Jason Licht: Success Of Rookies A Two-Pronged Approach
March 3rd, 2025
Looking for third-straight homer.
Last year the Bucs drafted seven rookies. Of those, five had an impact in at least one win. Often, they had major positive impacts.
The only two guys the Bucs are waiting on to do something from that class is outside linebacker Chris Braswell and guard Elijah Klein.
Braswell had a grand total of 1.5 sacks last year, though Joe isn’t going to kvetch when a rookie edge rusher doesn’t make a dent in the lineup.
Klein had nine snaps on offense. The Bucs had one of the better offensive lines in the league last year so he’s behind a logjam.
Last week at the combine in Indianapolis, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht noted that having such a strong draft class was the result of two things: his personnel staff identifying the players and the rookies being coached up.
“It was outstanding,” Licht said of the development of the 2024 rookies. “My staff and the coaches, they hit it out of the park. We’re looking forward to riding the coat tails and doing it again this year, hopefully.
“It’s not every year you do that. You strive for it, but it’s going to go down, when it’s all said and done, when I’m sitting on a beach somewhere retired, I’ll think about this class and how excited I was about it.”
Joe will guess Braswell will have ample chances to earn more playing time if not start this year — and if he performs, Licht would enjoy those cold beers on the beach even more.
Licht and Bowles have been on a tear the past two seasons. Consider only two players from the 2023 draft class have yet to make their marks in the NFL: Josh Hayes and Jose Ramirez (who?).
Hayes might be an OK special teams player but if he’s on the field as a cornerback, that’s not ideal. Ramirez had a lot of hype coming in (especially for a seventh-round pick) but so far the only noise he’s made is sparking a hassle with scrub Stinking Panthers linebacker Sam Franklin.
Still, that’s a helluva batting average, only missing (so far) on 4 out of 15 draft picks is incredible. Nailing a third draft in a row seems to be too much to hope for, doesn’t it?
March 3rd, 2025 at 7:29 am
We are unlikely to have that kind of success this draft because we don’t have the defensive coaches and leadership needed to enable the players to reach their potential. If we waste another season with the best QB this franchise has ever had not named Brady, trapped by Todd’s play calling (let the pass rushers rush the freaking passers and stop the ball on the way to the QB, and not have to worry about their ridiculous coverage assignments (if it worked other teams would copy it yet to my knowledge no teams have, zero zilch nada!!) and game day blunders I hope the Glazers step in and make the retirement decision for him.
March 3rd, 2025 at 8:09 am
Oh, Hayes made a mark on that Commanders game.
March 3rd, 2025 at 8:32 am
Joe it sounds like you’re really down on Braswell, even though you always say that you don’t expect much out of rookie edge rushers.
Braswell got a reasonablle amount of def snaps (329) but looking at his game-to-game stats his field time fell off dramatically after the Giants game (he only got 65 def snaps in the last 6 games, even though he was healthy). Looks to me like Anthony Nelson gained quite a few def snaps in those last 6 games. Maybe Todd just felt like Nelson was a better fit against those last6 teams.
March 3rd, 2025 at 9:02 am
Let’s face it, Joe, you’re kvetching on Braswell. It’s okay. He’s a second rounder and should have had better numbers. By no means giving up because your second year comments on edge is spot on.
Sure sounds like a bunch of readers want a 4-3 defense on the field. Not gonna happen with Todd. 3-4 requires the OLBs to have multiple responsibilities. Even LT dropped back in coverage. The comments from the coaches and GM have been having a four man rush. If your three defensive lineman are rushing that leaves one more to put in play. OLB, ILB, SS, FS, CB are all options at that point. I fail to understand all the kvetching about athletes dropping back in coverage. If you want four men rushing then on any given play, three of the front seven are dropping back into coverage or in today’s NFL two are dropping back and one is spying the QB.
Anyways, hoping for a third straight master class and the Bucs are primed for this coming year and many years to come. Go Bucs. Go Licht. Go Bowles.
March 3rd, 2025 at 9:16 am
It could be blind faith but I have faith nonetheless in Braswell and Yaya. I still think they could be the guys for us.
