Bucs and Winston.
May 30th, 2015 at 4:00 pm
Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. Says:
May 30th, 2015 at 1:11 pm
Yo jeagan if responding to dumb a$$ comments like I would trade Jameis for so and so when this site is filled with Jamies supporters if that makes me a homer then so be it home boy.
Dude, I love the fact you have such confidence in your guy, and don’t get me wrong…I think he has the tools to be a good (maybe elite) QB….but if Green Bay or Indy called up right now and said they’d trade Rogers or Luck straight up for Jameis…you’d be crazy not to do it! Of course it won’t happen. Luck and Rogers are Pro-Bowl/MVP type players and Winston is a rookie with potential and ZERO NFL wins under his belt!
I hope Jameis does great this year and helps pull this team out of the muck…but let’s be honest…he will struggle at times….he will seem overwhelmed at times….and he will make mistakes at times….because that’s what rookies do! 5-11 or 6-10 this year would be great! But it seem s like many, including Joe, believe that Winston will win us a championship this year, and that’s a lot of pressure to put on a twenty year old kids shoulders!
Go BUCS!!!!!
May 30th, 2015 at 5:00 pm
I agree with every word Jeagan,I just honestly wouldn’t trade JW bro. Kinda interested in seeing this tale play out here in Tampa. No hard feelings my man,you know we talk a lil smack here at jbf. It’s all love at the end of the bro. Be easy man.
May 30th, 2015 at 6:24 pm
Jeagan1999… I thought Joe’s early prediction was 6-10, that is not a championship.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:11 pm
Winston isn’t your normal 20 year old. How anyone could wonder how well he’ll be able to handle the pressure is interesting to me.
We just saw Winston go through a nearly two year period of being THE MOST scrutinized college athlete in recent memory, enduring a barrage of negative press, and all he did was:
1) win a Heisman
2) win a national title (with a game-winning drive that began w/ 1:13 on the clock)
3) set the collegiate record for TD’s for a freshman
4) lead the offense that set the record for points scored in a season
5) win every game until his final game
6) orchestrate comeback after comeback after comeback all while most of the CFB world was rooting against him
7) mind you, in his freshman year, his freedom was at stake and he still answered the bell every week
So, after having accomplished all of that while being under the microscope, there are guys who really think he won’t be able to handle pressure? ARE YOU SERIOUS? Lol
May 30th, 2015 at 9:22 pm
Daldevs I don’t think they quite recognize or totally understand that what you just touched on. You’re absolutely right. This young man is not the average 20 year old.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:34 pm
It’s mind boggling really. Guys think he’s just some really talented kid. No, man. No. No. No. He is a special, special talent. One that comes around not often at all. He thrives in the spotlight and performs under pressure like you expect from the all-time greats. Best of all, he is a team-first guy all the way and wills his teammates to be better.
Many who don’t know see this as hyperbole. Not at all. It’s simple fact.
May 30th, 2015 at 9:58 pm
Nole on Sat I couldnt agree more. Winston is a game changer, this guy elevated Fla State and he will do the same thing for the Bucs. Not only does he put in the time this guy never cracks under pressure. The great ones always play well when its do or die and we know Jameis is of that mold. I cant wait to see how this whole offense reacts when they know they have the real deal at QB. We lost close games all last year can you imagine if we had had a QB that played his best in the fourth quarter???Its been years and years but I think special things are in the works in Tampa Bay. GO BUCS!!
May 31st, 2015 at 11:46 am
As is always the case, so many people make up their minds with headlines and 30 second sound bites. There is no question Winston made some questionable decisions off the field in college. But unlike many of the current NFL players, he was convicted of nothing. Talk to his fellow team mates, past coaches, family and friends and they’ll tell how committed he is to being the best. They would all go through a brick wall for him! Ask anyone on the Bucs right now and they’ll tell you there is not a single player in that building practicing harder, watching more tape or studying the playbook more than JW. This kid is nothing like Vince Young or Jamarcus Russell. He will undoubtedly have his share of rookie mistakes but this kid is committed to becoming the absolute best QB he possibly can be. And every single action he has taken since he stepped in the building at One Buc Place has proven that.
Sports fans love to hate as much as they love to love their favorite players so of course most of their minds are unchangeable. And of course all this banter means nothing when the season starts. But you can bet there won’t be a rookie on day one who has better prepared themselves than Winston. Hate him if you want but this kid is baller, period. He’s got giant, athletic receivers to throw too, an improved (yes we’ll see how much) O-Line and a new top notch OC to make sure he and the rest of his team succeeds. Underestimating Winston and the Bucs will prove to be a mistake.
June 1st, 2015 at 8:11 am
Jeagan1999 Says:
May 30th, 2015 at 4:00 pm
Dude, I love the fact you have such confidence in your guy, and don’t get me wrong…I think he has the tools to be a good (maybe elite) QB….but if Green Bay or Indy called up right now and said they’d trade Rogers or Luck straight up for Jameis…you’d be crazy not to do it!
I love the fact that we have JW. I understand what you are saying about trading a rook for a proven vet. However, I would trade JW for one person and one person ONLY! That is Luck. There are a couple reasons for that; one only a couple years separate them, two I think JW vs Luck is going to be the next Peyton vs Brady matchup. Rodgers while still great and has years left in him is just to old to give up the opportunity for. Wilson, good game manager but not elite QB not worth it (not even close). Ryan, good QB and been dealt one heck of a hand with no run game, bad O-line, and no Def. I still think there are too many years separating them. So if there was going to be a trade (like you said it will never happen) and I had the decision making choice, it would be Luck or we ride with JW.
June 1st, 2015 at 10:55 am
Game Changer