Solid GM that’s completely neutered by the Glazers. And don’t say Tom
Brady. Brady was an PR investment for the good of the brand. Added a billion to the team’s overall value.
A freaking SB! Survival from the remnants of the “lost decade”. Survived Lovie and Dirk.
Everybody wishes to credit the SB to Brady, or BA but who was it who got those guys here?
Everybody wants to dismiss FOUR CONSECUTIVE Division titles due to the NFC South “supposedly” sucking.
There have been two dynasties in the South, three if you count Carolina’s 3 year run. The Saints won four in a row untll the Bucs ended that with their current 4 year run. Remember the Saints won the Division the year the Bucs won the SB.
Such a rotten Division eh?
Licht has taken an OL DECIMATED as Pickgrin illustrated last night..Cappa goes…Marpet retires…Jensen goes down…D Smith is cut loose. Jason basically started with Wirfs and has successfully built another, perhaps even better OL.
So what is the knock on Jason? It’s been four years since his last SB?
At the risk of whining Tampa Bay and in particular the Bucs are the Rodney Dangerfields of the NFL. I get that market size/media have a lot to do with that but at some point it gets ridiculous. Which GM has done a better job than JL over the past five years? Brett Veach of KC. Then who?
St Pete. The NFC South’s record over the last 10 years is 320-336. Yes, that’s good enough for 7th out of 8 divisions. So I would say, yes, the division is “supposedly” weak.
Being a Buccaneers fan under the age of 40 versus over 40 is a drastically different experience because the franchise’s fortunes have evolved significantly over the years.
For those under 40, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ history is marked by consistent success, starting with the team’s peak in the early 2000s. The Bucs’ Super Bowl victory in 2002 and the rise of dominant defensive players like Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp helped solidify the franchise’s reputation as a competitive team. Even after some lean years, fans of this generation have experienced sustained mediocrity at worst, with occasional playoff berths and moments of excitement. The most recent Super Bowl victory in 2021, led by Tom Brady, further cemented the franchise’s newfound standing as a respected powerhouse in the league.
For fans over 40, the story is much different. For much of the ’70s and ’80s, the Buccaneers were a struggling team. They joined the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1976, and for many years, they were known for their underperformance and poor results. After a brief period of success in the early years (including a Super Bowl appearance in 1979), the Bucs went through some of the most infamous losing streaks in NFL history, including a 26-game losing streak in the 1980s. Older fans remember the “Yucks” era, where the team was synonymous with failure, a reputation that haunted the franchise for much of its early years. It wasn’t until the mid-’90s that things began to turn around, culminating in the 2002 championship.
The contrast is stark: the younger generation has witnessed a team that’s been on the upswing for decades, enjoying a more competitive and stable identity, while the older generation endured years of frustration, low expectations, and a deeply ingrained sense of the Bucs as perpetual underdogs. For those over 40, any success feels like a well-earned reward for enduring decades of losing football.
So, being a Bucs fan under 40 comes with a sense of optimism and recent success, while those over 40 remember the painful growing pains of an underachieving team that has finally turned the corner, but not without years of hardship. The shared experience, though, makes both groups fiercely loyal and proud of the team’s accomplishments in different ways. This is why some want Bowles chased out of town and others are OK with mediocrity because being decent is better than being a cellar dweller….
Pickgrin … ‘Just look at the last 3 drafts. 10 Starters – McCollum, Otten, Goedeke, Hall, Diaby, Mauch, Kancey, Bucky Irving, Tykee Smith and Barton’.
You got me curious Pickgrin. Compared our current roster (84 total) against Bucs draft history. We have 35 players on our roster who we’d drafted (Rnds 1-7) starting with Gholston & LVD, plus a number of others (like Izien, Brewer, Greene, etc) who we didn’t draft per se, but did sign as FAs after the draft. Looks like about half of our current roster have only had a position with the Bucs since joining the NFL.
And yes, Jason’s been killing it since about the 2019 draft (that was a biggie that helped us get the SB).
Totally confident. He’s one of the best in the NFL. He had to bungle his way through a few bad drafts and it’s a miracle he survived Jameis. It’s very rare a GM doesn’t get fired when they miss on the #1 overall pick.
Overall I trust Jason. Where I am a little bit reluctant is in making the big ballsy move such as a trade for Trey Hendrickson or sauce Gardener….
Even when he made free agency signings when you look at it they were actually somewhat budget-friendly signings. Even Tom Brady came as a not so expensive option all things considered. And he like they only came at the behest of Bruce Arians.
