Praising Jason Licht
March 16th, 2023
Football thinktank approves.
Joe is neither a capologist nor an accountant. And Joe’s damn sure not a lawyer.
So when it comes to numbers and the cap, Joe Flacco’s former high school math teacher,Mike Tanier, is able to analyze the salary cap better than Joe.
Now retired from boring kids to death with algebra and typing for Football Outsiders, Tanier believes Bucs fans should really be applauding Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht for not panicking in free agency.
Tanier notes the easy thing for Licht to have done was to slash expensive salaries and let free agents walk. Instead, Licht massaged the cap by letting select veterans go and keeping young, important players for when the Bucs are able to start winning again.
A salary purge is a delicate thing. It’s easy to toss the baby out with the bathwater. Or, in the Buccaneers’ case, it’s tempting to toss the solid young starting cornerback out with the geezers because his open-market value makes him too expensive to keep. So give Jason Licht credit for making cuts elsewhere so he could retain Dean on a reported four-year, $52-million deal.
Dean allowed a completion rate of just 46.6% to his receivers, the ninth-best figure in the NFL per Sports Info Solutions. He allowed 5.9 yards per attempt (13th) and 0.7 yards per coverage snap (tied with many for 11th). Sure, facing NFC South quarterbacks six times per year can gingerbread a cornerback’s coverage numbers a bit. What’s important is that Dean is young, capable, and plays a key position. He will still be good when the Buccaneers awaken from their cap coma and start trying to win again.
How impressed is Tanier of Licht’s shell game of roster management in order to afford Dean? Tanier believes it was the second-best transaction by any team so far in free agency.
Joe will repeat a stat to add to Tanier’s numbers: NextGen Stats had Dean giving up the fifth-fewest passing yards by a corner in 2023 when targeted or when Dean was nearest the targeted receiver.
That’s impressive, whether he is facing NFC South quarterbacks or not.
March 16th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Mike Greenberg has to get some love also.
March 16th, 2023 at 3:33 pm
Stats are for losers, or so I heard. Thought we over paid Dean is also what I heard. Pretty sure we made out with this signing.
March 16th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
@Dewey
Agreed! He & Licht are like “The Wolves of 1Buc”
March 16th, 2023 at 3:37 pm
Starting with the firing of Byron Leftwhich I like everything the Bucs have done this off season.
– releasing old, slow, over paid vets.
– re-signing the three best FAs we had.
– signing an inexpensive and experienced QB to push Trask for the QB1 gig.
– signing a few low cost back ups like Delaney and Leverett.
Now it’s time to have a great draft and fill a few more gaps in this roster…
March 16th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
Props to the Bucs FO, now go find a top notch pass rusher in the draft!
March 16th, 2023 at 3:41 pm
New Orleans front office has done a Yeoman’s job also but 2024 is going to be the real challenge for them. But the Bucs front office is doing a good job getting necessary talent resigned. Would not be surprised to see Murphy-Bunting and Edwards back next week.
March 16th, 2023 at 3:42 pm
All the Bucs did is borrow against next years cap to field a team that is going to go 5-12. I’d hold off the overall praise. But I will certainly agree that resigning Dean was a good move, and I do hope that Licht survives the coming purge, I think he’s mostly done a good job, and has done enough to be allowed to rebuild the roster after Bowles and company are ran out of town next January.
March 16th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
Licht had his plan in place weeks ago….he knows exactly how much he can squeeze out of the cap this year, next year and the year after.
March 16th, 2023 at 3:56 pm
Rod munch with his positivity! For a make believe know it all!
March 16th, 2023 at 4:00 pm
He is cobbling together something to put on the field. GOOD JOB.
March 16th, 2023 at 4:02 pm
Buc’s front office has killed it in free agency period!
let hope Licht and Spytek (who will soon get a GM job with some team which will suck for Bucs) get a few starters in the draft.
Pass rush, Pass rush, safety and TE.
March 16th, 2023 at 4:04 pm
Jason don’t do cap
Greenberg is the guy that spreads the money around
March 16th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
Munch…5-12 is a big stretch. They will not win 5. 4 at the most.
March 16th, 2023 at 4:12 pm
We couldn’t score more than 15 points a game so idk why anyone is thinking its gonna be worse. Brady and this team sucked. And we still won 8 games.
March 16th, 2023 at 4:16 pm
Yes indeed. Licht has done a fine job so far.
