Jason Licht Talks Trades And Value Planning
February 28th, 2023
The Bucs must shed more salaries, (you’ll be missed, Playoff Lenny) and an overlooked option is trades.
Joe asked Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht about trade potential today and he seemed to lean more toward a trade on the defensive side of the ball.
“Our plan does not involve trading a lot of players,” Licht said. “So, if we’ve got some good young players that are really contributing and we feel are going to be instrumental in helping the new quarterback, I’m not interested in just trading away.”
Licht made it clear Ryan Jensen is returning. And Joe suspects the offensive line won’t be touched outside of Donovan Smith getting cut, which JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman said was a sure thing last week.
And Licht’s comments today sure sounded like he’s keeping his hands off the three top dogs of his receiving corps, so that points to a potential trade on defense.
Might the Bucs consider moving Carlton Davis, re-signing Jamel Dean and using the pick (third round?) Davis returns to draft a cornerback? That would save a ton of cap room in 2024 and a little this year.
Ahh, the speculation can go in endless directions.
Licht said one thing is certain about the Bucs’ offseason. They’re looking for deals. “We’re going to be looking for value. And that goes for all positions, for the most part,” Licht said.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
They don’t have a choice but to look for deals. Hopefully they can swinga few trades. Would be nice to get something for Donovan Smith.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:39 pm
Bizarro world!
Wells will be great taking over at LT! At least for a half game or so before he gets hurt.
And I am sure the guy known for scrapping by on nothing but guts and toughness and smarts will do just fine going forward with that mangled knee that didn’t get the full surgical rebuild doctors suggested. Who cares he was replaced last year without any trouble? Give him a raise!
February 28th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
Donovan Smith will have a new job about 10 mins after he’s cut. I’d think they could trade him for something, except everyone knows he’s going to get cut.
Personally I’d package Smith, and Jensen, and Mike Evans and then Chicago I want the #1 pick. While some might dismiss that, think of what that would mean for Chicago – you fix your offensive line and get a #1 WR for your young star QB, and you go from worst, to likely being a playoff team, and you’re certainly better than the Packers. Maybe there’s like a 4th or 3rd, going in either direction to balance things out, but Chicago, I’d think, would be really really tempted by that.
I hate the idea of losing Evans, but he will be 30, and the Bucs aren’t going anywhere without a QB, so why waste away his last few years on teams going 3-14?
February 28th, 2023 at 3:42 pm
Can’t imagine that Coach Bowles would be happy stripping out his defensive backfield guys, despite the fact that the offense sputtered last season.
Oh well, Licht will figure it out between now and June 1st, a date after which it makes the most sense (in terms of cap savings) to cut some of the more expensive guys like Smith.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:51 pm
It’s all speculation and means nothing until it actually happens. Some fans are getting their drawers in a twist due of their own imagination and speculation. Let it rest until it happens, then by all means lose your sh!t.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:54 pm
I wouldn´t trade ME13 neither Jansen neither Goodwin….Ill cut Smith Brate Succop, and trade Devin White, Ill let Dean go , and try to sign SMB for the cheap, if not…..bye bye…..
February 28th, 2023 at 3:57 pm
People are absolutely insane to want to chase off Devin White, he’s a young interior pass rusher, literally an all-pro, yet dummies watched a clip, out of context on Twitter, from the Ravens game where he was all over the field the entire game, and now demand he’s cut. The team isn’t getting rid of White, plus they have ZERO depth at LB. It’s just pure stupidity.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
If we could dump Carlton that be great that guy is lame
February 28th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
Hopefully hes weighing the trade value with these guys and not just releasing them. Chicago, Cincinnati and the Jets all need an offensive tackle. Even a 5th or 6th rounder would be something. Licht needs to swallow his pride and try to get something. He tried to trade OJ and he would not a late round pick for him. I believe OJ is unemployed now.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:25 pm
LISTEN TO WHAT LICHT IS SAYING …
Licht is going to keep the good young core. He’s going to resign the DBs and push some of the cap hit to next year. Take $40M this year. Restructure and take $5-10M next year. You’re more competitive and have less of a rebuild?
February 28th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
Allbuccedup – Yeah, I think you could likely get a late rounder for him, I was thinking a 6th since his contract isn’t insane, and you get multiple years, and you can cut him if he doesn’t bounce back. People have no idea what they’re watching and think if someone can’t block the best pass rusher in the league one-on-one they need to be cut right that second, but that’s where a non-stupid OC comes into play, and doesn’t let your average LT get in one-on-one situations with the best pass rusher in the league, for an entire game.
In any case, the issue with Smith is that other teams know he’s getting cut, so they might not want to trade anything and just wait it out. But there’s a ton of teams where Smith is a big upgrade at tackle, and I just hope, next year, the Bucs aren’t one of them.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:29 pm
A short list of Buc players who could be traded.
– Vea
– Davis
– Gage
– S. Mason
– Godwin
– White
NOTE: I’m not saying I want these players traded. I just think these players could get traded.
I didn’t include Wirfs, Evans or Winifield because I don’t believe the Bucs will trade them.
I didn’t include S. Barrett or Jenson because I don’t believe another team will want them after their injuries last season.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:35 pm
Agree, they should be thinking about trading some players and collecting draft capital. I wouldn’t trade Wirfs, Winfield, or Vea but anyone else should be considered.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:38 pm
Trade White. He can’t cover a RB or a TE. Get a 2nd and 3rd. Use one pick on his replacement.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:47 pm
@ Rod
“People are absolutely insane to want to chase off Devin White”
I think most of us can’t get the Baltimore Ravens game out of our heads…
That was U – G – L – Y.