I think the highest pic he is traded for another player was a third rounder in JPP. I think outside of trading up a spot for Tristan wharf so I don’t think he’s otherwise ever traded significantly up in the first round to go after a blue chip prospect that would otherwise not reach us.
Right now this team assuming the resign a healthy Chris Godwin is poised for a run at the Super bowl if we stay healthy and upgrade three positions on defense which should be doable in a mix of free agency in the draft.
My only question is will Jason light see that right now there is a window to win before the cost of Baker Mayfield’s contract goes up or he can go ahead and get an expensive free agent or trade for one at defensive edge rusher and/or cornerback and then supplementing the other needed position at inside linebacker in the draft.
Trust Licht to draft an edge rusher or Bowles to develop one hmm lol yea even YaYa hit with 7.5 purely off his own skills then after a year in Bowles system regressed so whet is Licht supposed to do. Don’t waste a draft pick just sign one in free agency. We’ll never know what Braswell can be because Bowles coaches are developing him
The old days of the yuks in the ’70s, ’80s in early ’90s was 100% based on Hugh Culverhouse. He spent nowhere near the salary cap and if I recall, he stayed millions below it back when The salary cap was pretty low in comparison to today (I don’t have numbers to back me up). They had the fifth-highest gross income of all NFL teams, while their average salary was only the 21st-highest. The Bucs were not only a laughing stock based on the lack of spending on the team but our facilities were ridiculous. Div 2 college teams had better training facilities and we had. They ran things out of portable business trailers like you see at a lot of elementary schools that are at max capacity. Part of the gym was outdoors for Pete’s sake. He Buccaneers had the fifth-highest gross income of all NFL teams, while their average salary was only the 21st-highest. He cheaply ran Doug Williams out of town, p!ssed off Bo Jackson from never playing with us if draftedfor messing with his NCAA baseball eligibility having him fly to Tampa for a physical and there were probably other things I can’t remember that helped create the yucks. He just wanted to make money, he didn’t care about winning.
Once he sold out to the Glazers everything changed. If we would have had a different owner from the very beginning, we may have won a whole lot more games. Culver House was Uber close to buying the Los Angeles Rams prior to getting the bucks franchise, man that would have been so nice… not so much for LA. LOL I think the Washington Redskins/Commanders fans can feel our pain by running a long stint with an awful owner. Though Snyder was an idiot at multiple levels, he spent more freely than Culverhouse at least.
But compared to what we are use to as Bucs fans he seems better than he is
A good manager in any job has great foresight and prepares for issues prior to them arising. Licht lacks that foresight and is a very reactionary manager. My biggest issue with him was after the super Bowl winning season not infusing the roster with more depth and decided to bring everyone back.
Then when Arians quit he relied on a bad coach to keep the winning going. Obviously Licht wasnt as close to Arians and others if he couldn’t put a competent succession plan in place and stack the roster where it was weak.
If your CB’s can’t stay healthy infuse that spot with talent
If your old QB needs protection draft OL and RB versus a backup qb who would never play
Licht is better than a lot of the league but not quite great. He’d likely be unemployed if Brady never came here
” The NFC South’s record over the last 10 years is 320-336. Yes, that’s good enough for 7th out of 8 divisions.”
That’s “JustOneStat” with zero perspective. For starters I’d rather see the playoff performance. For another I’d like to see all the actual records. IE was 6th place or 5th place or…you get where I’m going 320-336 has no perspective. Were there teams that went 322-338 the actual win % would be more relevant.
But the real money is in the Playoffs. Which Divisions have dominated? I honestly do not know after only a cursory google search.
1 SB won with the GOAT QB lured here in part by Jason. Given free spending to stock the SB team with stars.
4 Straight Division titles! 2 with a castoff “failed” QB! You could perhaps yammer on about the “weak” NFC South for one or two of those but doing it FOUR TIMES in a row with two completely different QB’s, even against “The LIttle Sisters of the Poor” is an UNDENIABLE achievement.
Pickgrin and DR did a better job than me explaining HOW he accomplished those feats.
I wouldn’t blame Licht for drafting Jameis, because at that time, there really were only two top-tier QB options. Goff came out the following year, and on paper he didn’t look much better than Jameis. But in hindsight, I’d pick Goff any day of the week over both Winston and Mariota.
Licht can find all the great pass rushers in the world. It’s hard to get the QB on the ground when you’re dropping 20 yards into coverage. And then not covering anyone.
“dropping 20 yards into coverage. And then not covering anyone.”
Totally agree where I suspect we differ is WHY they did this. It could be a simple lack of talent, raw and inexperienced, difficult scheme hard to master and the DC’s fault, or perhaps even a combination of all of the above.
