Trader Licht
May 3rd, 2018
“Jason, is that one of your pool-jumping jackets you had to fish out of the water? Keep making trades like you did last week and I will spring for a new sports coat.”
The way Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht fleeced the Bills for three draft picks (a first and two seconds) only to move back five spots was a thing of beauty.
In fact, by doing so, if Licht hits on all of the players he chose in the first three rounds, Licht will not only have set up the Bucs for years, but perhaps saved his career.
As Joe pointed out previously, this is what happens when you don’t need a quarterback and another team is desperate for one.
How big of a deal was it for Licht to pull off that deal? Well, multimedia maven Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com did some research and no one had a better trade last week than Licht.
Through a series of three trades worked out on Thursday and Friday night, Licht transformed the seven picks above into the following selections: 12, 38, 53, 63, 94, 117, 144, 202. That’s only an increase of one in the total number of picks, but it’s a jump of 418.6 points of value on the Jimmy Johnson chart. That was the biggest jump in combined pick value for any team from the moment the draft began.
Picks 7, 38, 102, 144, 180, 202, 255 – that’s exactly what Jason Licht had in his possession when the Cleveland Browns went on the clock with the first pick, shortly after 8:00 p.m. ET Thursday night. Using the venerable Jimmy Johnson Draft Value Chart the Dallas Cowboys invented in the late ’80s, those picks were worth a combined 2,176 points. That wasn’t close to what the Browns began the night with (11 picks worth a combined 6435 points!) but it was the eighth-most of any team. The Bucs were in a good spot.
But Licht wasn’t content to sit put with those assets. The Buccaneers knew that, sitting in the seventh slot in Round One, they could end up in a prime position to trade with a quarterback-needy team. They were ready to take advantage of an opportunity arose to increase their draft capital without seriously endangering their chance to get a targeted player. Eventually, the Buffalo Bills called and Licht’s maneuvering around the board began.
When the Browns picked cornerback Denzel Ward, that seemed to have set the wheels in motion for Licht to wheel and deal. Nobody expected Ward to be picked in the top four. That meant that at least one of the coveted top four quarterbacks would slip. It turned out to be two.
The way Bears general manager Ryan Pace spoke about being on the phone with Licht when the Bills called to talk trade, it sure seems like Licht was determined to trade down and grab what he could in draft capital.
And Buffalo was desperate. Talk about timing and opportunity.
May 3rd, 2018 at 12:04 am
If Josh Allen hits…Buffalo will be thrilled with the trade as well. Could be a win-win. Denver would have taken the deal ( or both 1sts Buffalo had ) if Chubb hadn’t fallen into their lap.
May 3rd, 2018 at 12:06 am
The most talented Bucs team in years. Dirk and company have no excuses. Licht has done his job.
May 3rd, 2018 at 12:21 am
Picking Mayfield number 1 set the tone for the draft.
May 3rd, 2018 at 1:41 am
It WAS NOT 3 draft picks it was for additional 2 And swapped 1 pick.
I live how they make it seem like we had 4 picks altogether as if we didn’t give one away.
May 3rd, 2018 at 2:55 am
You have Josh Rosen, who seems like he needs to be motivated or kept from getting bored, and Sam Darnold, who looked very inconsistent. I would prefer the fire and moxy Mayfield brings over the other two. They all equally could be busts, but there’s something about Mayfield that makes him seem like he’s determined to win. He seems like the QB with the least problem playing in Cleveland and relishes the chance at being the guy who makes the Browns winners again.
Hopefully the Browns don’t get set back another 4-5 years. You can’t wish your worst enemy that much sadness.
Sam Darnold, why so serious? The NFL already has their Eli Manning.
May 3rd, 2018 at 3:40 am
Licht, and his wheeling and dealing, enabled the Bucs to get one hell of a monster defensive tackle and two second round defensive backs, all huge holes to fill. If the Buc defense looks anywhere near as good as they do on paper this year, this could really turn our record around and we could become the story of the year. I’m glad the pundits don’t think we will have a winning record. I’m glad we won’t be on the reality show this year. Let’s just kick a$$ and take names. Barring injury, even Mike Smith can’t mess this up and you throw in our new defensive line coach, Mr. Buckner, and it’s on! Go freaking Bucs!
May 3rd, 2018 at 5:30 am
And God willing no hurricanes
May 3rd, 2018 at 5:59 am
Lady Luck smiled on us BIG TIME in this draft and Jason Licht took full advantage of ‘being in the right spot at the right time”. Buffalo had NINE high picks after they traded Tyrod Taylor (2 Rnd 1; 2 Rnd 2; 2 Rnd 3, 1 Rnd 4; 2 Rnd 5). They were the perfect trade partner … they had plenty of draft capital, they NEEDED a QB, and their preferred guy (QB Josh Allen) all of a sudden was sitting there at #7 (Bills next pick wasn’t until #12 which they gained in their trade with the Bengals). Timing is everything, and Licht leapt.
Really hoping that we get at least 3 starters/key rotational players out of our picks come September. Vita Vea, Ronald Jones & Carlton Davis are the most obvious. All by itself that’d be huge. But we MIGHT have AT LEAST 1 more sleeper in there: Alex Cappa. It’s now on our coaches to turn all that POTENTIAL into PERFORMANCE. Go Bucs!
May 3rd, 2018 at 6:05 am
Don’t include the swap of 1sts. C’mon!! It was 2 picks, 2nds. Rediculous to say we fleeced them.
May 3rd, 2018 at 6:07 am
TT… we did have 4 picks. 1 1st and 3 2nds= 4 picks. C’mon..
May 3rd, 2018 at 7:16 am
I think we all hope the Bucs draft picks are the right guys. Can’t wait to see them on the field. It’s been so long since we have seen playoff football from this team that at this time of year we very hopeful this will be the year the drought ends.
May 3rd, 2018 at 8:22 am
Nice job Jason Licht.
Part of the reason the Bucs got 400+ extra value points out of the deal is because Licht knew he had Buffalo by the short hairs. Jason set the tone by telling Buffalo before our pick even came up – “We’ve got a guy and its going to take a lot (to get us off our #7 pick)”
May 3rd, 2018 at 8:54 am
So what’s everyone think about the saints game now? If we had won we would have grabbed Chubb and only had one second rounder so only one of rojo Stewart and Davis. Most likely it would have been Chubb and rojo imo. Oh ya and no cappa.
Give me this scenario all day. I seriously hate the “won a meaningless game” crowd. Never lose for a better draft pick. Unless it was Jameis lol.
We get 16 true games a year. I want as many victory Mondays as possible at all costs. Screw the Cleveland mentality.
May 3rd, 2018 at 9:54 am
I think licht has saved his job this offseason…..who’s on the hot seat are the coaches….the 2 so called guru’s dirk and smitty…..
licht has given them talent and depth….if they cant make the playoffs with this team, the deepest and most talented team we’ve had in years, then they’ll get that midnight call, with licht saying, ” come holla at me”…lol…
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
May 3rd, 2018 at 11:10 am
Saw a prediction that the southeast would have early tropical storms this year. Great, get it over before the NFL season starts.
May 3rd, 2018 at 9:11 pm
The entire fan base knew the trade would but everyone thought we would get top heavy on that deal and trade for both of their first round picks instead of two seconds. I felt if the Broncos would have drafted a QB we would’ve gotten both of those first