Over the years during the tenure of Bucs general manager Jason Licht, we’ve seen the best players to wear Tampa Bay’s uniform stay over and over again.

Wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have now signed two different big contracts with the Bucs and yet it still feels like they’re underpaid compared to other receivers. Inside linebacker Lavonte David continues to re-sign on one year deals without the threat of going to another team. It’s always been the Bucs or retirement.

Others such as nose tackle Vita Vea signed an extension with the team back in 2022 before he could test free agency. The same went on last offseason when Antoine Winfield Jr. coming off of an All-Pro season was signed before he hit the market. And Bucs fans didn’t need to even worry about left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who also got that extension.

This offseason Chris Godwin and Lavonte David were rightfully the big names. Left guard Ben Bredeson was re-signed as well, and the Bucs still had enough money to pursue a higher targeted free agent with edge rusher Haason Reddick.

Bucs Are Able To Keep Bringing Back Their Own

How does the Bucs front office keep being able to do this? How are they bringing back players on fair deals while other teams either see their players get gargantuan contracts or go get paid somewhere else?

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I think it’s incredible, man. I don’t know if that’s talked about enough,” Lavonte David said. “[The Buccaneers] have been loyal to their guys – a lot of organizations aren’t like that. For those guys to be transparent with us and have that back-and-forth communication about how important they feel we are to them and how much we want to be back and play for this city, I think that’s incredible. For everybody to just get on board and get on the same page and make things happen ASAP, that’s really underrated. I don’t think it’s talked about enough.

“That just goes to show how much they believe in the guys they bring in. I think is a testament from the ownership all the way down. They want their guys, they believe in their guys, and they’re going to stick with us. I think for the young guys to see that, that gives them even more motivation. They ask guys like me, Chris, and Mike for advice and things like that, so when those guys see that, I think they get even more motivated. They want to play for this organization – an organization like that – and it just becomes a mutual respect thing.

“The thing that I really like and respect is when you hear about other organizations and how people always have these situations where they’re not really close with their [general manager] and not really having that back-and-forth conversation with those guys. It’s the complete opposite here. I haven’t had the chance to experience it anywhere else, but you don’t see it like that.”

Bucs Drafting Well Has Been The Biggest Factor

While David wasn’t a draft pick of Jason Licht, the likes of Evans, Godwin, Vea, Wirfs and Winfield all were. A team will only re-sign players if they are worth re-signing for in the first place. Licht hasn’t just hit with finding great talent, he’s dominated in it.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

They also look for great character players, which is why so many of these players will take slightly less money if it means they have a better chance of winning.

 “Well, I don’t want to give away our secrets but we put a lot of emphasis on it and we have great scouts,” Licht said. “Rob McCartney and Mike Biehl do a great job helping the scouts filter the character. When we meet with the prospects, we have a group, they meet with all the scouts, they’ll go to the coaches and then they’ll come into my office when they come through here and then I’ll have Rob and Mike Biehl with me.”

Then Licht told a great story about Godwin when he was a rookie.

“One of the questions – we always open it up to them at the end – we meet with them for an hour or so and then say, ‘Do you have any questions for us?’” Licht said.  “‘Yeah, what can I do to be successful? What are some things I can do?’ And they always point to me because the shpiel I always give is, ‘You be like Chris Godwin.’

“When Chris was a rookie, I went over to him during OTA’s, and you’ve probably heard this story before but I said, ‘Hey, do you have everything taken care of? You can stay in the hotel through training camp.’ And he said, ‘No, I’ve got my apartment. I’ve got my car, I have everything squared away. I know where I’m going to take care of this, I have my insurance.’ [He] had it all taken care of  before rookie mini camp and I said, ‘Well you’re the first person [laughs]. You can stay for free in the hotel.’ And he says, ‘No, I don’t want to even think about it. All I want to focus on is football.’ And that’s the kind of person we want.”

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Godwin also reflected on the Bucs’ unbelievable ability to find the best of the best and continuously keep them around each season.

“As a staff, they do a really, really good job of evaluating talent,” Godwin said. “Again, you see it [with] how many guys are drafted here and continue to be here long term. It’s a very tough thing to do, clearly. Everybody doesn’t hit on their draft picks. I think it just speaks to the level of detail that the staff goes through [and] the types of people that they’re also looking for, as well, that have to fit a certain mold.

“I think I was telling [my wife] this not too long ago, but I feel like we’re going to look back on this time period, me and Mike [Evans], a decade from now and realize how special of a time it was, because it’s very rare to have two guys that operate the way that we do with the abilities that we have and to be on the same team for this long. It’s something that I’m extremely proud of and something that I’m extremely fortunate to be a part of. “