Just for the record I believe we should take a chance and extend D. White for a few years and knock @ $6-7M off this years salary cap.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:49 pm
@ Rod
Plus – I don’t think we would get more than a 3rd round draft pick for D. White at the moment.
So why trade him for that? It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense…
February 28th, 2023 at 5:01 pm
We are already short one inside linebacker
February 28th, 2023 at 5:37 pm
@ Marine Bucs
Based off the comps we could easily get a 2nd for Devin White
February 28th, 2023 at 5:38 pm
You only get 3 new plugs in the Bowles tune up special.
February 28th, 2023 at 5:39 pm
Am I the only one that thinks Carlton Davis is better than Jamel Dean? They both drop easy would-be interceptions too often…I think Davis is much more consistent.
February 28th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
@ LUV
Perhaps – but is that an early 2nd round pick or the last 2nd round pick?
If someone offers a late first rounder or a combo of a 2nd and a 4th rounder I might consider it…
But not for a late 2nd rounder or a 3rd rounder.
Plus – I believe D. White wants a big contract and he is in a contract year. The carrot is in front of him and Licht is holding the stick. He will probably have his best season in 2023 especially if we can get LVD back.
February 28th, 2023 at 6:34 pm
@ Marine Buc
Players often perform better in their contract year and revert to their previous level of play after they receive their new contract. This may be because they lose the incentive to perform at a high level once their guarantees are locked in. After all, they have already secured a new deal and may feel that they have “finessed” the organization.
It’s a significant issue for teams that are considering signing a player to a long-term contract.
Trade Comps:
The Chicago Bears were forced to make a tough decision in the eleventh hour as contract negotiations with Roquan Smith broke down. Despite their best efforts, a deal could not be reached, leading the Bears to reluctantly trade Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2nd and 5th round pick. Had they decided to move him before the season and contract negotiations broke down things would have been considerable different.
Roquan Smith
• Games Played: 61
• Sacks: 14
• Solo Tackles: 348
• Tackles for Loss: 43
• Forced Fumbles: 1
• Quarterback Hits: 55
• Quarterback Hits: 17
Devin White
• Games Played: 61
• Sacks: 20.5
• Solo Tackles: 315
• Tackles for Loss: 35
• Forced Fumbles: 6
• Quarterback Hits: 55
February 28th, 2023 at 6:36 pm
Scratch
• Quarterback Hits: 55 (for Roquan)
February 28th, 2023 at 6:58 pm
Would be foolish to deal Davis. So hard to find a corner like that. Now Devin White. I would move that.
February 28th, 2023 at 7:26 pm
Rod Munch Says:
February 28th, 2023 at 3:57 pm
I might have more patience for him if he wasn’t such a dumbass and would just shut the funk up. And I don’t see the point in keeping him if we’ll have to pay him 20 million a year in 2024 to keep him I’d rather unload him for a draft pick now, cuz he’s not worth 20 mil/yr.
February 28th, 2023 at 9:37 pm
Marine Buc – But White wasn’t a problem in that Ravens game. On Amazon, they had camera where you could see the entire field (something I wish they had for every game since you can see plays develop), and it tracked all the players on each play, and White was all over the place that game, running sideline to sideline on every play, keeping Lamar in-check. The problems in that game were the 6th round corner and the God awful Neal, he’s terrible, slow and has no business on this team. White, meanwhile, was run ragged all game, then some idiot on Twitter posts a clip where he’s winded and claims White is lazy and didn’t play hard. It’s just a flat out lie. If they tracked who ran the most distance in that game, there is no doubt White would be way, way, way ahead of anyone else on the team in that game.
With all that said, Devin White struggles in coverage, literally everyone knows that. Meanwhile, when you have him just rush up the middle and try to create havoc, he’s a game changer. I get in 2021 when there were so many injuries that Bucs had to revert to playing zone, but this last year, they choose to keep playing White in coverage, and it’s beyond stupid. Mike Alstott wasn’t a world class blocker, so there’s an easy solution to that, don’t rely on him to be a blocker – have him be a playmaker. That’s the same with White, use him in a way that plays into his skill set. If they unleashed him as a full time pass rusher, you’re looking at a guy who will likely be a 15-sack guy, and doing that from the interior is huge. Also, when he’s not getting sacks, he’d be blowing up people running up the middle. He IS that guy, the team just has to use him that way.
February 28th, 2023 at 9:44 pm
sasquatch – He says stuff like, I’m good and want to win. Wow, that should get him cut. LOL!
As for his payday, people keep saying $20m a year. But before he gets that money, he’ll need to have another monster season (he’s already had one). Also, the cap is going up probably $60m next year, it went up like an unexpected $12m this year, people need to readjust their pay scales. $20m next year is basically going to be like a $12m linebacker two or three years ago.
He’s a young interior pass rusher with the ability to blow up the other teams offense. If the Bucs use him that way, and stop telling him to play 75% of the game in coverage, he’s going to get a huge payday.
March 1st, 2023 at 12:03 am
It’s time to stop worrying. Jason knows he’s got a compete loser for a head coach who he is stuck with for maybe two years. Truly it’s whatever. Trade everybody, cut the ones you can’t trade, trade down until you have 271 7th round picks over 37!years (you know – build for the future) , start Trashk, bring in a few retired offensive linemen to compete with him for QB1, draft a kicker and move him to center. Pick up a FA center and let him kick.
Make the Swashbucklers an all-make burlesque review, with Glazerboy Beards. And wheel Norm Snead out onto the field every game wearing a pirate hat and an eyepatch, he can be the new mascot.
It’s all good because woohoo Toad’s Bowels.