Trading back then reaching on a player at a position you struggle to evaluate?
I dont know that Licht struggles to evaluate edge rushers? Maybe, but he found Barrett before he was really Barrett and gobbled up JPP when some would have said he was washed.
If anything I would blame recent shortcoming on Bowles and, as I mentioned before the circumstances of the Brady era.
I mean, an early first rounder is NOT the only way to do it but the Licht Bucs have never used a premium pick on a DE, at least that I can recall.
Trey Hendrickson was the sack king last season, He's probable the 10th DE taken and does nothing really for a few years. Not easy
Barrett has NFL tape so it's a different evaluation process. Great find by Licht no doubt.
JPP was a pro bowler and quite frankly wasn't the greatest trade up until we got Brady then it paid off.
But what I'm talking about moreso is the draft. Spence and Hall and Braswell in the 2nd... That's a lot of draft capital.
Braswell was a reach and just looking at him you immediately see Spence. Athletic tweener that can't plan the run and can only win on speed... And he's not that fast.
Hall is a tweener between DE and DT.
Yaya is a solid find in the this. Nelson a good find in the 4th.
But the proof is in the pudding. He's allocated a ton of draft capital but hasn't hit once.