If Jason delivers a DW45 clone at ILB and healthy version of Dean or Davis for a cover corner, and AW returns to his top form and health…THEN we might have an answer to those questions.
As it stands currently I go with “all of the above.”
At a minimum it should be VERY and the only reason it is not TOTALLY is because they can’t draft an edge rusher to save their life. Hopefully YAYA proves that wrong next year.
There was no other choice than Jameis at the time. It was identical to the Testaverde pick. Heisman, top rated pick, Florida athlete. Bucs nation would have erupted with any other choice. I hated it both times but it was the only possible choice.
February 11th, 2025 at 4:10 am
Jason Licht is not the problem
February 11th, 2025 at 4:28 am
Jeff the only no confidence vote
February 11th, 2025 at 4:40 am
Solid GM that’s completely neutered by the Glazers. And don’t say Tom
Brady. Brady was an PR investment for the good of the brand. Added a billion to the team’s overall value.
February 11th, 2025 at 4:48 am
I am at around 80% confident with Jason. If he gets us a solid edge rusher and gives Mike an extension, I will raise it to 100%.
February 11th, 2025 at 5:47 am
A freaking SB! Survival from the remnants of the “lost decade”. Survived Lovie and Dirk.
Everybody wishes to credit the SB to Brady, or BA but who was it who got those guys here?
Everybody wants to dismiss FOUR CONSECUTIVE Division titles due to the NFC South “supposedly” sucking.
There have been two dynasties in the South, three if you count Carolina’s 3 year run. The Saints won four in a row untll the Bucs ended that with their current 4 year run. Remember the Saints won the Division the year the Bucs won the SB.
Such a rotten Division eh?
Licht has taken an OL DECIMATED as Pickgrin illustrated last night..Cappa goes…Marpet retires…Jensen goes down…D Smith is cut loose. Jason basically started with Wirfs and has successfully built another, perhaps even better OL.
So what is the knock on Jason? It’s been four years since his last SB?
At the risk of whining Tampa Bay and in particular the Bucs are the Rodney Dangerfields of the NFL. I get that market size/media have a lot to do with that but at some point it gets ridiculous. Which GM has done a better job than JL over the past five years? Brett Veach of KC. Then who?
February 11th, 2025 at 6:56 am
Just look at his last 3 drafts.
10 Starters – McCollum, Otten, Goedeke, Hall, Diaby, Mauch, Kancey, Bucky Irving, Tykee Smith and Barton
Plus valuable contributors White, Kieft, Sirvocea Dennis, Durham, Hayes, Palmer, McMillan, Culp, Braswell….
Only ONE of Jason Licht’s 23 selections from the last 3 drafts is not on the roster – 7th round pick from 2022 Andre Anthony
Jason Licht and Co. are killing it!
February 11th, 2025 at 7:24 am
Mafia boss
February 11th, 2025 at 7:27 am
There has NEVER been an NFC South Dynasty lmao the only thing that matters is SUPER BOWLS!!!
February 11th, 2025 at 7:58 am
St Pete. The NFC South’s record over the last 10 years is 320-336. Yes, that’s good enough for 7th out of 8 divisions. So I would say, yes, the division is “supposedly” weak.
February 11th, 2025 at 8:05 am
Best GM in football. Who is better?
February 11th, 2025 at 8:05 am
Poll posted at 3:46am Joe? Impressive! or automated?
February 11th, 2025 at 8:08 am
My man. Best GM in the league. Totally Confident.
February 11th, 2025 at 8:08 am
Being a Buccaneers fan under the age of 40 versus over 40 is a drastically different experience because the franchise’s fortunes have evolved significantly over the years.
For those under 40, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ history is marked by consistent success, starting with the team’s peak in the early 2000s. The Bucs’ Super Bowl victory in 2002 and the rise of dominant defensive players like Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp helped solidify the franchise’s reputation as a competitive team. Even after some lean years, fans of this generation have experienced sustained mediocrity at worst, with occasional playoff berths and moments of excitement. The most recent Super Bowl victory in 2021, led by Tom Brady, further cemented the franchise’s newfound standing as a respected powerhouse in the league.
For fans over 40, the story is much different. For much of the ’70s and ’80s, the Buccaneers were a struggling team. They joined the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1976, and for many years, they were known for their underperformance and poor results. After a brief period of success in the early years (including a Super Bowl appearance in 1979), the Bucs went through some of the most infamous losing streaks in NFL history, including a 26-game losing streak in the 1980s. Older fans remember the “Yucks” era, where the team was synonymous with failure, a reputation that haunted the franchise for much of its early years. It wasn’t until the mid-’90s that things began to turn around, culminating in the 2002 championship.