The more I learn about the reasons for Bowles defensive looks, the more I unfortunately understand. We just didn’t have the personnel. I typically preface my actual gameplay takes with I am uneducated on the intricacies of the sport, so with that being said, someone talk me down because I may say something crazy.
I think another serviceable CB and LB pairing (Vonte+1, or Vet+Draft) may allow Todd Bowles to show the ‘defensive mastermind’ title that he’s been given by the media.
March 3rd, 2025 at 9:28 am
Hayes was a huge disappointment. He was initially behind Funderburk! He backed up Dean during the season and got a lot of snaps. During the Washington playoff game, when Dean went down, Bowles immediately played him 10yds off the ball and he was still terrible. He will only be a special teams player, the same as Tavier Thomas who was always third string on D. The Bucs need to draft a replacement for Dean.
Klein got some snaps very late in week 17 against Carolina. I know he played RG in school, but I’d like to see him at LG to compete with Bredeson. These young players need more snaps at the end of the blowouts but Bowles wants a 30pt lead with 3min left to put in these young guys.
March 3rd, 2025 at 10:48 am
Building through the draft is key to maintaining good play. Look what Licht has done through the draft, particularly on offense. Obviously the QB position has benefited most with Brady and Mayfield. Jensen at C was another good pickup. But other than those 3, I can’t name a FA that has made a big impact (Bredeson?). But think about Evans, Godwin, the RBs, TEs and O-line. They’re all home grown. Things are a bit different on the defensive side, JPP and Barrett were obviously good pickups. Where Licht has missed is on DE/edge. His scouts seem to be much better at identifying good fits on the offense. Hopefully, they can do a better job this year on the defensive side of the ball, because that’s where all the effort should be placed.
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:36 am
“Anyways, hoping for a third straight master class and the Bucs are primed for this coming year and many years to come.”…Ohio Buc
What master class? On defense? By Bowles coaching? You must get different Buc games than they broadcast on Oregon coast.
March 3rd, 2025 at 12:17 pm
“that’s a helluva batting average, only missing (so far) on 4 out of 15 draft picks is incredible. Nailing a third draft in a row seems to be too much to hope for, doesn’t it?”
Um – Licht already HAS nailed 3 drafts in a row. You referenced the last twp (2023 and 2024)…. In 2022 Jason drafted Hall (2), Goedeke (2), White (3), Otton (4), Camarda (4), McCollum (5), Kieft (6) and Andre Anthony (7)
Only Anthony who never made the team and punter Camarda who was talented but got the yips were “misses” – So 4 starters + White (who was a starter until Licht upgraded with Bucky) + valuable special teamer and blocking specialist Ko Kieft from the 2022 draft
Only 6 out of 23 Bucs draft picks have ‘missed’ in the last 3 drafts.
11 of our 22 starters have been drafted in the last 3 drafts!
(McCollum, Otton, Goedeke, Hall, Diaby, Mauch, Kancey, Bucky, McMillan, Tykee Smith and Barton)
Plus valuable contributors and special teamers like White, Kieft, Palmer, Hayes, Durham, future starter Sirvocea Dennis, Braswell – also UDFAs Izien, Merriweather and Sean Tucker….
Jason Licht and his whole scouting and personnel team are absolutely KILLING IT with young player acquisition.
One more great draft this year would make 4 in a row – and set this Bucs team up to be very competitive for at least the next 5-7 years.
March 3rd, 2025 at 5:17 pm
Nicely done Pickgrin. Licht and staff have been crushing it.
I have no doubt about them knocking this one outta the park as well. Bucs are fortunate that the positions they need to address in this draft are apparently the deepest positions.
Another good draft, and some good FAs (next year if they won’t spend this year) has this team a SB contender. Won’t be settling for 10-11 wins there Bowles, not when Sam Darnold can win 14 in a tough division.
March 4th, 2025 at 1:21 am
Let’s be real: we’re without Spytek this year, who was heavily involved in scouting. And we have another new OC, so that could mean more or less in the player development area (for offensive guys).
If we hit on another 3 or 4 guys this year I’ll be stoked.
March 4th, 2025 at 1:22 am
Damn good stuff pickgrin. I guess hitting on 3-4 per year is now the floor for expectations!
March 4th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
There are several Edge, IOL, OT, WR, CB, S, and 2nd tier QBs in this draft.