Sure to drive some (cough, couch . . JC) crazy, NFL.com names Licht the big winner in the early days of free agency
Jason Licht, Bucs general manager: Licht has been on quite a run over the last four years, as Tampa Bay has won a Super Bowl and three NFC South titles during that time. The Bucs are back in position to compete for another division crown because of all the heavy lifting Licht has done over the last two weeks. The first thing he did was work out a two-year, $52 million deal that kept star wide receiver Mike Evans from leaving in free agency. Licht then put the franchise tag on All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to create time to negotiate a long-term extension for one of the best defensive backs in the league. Finally, there’s the three-year, $100 million deal Licht just worked out with quarterback Baker Mayfield over the weekend. Mayfield was heading to his fourth team in less than a year when he signed with Tampa Bay last March. He wound up enjoying a career year and playing in his first Pro Bowl. This offseason could’ve been rough for Licht — who also agreed to acquire a third-round pick in this year’s draft in a trade that will send cornerback Carlton Davis III to Detroit along with a couple sixth-round picks — if Evans and Mayfield walked. Instead, the Bucs have a great shot at returning to the playoffs for a fifth straight season.
PFF too . .
Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield Contracts Earn Buccaneers Strong Free Agency Grades from PFF
While I think the praise is good I like to believe that when Licht and the Bucs start brining in talent to address key areas of need is when the praise should be codified for this off season.
What are the expectations this year? Sure, we could repeat at 9-8 and win the division. Last year that was a pleasant surprise. Well for a while we were this close to time to blow it all up. But we did manage to barely beat the worst team in the league in the final week and eked into the playoffs and stomped the spiraling Eagles pretty badly. So now we (yes including me) are acting like we were when we were Superbowl champs getting Brady and Gronk back for another run. They say "Good is the enemy of Great" because look at us. We are practically rejoicing because they are keeping our 9-8 team together.
This time there will be higher expectations. I'm pretty sure when the predictions come out they won't be 5-12, 6-11, 7-10. They'll be 12-5, 11-6, 10-7. What happens this year if we go 9-8? We won't be rejoicing about it this time. And yet so far we have pretty much the same team with a couple subtractions. Last year they barely put a small dent in the free agent market. This year appears to be much the same. Try to hang onto the core players and build through the draft. Licht hit a home run in the draft last year, and now people expect he'll do it again this year. The thing about home runs is they don't happen every time you get to bat.
Why should we expect a better result with much the same cast of characters? We'll see. I'm pretty pumped about next year like most Bucs fans. But I'm hoping that Licht will be bringing in a couple nice free agents this year. Expectations, expectations.......
well we haven't seen the complete picture yet in terms of the offseason but without Davis, Barrett and White, outsiders looking in will suggest we have gotten worse from a talent perspective.
now, we all believe that Shaq and Devin's production is easily replaceable. I am not so sure on Carlton but again let's see what the draft brings
the Bucs have seem to have had the same approach since the last few offseasons in terms of just bringing back their own and not going out and getting others
in 2023 offseason - Baker Mayfield was the biggest off-season acquisition.
in 2022 offseason, we signed Akiem Hicks, Julio Jones, Russell Gage; traded for Shaq Mason and that backfired as 2022 season was our least successful season in the last 4.
in 2021 offseason, we just brought back our own to try for the repeat run
so looks like we are heading that way for 2024.
Honestly they do not need to do much.
Find a credible edge rusher, interior OL and DB and the Bucs can turn their attention with the draft. That extra third round pick will come in handy for the team if they need to load up on a position or trade up draft day.
You forgot about one or possibly two linebacker, a #1 TE, another backup RB. It took a while for the rookies to get up to speed last year, which is one reason we didn't get things rolling until later on in the season. We can't depend on rookies to fill in all the gaps again. If Licht's 2022 free agent foray was a disaster, that's not a reason to not do free agents. That's a reason to do it better next time. I realize that there is plenty of time to score some free agents and they have a better cap situation this year, so they need to find some players who can fill in the gaps and give the rookies time to develop.Honestly they do not need to do much.
Find a credible edge rusher, interior OL and DB and the Bucs can turn their attention with the draft. That extra third round pick will come in handy for the team if they need to load up on a position or trade up draft day.
David is back in the fold. We got everybody back (who we wanted back). Now it's time to bring in some new additions.
We can't depend on rookies to fill in all the gaps again. If Licht's 2022 free agent foray was a disaster, that's not a reason to not do free agents.
So, then who do you want?
Give us names and why.
No. Why should I? Are you saying everybody out there is garbage? Come on. I was going to say Patrick Queen, but he's gone. Don't be gun shy just because things didn't work out in 2022. We need a LB, TE, Edge, G, C, S, RB, WR, CB. We are going to get all that in the draft? Good luck.We can't depend on rookies to fill in all the gaps again. If Licht's 2022 free agent foray was a disaster, that's not a reason to not do free agents.
So, then who do you want?
Give us names and why.
At this point, I "choose" to go "all-in" on JL. The last 4 years have earned him that from me at least. This "oof-Season" he turned lemons into lemonaide...again. I wouldnt trade him for Anyone else at this point. Now he's just got to maintain this level of Awesomeness over the long haul. I tough task indeed, but if anyone can do it...I CHOOSE JL. Gooooo Bucs!!!
No. Why should I?
Because you're openly criticizing the GM for not being (in your eyes) more "active".
Stop deflecting.
Are you saying everybody out there is garbage?
No. This is a straw man on your part. Because, again, you're deflecting.
We need a LB, TE, Edge, G, C, S, RB, WR, CB. We are going to get all that in the draft? Good luck.
Great.
So again, I'll ask, who do you want? And why?
I’m all for re-signing our critical guys.
I know first wave of free agency is done, and the next wave, is underway, but the feelz of it are a little like we’re just treading water with re-signing our own folks - and while I’m not yet concerned that we’re missing out on big name/dollar FA’s - I am starting to pay attention as to just which FA’s we target/land.
We did resign our key FA’s, so we didn’t get worse, but we haven’t added any position that’s made us better at this point. Hoping that begins tomorrow. I don’t expect a big FA haul, but at least one of: edge/DB/OG, would be nice - it would narrow the draft targets.
The Bucs are placing higher value on their own free agents so far than what is out there but they will eventually flip to some new additions given the current roster is light at center or left guard for example.
I told you what positions we need. Some of them can be filled by the draft, but not nearly all. I'm not going back and watching game film from 2023 to find out which guard's style of play will fit in with the Bucs O-line and I'm not calling a player to find out whether their wife wants to put their kids in school in Tampa Bay. Even SR didn't say any specific names in his "What's Next" article other than the obvious one of Jordan Whitehead. I could go pick some names off the Spotrac list of free agents, but I'm not a professional talent evaluator.No. Why should I?
Because you're openly criticizing the GM for not being (in your eyes) more "active".
Stop deflecting.
Are you saying everybody out there is garbage?
No. This is a straw man on your part. Because, again, you're deflecting.
We need a LB, TE, Edge, G, C, S, RB, WR, CB. We are going to get all that in the draft? Good luck.
Great. t
So again, I'll ask, who do you want? And why?
Why do you need me to name the specific players to have a valid point? It could only be because you don't think there are any out there who can help the Bucs. And honestly it that's true then congrats for knowing that. I have to believe there are players out there who can help the Bucs. My point is that I don't think they should just stand pat and wait for the draft like they did last year for the most part (which was largely because of cap constraints). I think that would be overconfidence on the part of Licht and Bowles. You don't need to know the names of specific players. I'm not pretending to know which free agents are the best fit for the Bucs.