The contrast is stark: the younger generation has witnessed a team that’s been on the upswing for decades, enjoying a more competitive and stable identity, while the older generation endured years of frustration, low expectations, and a deeply ingrained sense of the Bucs as perpetual underdogs. For those over 40, any success feels like a well-earned reward for enduring decades of losing football.
So, being a Bucs fan under 40 comes with a sense of optimism and recent success, while those over 40 remember the painful growing pains of an underachieving team that has finally turned the corner, but not without years of hardship. The shared experience, though, makes both groups fiercely loyal and proud of the team’s accomplishments in different ways. This is why some want Bowles chased out of town and others are OK with mediocrity because being decent is better than being a cellar dweller….
Personally I’m with Al Davis on this one….
JUST WIN BABY!!
February 11th, 2025 at 8:09 am
Pickgrin … ‘Just look at the last 3 drafts. 10 Starters – McCollum, Otten, Goedeke, Hall, Diaby, Mauch, Kancey, Bucky Irving, Tykee Smith and Barton’.
You got me curious Pickgrin. Compared our current roster (84 total) against Bucs draft history. We have 35 players on our roster who we’d drafted (Rnds 1-7) starting with Gholston & LVD, plus a number of others (like Izien, Brewer, Greene, etc) who we didn’t draft per se, but did sign as FAs after the draft. Looks like about half of our current roster have only had a position with the Bucs since joining the NFL.
And yes, Jason’s been killing it since about the 2019 draft (that was a biggie that helped us get the SB).
February 11th, 2025 at 8:40 am
Totally confident. He’s one of the best in the NFL. He had to bungle his way through a few bad drafts and it’s a miracle he survived Jameis. It’s very rare a GM doesn’t get fired when they miss on the #1 overall pick.
February 11th, 2025 at 8:43 am
Overall I trust Jason. Where I am a little bit reluctant is in making the big ballsy move such as a trade for Trey Hendrickson or sauce Gardener….
Even when he made free agency signings when you look at it they were actually somewhat budget-friendly signings. Even Tom Brady came as a not so expensive option all things considered. And he like they only came at the behest of Bruce Arians.
I think the highest pic he is traded for another player was a third rounder in JPP. I think outside of trading up a spot for Tristan wharf so I don’t think he’s otherwise ever traded significantly up in the first round to go after a blue chip prospect that would otherwise not reach us.
Right now this team assuming the resign a healthy Chris Godwin is poised for a run at the Super bowl if we stay healthy and upgrade three positions on defense which should be doable in a mix of free agency in the draft.
My only question is will Jason light see that right now there is a window to win before the cost of Baker Mayfield’s contract goes up or he can go ahead and get an expensive free agent or trade for one at defensive edge rusher and/or cornerback and then supplementing the other needed position at inside linebacker in the draft.
February 11th, 2025 at 8:47 am
He only gets me very confident. Now if he adds a competent edge rusher in FA, that could move me to totally. Right Lee?
February 11th, 2025 at 8:59 am
Trust Licht to draft an edge rusher or Bowles to develop one hmm lol yea even YaYa hit with 7.5 purely off his own skills then after a year in Bowles system regressed so whet is Licht supposed to do. Don’t waste a draft pick just sign one in free agency. We’ll never know what Braswell can be because Bowles coaches are developing him
February 11th, 2025 at 9:14 am
The 26 game losing streak was their first 26 games in ‘76 and ‘77. Good times.
February 11th, 2025 at 9:20 am
I am “totally confident” is in inability to draft a pass rusher
February 11th, 2025 at 10:26 am
The old days of the yuks in the ’70s, ’80s in early ’90s was 100% based on Hugh Culverhouse. He spent nowhere near the salary cap and if I recall, he stayed millions below it back when The salary cap was pretty low in comparison to today (I don’t have numbers to back me up). They had the fifth-highest gross income of all NFL teams, while their average salary was only the 21st-highest. The Bucs were not only a laughing stock based on the lack of spending on the team but our facilities were ridiculous. Div 2 college teams had better training facilities and we had. They ran things out of portable business trailers like you see at a lot of elementary schools that are at max capacity. Part of the gym was outdoors for Pete’s sake. He Buccaneers had the fifth-highest gross income of all NFL teams, while their average salary was only the 21st-highest. He cheaply ran Doug Williams out of town, p!ssed off Bo Jackson from never playing with us if draftedfor messing with his NCAA baseball eligibility having him fly to Tampa for a physical and there were probably other things I can’t remember that helped create the yucks. He just wanted to make money, he didn’t care about winning.