Nail this draft and we can contend in the NFC South.
Well, as long as either Mayfield or Trask work out for us.
Maybe even a lucky rookie QB like Hooker?
March 16th, 2023 at 4:19 pm
BTW, Jalen Carter is looking more like he might slide down to us … If we want him.
March 16th, 2023 at 4:33 pm
Jason Licht is the rockstar GM, not that clown who went 28-52 and was responsible for the lost decade.
March 16th, 2023 at 4:41 pm
@ BucfanFred
There are so many warning signs with Jalen Carter – but there is no denying his talent…
He needs to grow up fast… This is an issue I have in this new era of NIL deals.
Some of these guys are not mature enough to handle it. You give a 19 year old a 730 HP $120,000 car and a few million bucks?
What could possibly go wrong?
We all know about the carrot and the stick. What happens when there is no more carrot?
March 16th, 2023 at 4:49 pm
So far so good!! No complaints here!!
March 16th, 2023 at 4:50 pm
Hi, Marine Buc. That’s kinda what I meant by if we want him. He bombed his pro day.
March 16th, 2023 at 4:51 pm
But at #19, maybe he’d be worth a flyer.
March 16th, 2023 at 4:54 pm
All the talent in the world can’t outdo bad coaching which is what we have in Bowles
March 16th, 2023 at 4:57 pm
#99 the big fella… couldn’t of said it better about Rod Butt Munch! I’d love to meet that guy in person. Probably stand’s 5ft 5 and was the president of the Glee Cl.ub.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:02 pm
I am less in love with Licht than Joe. I figure he got us into this salary cap mess, hired a bad head coach with a losing record, and usually finds a way to make the draft more difficult that it needs to be. He has no choice but to do his job more effectively…if he still wants his job.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:05 pm
Solid job indeed. Hopefully we’ll have a great draft class!
March 16th, 2023 at 5:08 pm
How about signing some backup free agents. Two front line players go down we are done.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:16 pm
SKBucsFan – you are no Bucs fan, you are an anti-Bucs troll. Anyone who claims that our GM who over the last three seasons won on the second Super Bowl in franchise history, and won the division the next two years in a row (a rare accomplishment for the Bucs) somehow created a “mess” with the salary cap (what, he was supposed to field a losing team for the last three years and have an easy salary cap because no other teams want our players? That would make you happier?
Oh yeah, you’re actually a fan of some other team like the Aints or the Kitty Cats or the Pigeons in the NFC South and only come here to spread hate and discontent amongst Bucs fans because, we get it … you’re jealous that we whipped your asses the last three seasons.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:16 pm
Rod munch , onielbuc , Hc Grover , SB~LV, you guys really suck with your negativity. How about waiting to see how this season plays out. I really like what the bucs have done.. we still have the draft to go as well..
March 16th, 2023 at 5:18 pm
Incredible
Of the crap I’m reading. I tell my kids all the time “some folk will never be happy regardless of any situation”.
They will always be negative.
No matter what. Long time Bucs fan first time post.
And my last. Because this is shameful reading.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:20 pm
It helps when Dean says why would I want to leave? He might’ve made a few extra bucks somewhere else, but this shows Tampa is a place where players want to be. Add Mayfield to the list.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:28 pm
Hate to burst your bubble Duane. I am huge Bucs fan. I am just not happy with the current situation. I’m not sorry that I have an opinion and high expectations. Past experiences have been very good. But I am more of a what have you done for me lately kind of person. Licht has a job to do and I will judge him without the rose colored glasses you wear.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:40 pm
Glazers giving licht the green light helps
March 16th, 2023 at 5:47 pm
Licht and the Scouting and Player Personnel team are very good but Bucs Executives Mike Greenberg and Jacqueline Davidson (if you don[t know that name read this) really made this happen!!! Joes please ask Big Storm Beer to send each of them a case of beer or Big Storm Spirits for a job well done!!!!
They are the rock stars behind the scense who made the Brady Era and the Bucs Second Super Bowl come to fruition. (Hope they both got Super Bowl rings…Glazers if you read this make sure to reward them….)
March 16th, 2023 at 5:52 pm
All those people saying he needed to trash it all and start over. Guess they had it wrong. Yup.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:55 pm
Under the Mason FA entry, he wrote:
Mason provides stability/durability/consistency at a price the Texans can afford (but the Buccaneers could not), and the pile-driving SOB we saw in New England could reappear now that Mason isn’t blocking for a senior citizen and a bunch of dump-truck running backs
Damn did he call Brady a senior citizen and our backs dump trucks? All true.
