“You Can Prevent Yourself From Fully Mortgaging The Future — And Fully Cratering”
March 2nd, 2022
Bucs GM Jason Licht
Joe views 2022 as the most challenging offseason of general manager Jason Licht’s tenure in Tampa Bay.
Yeah, Joe supposes it’s fair to argue 2014 was more difficult, as Licht learned his new head coach didn’t want future Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis in his prime and handpicked quarterback Josh McCown to deliver the Bucs to the promised land. (One might say Licht was doomed out of the gate.)
Licht has six Pro Bowlers under contract for 2022 — Devin White, Antoine Winfield, Jr., Vita Vea, Tristan Wirfs, Mike Evans and Shaq Barrett — so the cupboard is impressive and experienced. But there are so many holes for Licht to fill via re-signing his own free agents that are collectively unaffordable. And there’s that black hole at quarterback following the loss of Tom Brady.
How do the Bucs proceed?
Licht talked about that delicate balance yesterday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. It underscored the challenge.
“You can prevent yourself from fully mortgaging the future, and fully cratering and getting in a position that you find yourself having to spend an entire year, you know, just playing with not your good players,” Licht said. “So we want to avoid that because we do think that we have some really good young players on this team. We have to set ourselves up to be able to extend [their contracts] in the future, too.”
The great franchises do make there way to a Super Bowl here and there while being long-lasting contenders. The Steelers have been a good example.
Joe can’t stomach the Bucs playing too much for the future this season. It feels too soon, especially in a weak NFC South.
Good luck, Mr. Licht!
March 2nd, 2022 at 10:56 am
I believe!
I’m here to be an optimistic homer till the end. Let’s go !
March 2nd, 2022 at 10:58 am
After losing Brady, now Marpet, with Godwin’s knee, and being a FA, if we can still compete for the NFC south, that’s all you can ask for at this point. From what Licht has been saying, we’re not pursuing any expensive trades for QB’s, nor will we over spend for average FA QB’s. There’s no magic that’s going to happen. It’s time to grind again.
March 2nd, 2022 at 11:05 am
The good long term teams don’t need to manage cap well, they just need to manage their top 5 QBs well.
Play around with your top 5 QB or they retire they leave and you lose again see Brady-NE, Watson-Houston, Brady-Tampa, Aaron Rodgers-Green-Bay, Brees-Saints.
The team without a top 5 QB whom wins a SB go all in win and find a very good QB and mortgages everything for a run then tank for a few years and go all in again.
See Giants, Ravens, Philly, Tampa 2002, Rams 2021, Broncos Manning SB.
March 2nd, 2022 at 11:06 am
The annual “dance of the free agents” begins! Win some lose some is to be expected. Average out between losses and signings the Bucs should be OK. The huge unknown is at QB.
March 2nd, 2022 at 11:06 am
When you have a great party, sooner or later you will have to pay for it.
It was a great party, and no regrets….
But still the Bucs can have a great roster
March 2nd, 2022 at 11:13 am
Then there was the 2019 season, with a QB who got hot once, a new coach, and an almost RB.
We now have 2/3 of a team and need to spend a lot to field a quality team. Do you build that team and start a promising rookie at QB, or buy a flawed QB and have 3/4 of a quality team.
If you build the whole team now, and the promise of your rookie QB fades, you can get another QB next year.
If the flaw in your new QB grows manifest, you need another one and still need to complete building the team.
March 2nd, 2022 at 11:17 am
That is the most comforting thing that I have heard come out of Jason Lichts mouth. Keep adding contributing components to a good roster, and don’t mortgage the future. It’s good to see he has some self-preservation.
Now let’s see a solid eee agency and draft full of impact players.
LFG Bucs!
March 2nd, 2022 at 11:27 am
@ SK
Agreed. Paying a bunch of money for a mediocre QB band-aid during this particular off season would be a bad idea.
My hope is the Trask experiment in Tampa works out similar to the M. Jones experiment in New England.
If we can re-sign our younger FAs, draft well and win 9-10 games with Trask that should be enough to win a very weak NFC South and get us into the playoffs.
That would be a good sign of things to come.
March 2nd, 2022 at 11:34 am
Go get Mariota in free agency. Won’t command a big contract, and ride with him and Trask.
March 2nd, 2022 at 11:42 am
Has to be a layered approach. Inevitably we will lose some good players but everyone on the roster can’t be making $10 million per year. Time to get some relief by fitting in a few draft picks and some guys like Stinnie who may be ready to step in. Centers are usually available in second or third round. I think Cappa
Benefits from Marpet’s departure. I would hate to lose Whitehead he is a playmaker. I am not sold on Davis being worth $17 million. He is our best corner but I don’t see him as JC Jackson caliber. One way or another we have to pay for a top corner. One thing Gabbert does as starting QB is free up money elsewhere. Not sure I am ready for that but there will be pain somewhere. Let’s hope Jason has another 2015 draft in him.
March 2nd, 2022 at 1:13 pm
Fools Gold. Don’t bring in some 29 year old.
March 2nd, 2022 at 1:42 pm
Ok Captain Obvious here. Free agency comes before the draft. What the Bucs do in FA will shed light on our draft board. If the Bucs bring in a FA QB to compete with Trask we will have better fire power both in the draft and salary cap to maintain a top notch Defense. In fact, I think we can secure a championship defense if we primarily focus both free agency and draft on D. On offense we have two players that are must resigns imo. C Jenson, and WR Godwin. Ali’s retirement makes Jenson even more important to resign. No need to mortgage the future. It might take a year or two to open the window again for a championship, but if we go all in and trade for a QB now and it backfires we could easy fall into another lost decade.
March 2nd, 2022 at 4:38 pm
Without seeing the schedule, winning the NFCS is a good goal for next season.
The Superbowl is out of the question unless the Bucs get a marquis QB.
March 2nd, 2022 at 9:49 pm
Save The Licht House. Make Arians Great Again.