“I Think The GM Of The Team Look Good”
December 3rd, 2021
Bucs GM Jason Licht
Interesting comments from a former Buccaneer.
The whole truth behind a free-agent signing is never known.
What kind of homework did a head coach/general manager do on a player? And did the coach/GM devalue bad reports and gamble that everything would work out in a new environment? (See Swaggy Baker.)
Did the coach and GM agree completely on the player? Did the front office turn to in-house veterans to get a read on the guy?
Retired former Bucs running back LeSean “Shady” McCoy was talking about Leonard “Lombardi Lenny” Fournette this week as a co-host on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Shady was adamant that the Bucs — his 2020 squad — would not have have won the Super Bowl without Fournette and the Bucs understood his value. “And that’s why [Lenny] got paid” this offseason,” McCoy said.
Fournette scored a 2021 contract worth up to $4 million with incentives.
But what intrigued Joe was Shady talking about Bucs general manager Jason Licht emerging as a shining start for signing Fournette when the Jags cut him in 2020. “I think the GM of the team look good for the decision to go get him,” he said.
It would not surprise Joe if Licht asked Shady what he had heard of Fournette and what kind of teammate he was. Lombardi Lenny had his detractors around the NFL, and the Bucs did not trade for Fournette when he was available for next to nothing prior to the Jaguars cutting him on Aug. 31 of 2020.
Obviously, if there was a lot of love around the NFL for then-25-year-old Fournette, someone would have coughed up a late-round pick for him before he was cut. The guy was a successful and young former first-round pick.
Everything that went into the Bucs signing Fournette will never be known. But it was one hell of a decision.
Fournette was asked this week about returning to the Bucs next season and said, “We’ll see.”
He added that 2021 was a weird offseason for money because of the salary cup cut stemming from the NFL’s COVID losses. That won’t be the case when Fournette hits free agency in 2022. The league is flush with cash.
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:49 am
I think they’ll sign him to a multiyear deal and Ronald Jones will walk. At the beginning of last year I thought the roles would be reversed and Jones was the future… I was wrong!
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:55 am
I tend to agree that Lenny will stay and Rojo will leave…..that’s a shame with Rojo because he is a good young back with explosive talent……Brady will decide.
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:55 am
If TB12 is on the roster next season, it will be hard for Leonard to leave. Who knows, we will see. TB12 means legitimate chance at a championship, which why “4Tuddynette” said he came back to the Bucs for this year, like others players did also. But as we all know, $$$ speaks very loudly in a players ear.
GO BUCS!!!!!
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:57 am
I agree David
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:59 am
He has proven the last couple years that he’s the best GM in the NFL. He brought in Lenny and Brady and he has back ups like Stinnie and Minter.
Then there are his drafts the last few years. He’s done a remarkable job.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:04 am
Its was a risk reward signing. Took some time to get his head on straight and I’m sure Brady had something to do with it.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:09 am
Interesting off season decisions coming up-
In addition to Fournette, R Jones and Godwin,
Carlton Davis
Jordan Whitehead
Alex Cappa
Ryan Jensen
Gronk
William Gholston
JPP
Aaron Stinnie
OJ Howard
– all free agents
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:25 am
We have to keep Godwin and Fournette. Of all on Alanbucsfan list, the most expendable by a mile is OJ. I also think JPP’s time is about up, He’s still got juice but very prone to injuries as he gets older. And why am I talking draft? Don’t know. Need to focus on getting homefield advantage for the playoffs.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:36 am
Lenny is gone next season his play will warrant a bigger contract than the bucs will want to pay with all the holes that will need to be filled after the season.
December 3rd, 2021 at 10:32 am
Best decision the franchise made was moving on from Gerald McCoy.
His production was always average, but the pay was like he was almost Aaron Donald.
Needed that money to do what we’re doing now
December 3rd, 2021 at 11:27 am
Still way too early to speculate about 2022, but one thing’s for certain: the Bucs have a LOT of older players, some of whom won’t be returning. I personally think that it’s doubtful Tom Brady will return for 2022, not just because he’ll be 45 (the oldest player in the NFL) but more because of the quality of talent he’ll be surrounded with (sorry, but compromises will have to be made because of the salary CAP). Family considerations will also play into it more than likely.
IF TB12 retires, Gronk more than likely also will (he may anyways). And who knows if AB would stay, or even if the Bucs would want him to. Guys like Suh, JPP & McClellan would probably also choose to retire (they may anyways even if TB12 returns). The thing is we’d be talking about replacing a LOT of past #1 picks who’ve still been playing at a very high level (thus the Super Bowl championship?). You can’t that many losses with a single draft class, and the same quality FAs would be very expensive. But those are tomorrow’s problems, not today’s.
December 3rd, 2021 at 7:06 pm
I think we lose alot of talent next year due to cap restraints. We will see how Jason fills the voids. I like what he’s done building this team. Corner is our only weakness. Not bad coming off a SB. I hope he strikes gold in the first 4 rounds of the draft. That should do it.