March 16th, 2023 at 5:57 pm
Rod Munch Says
“All the Bucs did is borrow against next years cap to field a team that is going to go 5-12.”
Maybe.
Maybe not.
But, the cap next year will not be nearly as bad as this year now that they ate the Brady dead money, so we’ll be fine.
So far as the record…we don’t know which way it will go. I’m not convinced Baker is our answer at QB…and I was hoping Trask would at least get a fair shake…but what’s done is done.
We either do well or we don’t, or we do average. I understand there will be about 10 QBs worthy of starting in next year’s draft. At least one will fall to us.
March 16th, 2023 at 6:01 pm
“…you know if anybody wants to criticize what they did, they can come to any of our three homes and look at our ring. . . . We’re gonna pursue another one too.”
March 16th, 2023 at 6:09 pm
Dean took less to stay here, thats not hard to figure out. This has nothing to do with Lichts ability as a GM . Go draft some good player, when you aren’t in the top half of every round.
March 16th, 2023 at 6:15 pm
WHAT’S F’UP ABOUT THIS …
Licht brought in TB12 … the undisputed GOAT. Licht is the FIRST GM EVER!!!! to return all 22 starters after winning the SB. Zero consideration for GMOTY.
Signing a CB is what the media praises him for. WTF?
March 16th, 2023 at 6:37 pm
Yup. A guy that built a Super Bowl roster.
(And Licht didn’t hire Todd Bowles.)
March 16th, 2023 at 6:55 pm
WTF is wrong with you people? Brady did us all a favor coming here. The superbowl roster quote unquote, would’ve been a wildcard loss without Brady. Licht did a good job with a pile of top picks, minus Winston. The real metal of a GM is what and how you do with less. We’ve yet to see licht succeed with those parameters.
March 16th, 2023 at 6:56 pm
SK probably figures that the earth is flay, and aliens are living underground, and orchestrating the outcomes of sporting events.
March 16th, 2023 at 6:56 pm
**flat
March 16th, 2023 at 7:00 pm
I’m certainly no capologist either. (I did enjoy high school algebra, though. 😋)
I am impressed that JL managed to retain Dean as I took it for granted that he was gone. He also got Lavonte David back at a lower price than I expected. Lavonte gave us that discount we all hoped he would in order to finish his career as Buccaneer. Sometimes $$ is not the overriding consideration for a player.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:01 pm
Licht (and company) are doing exactly what they said they would, and it is just what I want to see. Building a contender for winning the division and getting us out of “cap hell”, making next year much easier. I applaud them! Also, that great pic looks like the tip of the flag is really an earring on Licht’s right ear. LOL. I love the look!
March 16th, 2023 at 7:07 pm
As long as Buc fans know..This will not be a winning season, I am cool. Todd Bowlws should have his bags and household bags packed come Jan of 24. He has been set up for failure.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:10 pm
TBBF … ‘Licht had his plan in place weeks ago….he knows exactly how much he can squeeze out of the cap this year, next year and the year after.’
There’s a very good article on the Bucs site titled ‘Bucs Long Planned for 2023; Still Intend to Compete’ that verifies exactly what you just wrote TBBF.
I’m still concerned that we’ve got so many holes, but given our CAP situation going into this year, there’s only so much that you can do. It’s looking like 2024 will be a repeat of 2023 in terms of salary CAP (that poor can has gotten beaten to a pulp as it gets kicked down the street). Our saving grace IMO will have to be the 2023 & 2024 drafts. If we don’t nail them, we will be screwed.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:23 pm
Lol Goatfarmer. No. Sorry. Not me. Just a fan that realizes that Tom Brady was responsible for our recent success. But if Licht can get us into a position to win again I will give him kudos. Until then he is still responsible. Comes with the job.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:26 pm
If they are sacrificing future all in years, for a couple one and done, win the NFC south years, then its a horrible mistake. In this league, you’re either in it to win it, or jockeying for draft position. I could care less about ownerships drooling goal of winning a horrible division, and hosting a playoff game, only to get emasculated. What the hell are we talking about anyway? Less than a year ago this was supposedly a Superbowl ready roster. Now it seems we’re talking about saving face. I don’t get it.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:28 pm
The Bucs have done a good job so far this offseason. Jason doesn’t get enough credit for what he has done. People like to say we only won the Super Bowl bc of Brady and that it was almost in spite of Licht. I would say that while our offense was great that year we actually won the Super Bowl because of our defense that Licht carefully assembled over a period of years.