Once he sold out to the Glazers everything changed. If we would have had a different owner from the very beginning, we may have won a whole lot more games. Culver House was Uber close to buying the Los Angeles Rams prior to getting the bucks franchise, man that would have been so nice… not so much for LA. LOL I think the Washington Redskins/Commanders fans can feel our pain by running a long stint with an awful owner. Though Snyder was an idiot at multiple levels, he spent more freely than Culverhouse at least.
February 11th, 2025 at 10:46 am
Licht is good, not great
But compared to what we are use to as Bucs fans he seems better than he is
A good manager in any job has great foresight and prepares for issues prior to them arising. Licht lacks that foresight and is a very reactionary manager. My biggest issue with him was after the super Bowl winning season not infusing the roster with more depth and decided to bring everyone back.
Then when Arians quit he relied on a bad coach to keep the winning going. Obviously Licht wasnt as close to Arians and others if he couldn’t put a competent succession plan in place and stack the roster where it was weak.
If your CB’s can’t stay healthy infuse that spot with talent
If your old QB needs protection draft OL and RB versus a backup qb who would never play
Licht is better than a lot of the league but not quite great. He’d likely be unemployed if Brady never came here
February 11th, 2025 at 11:06 am
Missed my chance to vote, but 98% of respondents are at least confident or better. Sounds about right. JL is a beast.
February 11th, 2025 at 11:41 am
Total confident that this time next year going into the draft our biggest needs will STILL be a pass rusher and corner.
February 11th, 2025 at 12:32 pm
JustOneGame
” The NFC South’s record over the last 10 years is 320-336. Yes, that’s good enough for 7th out of 8 divisions.”
That’s “JustOneStat” with zero perspective. For starters I’d rather see the playoff performance. For another I’d like to see all the actual records. IE was 6th place or 5th place or…you get where I’m going 320-336 has no perspective. Were there teams that went 322-338 the actual win % would be more relevant.
But the real money is in the Playoffs. Which Divisions have dominated? I honestly do not know after only a cursory google search.
February 11th, 2025 at 12:39 pm
Do results even matter here anymore?
1 SB won with the GOAT QB lured here in part by Jason. Given free spending to stock the SB team with stars.
4 Straight Division titles! 2 with a castoff “failed” QB! You could perhaps yammer on about the “weak” NFC South for one or two of those but doing it FOUR TIMES in a row with two completely different QB’s, even against “The LIttle Sisters of the Poor” is an UNDENIABLE achievement.
Pickgrin and DR did a better job than me explaining HOW he accomplished those feats.
February 11th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
I wouldn’t blame Licht for drafting Jameis, because at that time, there really were only two top-tier QB options. Goff came out the following year, and on paper he didn’t look much better than Jameis. But in hindsight, I’d pick Goff any day of the week over both Winston and Mariota.
February 11th, 2025 at 1:36 pm
Please add an additional choice:
– Total God if he delivers Myles Garrett
February 11th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
I will only be confident in Licht when he finds us a GD PASS RUSH!!!!!!!!
February 11th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
Licht can find all the great pass rushers in the world. It’s hard to get the QB on the ground when you’re dropping 20 yards into coverage. And then not covering anyone.
February 11th, 2025 at 3:37 pm
Aqualung
At last we can agree on something.
“dropping 20 yards into coverage. And then not covering anyone.”
Totally agree where I suspect we differ is WHY they did this. It could be a simple lack of talent, raw and inexperienced, difficult scheme hard to master and the DC’s fault, or perhaps even a combination of all of the above.
If Jason delivers a DW45 clone at ILB and healthy version of Dean or Davis for a cover corner, and AW returns to his top form and health…THEN we might have an answer to those questions.
As it stands currently I go with “all of the above.”
February 11th, 2025 at 5:13 pm
Imagine being so ignorant about football that you are 1 of 17 psuedo fans that give Licht “little confidence”. LOL
February 11th, 2025 at 5:14 pm
At a minimum it should be VERY and the only reason it is not TOTALLY is because they can’t draft an edge rusher to save their life. Hopefully YAYA proves that wrong next year.
February 11th, 2025 at 10:08 pm
There was no other choice than Jameis at the time. It was identical to the Testaverde pick. Heisman, top rated pick, Florida athlete. Bucs nation would have erupted with any other choice. I hated it both times but it was the only possible choice.