Since becoming GM Jason Licht has done better than people give him credit for. Take a look at his stats.
64 players drafted
39 still active players (if you go back to the 2021 season this number is 46)
25 players still with the Bucs
19 players with significant playing time
March 16th, 2023 at 7:30 pm
I am Not understanding why so many have decided that the Bucs will lose 8 or more games this season. They are content to accept a losing season. The Bucs will certainly have more depth and fewer injuries than last season. I expect the Bucs to win the division
March 16th, 2023 at 7:43 pm
Also in during the time that Licht has been our GM only 11 different teams have made it to the Super Bowl with only 7 unique winners. Did he build a dynastic type program like the Patriots or Chiefs? No but he did a whole lot better than most of the GMs over that same period of time.
March 16th, 2023 at 7:49 pm
Jason Licht is the single biggest asset this franchise has aside from Tristan Wirfs. He’s been outstanding the last 4 offseasons.
March 16th, 2023 at 8:30 pm
5-6 years ago i would
Have said this……Jason Licht is one of the Best GMs in the NFL and all of sports. Im saying that and i expect the Bucs to go
6-11 in 2023. He is responsible
For the 2nd greatest moment in Tampa Bay Sports History.( #1 sb37, #2sb 55, #3 SC 04, 4 SC 20-21
March 16th, 2023 at 9:12 pm
Fun stuff and great Buc football conversation as usual, gentlemen! Much to chew on for a while.
Go Bucs!
March 16th, 2023 at 9:14 pm
My mistake plus goofy computer response.!!! 😣
March 16th, 2023 at 10:03 pm
JL is the worst GM in the league. You can’t keep charging more and more. In a year or two when he’s gone, the next GM will need 5 years to get back to even. Expect a decade of crappy Buc team. he’s just horrible.
March 16th, 2023 at 10:13 pm
Any team can do this.
March 16th, 2023 at 10:45 pm
Jimbo- ignore the data and the results all you want, but your position that Licht is the worst GM has no basis and makes you look brain damaged.
March 16th, 2023 at 11:05 pm
Relax about next year cap. First, cap goes up every year and by year 3 dean contract will look cheap. Second dead money is always the issue and they are eating 70 mill this year. They could have restructured brady dead money and they didn’t. We are fine next year and every team has some dead money.
March 16th, 2023 at 11:11 pm
Good point 56. Our problem isn’t dead money nor our GM.
Our problem is dead coach walking, Toad’s Bowels.
March 16th, 2023 at 11:18 pm
Goathearder.
JL traded up into the 2nd round for a kicker who sucked. he drafted a QB in the 2nd round who hasn’t even played in 2 years (except for a few snaps). He just signed a 5’10” QB that only has 1 winning season in his NFL career.
If you go back to his picks over the last few years, they are 50-50. Any of us can do better than that. The joe-joe love him for some reason, but we can see than JL is the worst GM in the league.
March 16th, 2023 at 11:23 pm
Let’s sign Gesicki from mia he was a good te till last year when he wasn’t used much
March 16th, 2023 at 11:28 pm
Jimbo..
Yup.
And I’m not so sure it was Licht who “ built a SB roster”. Credit BA and TB12 for telling BudLicht what to do.
March 17th, 2023 at 1:14 am
Jmark you are off the mark here.
The roster was built before Brady showed up. We added two rookies in 2020 who were starters in Wirfs and Winfield and then brought in Brown and Gronk. Everyone else on the roster for the Super Bowl was already here. Did Tom Brady make a huge difference along with Gronk and to a lesser extent Brown? Yes. Did Brady build the roster? No.
Regarding the coaches getting input into the draft, of course they get input but that is true of any healthy functioning sports organization.
March 17th, 2023 at 2:49 am
I dont praise sht!!! Some decent moves here and there…but whats happened to you the last two drafts….you hit on a punter!
Come on man, lets get real
March 17th, 2023 at 8:35 am
USFbuc
Been a Buc fan since Phil Krueger, seen all the GM’s. BudLicht ain’t all that. Perhaps that’s why he was about to be run out of town before BA got him more runway.