SR’s Fab 5 is a collection of reporting and analysis on the Bucs from yours truly, Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds. Here are four things that caught my attention this week, plus some random tidbits in my Buc Shots section at the end. Enjoy!

FAB 1. Licht Shines At Building Bucs’ O-Line

Bucs general manager Jason Licht built a star-studded offensive line that helped Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV in 2020. That line helped the Bucs set team records for offense and win a franchise-record 13 regular season games in 2021.

So when Pro Bowl left guard Ali Marpet suddenly retired and Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen and left guard Alex Cappa were slated to hit free agency this week, Licht must have cringed.

Yet only for a moment.

Bucs C Ryan Jensen and LG Ali Marpet – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I’ll be damned if I’m going to watch the Bucs O-line I built into a team strength become a team weakness in one offseason,” Licht must have thought just a few days before free agency.

He couldn’t do anything about Marpet, who retired at the age of 28 and walked away rich and healthy. Not even Tom Brady’s return to the Bucs for a 23rd season last Sunday could sway Marpet to come back.

But Licht could keep Jensen, who was more important to the Bucs – and to Brady – than Cappa. He formed a bond with Jensen in 2018 when he made him the highest-paid center in the league. Licht decided it was worth it to bet on the 31-year old once again. The Bucs signed Jensen to a three-year, $39 million contract.

That came at the expense of letting Cappa go. He agreed to a four-year, $35 million contract worth $8.75 million with Cincinnati on Monday.

With Jensen back in the fold, the Bucs actually upgraded at right guard with Licht’s trade with Patriots for Shaq Mason. Despite being undersized at just 6-foot-1, 310 pounds, the 28-year old Mason is one of the best guards in the NFL.

While Mason hasn’t made a Pro Bowl yet, he did win two Super Bowls with Brady in New England. With a $6.5 million base salary and $1 million in bonus money, Mason is actually cheaper. Cappa’s deal averages $8.75 million per year.

No general manager is perfect. No GM hits on all of their draft picks, free agent signings and trades.

But when it comes to offensive linemen, Licht is just about damn perfect. Maybe it’s because he played guard at Nebraska and knows the offensive line inside and out before entering the league with Miami as a scouting assistant in 1995.

Here is Licht’s track record with early-round picks (the ones that count), free agents and trades along Tampa Bay’s offensive line.

Licht’s Notable Draft Picks

LT Donovan Smith – Round 2 – 2015
LG Ali Marpet – Round 2 – 2015 (Pro Bowler)
RG Alex Cappa – Round 3 – 2018
RT Tristan Wirfs – Round 1 – 2020 (Pro Bowler)
C-G Robert Hainsey – Round 3 – 2021

Licht’s Notable Free Agent Signings

C Evan Dietrich-Smith – 2014
G-C Joe Hawley – 2015
C Ryan Jensen – 2018 (Pro Bowler)

Licht’s Notable Trades

LG Logan Mankins – 2014 (Pro Bowler)
RG Shaq Mason – 2022

Licht’s Failed O-Line Additions

LT Anthony Collins
G J.R. Sweezy

Collins was a selfish bust whose game changed once he got paid. Sweezy was viewed as a good signing until a back injury while weightlifting derailed his Bucs career before it even started.

Licht essentially is perfect on his first four early-round draft picks. The jury is still out on Hainsey, but the coaches and players rave about him. It’s notable that he’s found three key free agent centers and nailed two trades for guards. Both guards are from the Patriots.

Bucs G Shaq Mason – Photo by: USA Today

Licht’s track record over the last eight years is stunningly successful. Any general manager would love to have that level of success when it comes to building an offensive line.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the development of Aaron Stinnie, who was signed to the Bucs’ practice squad in 2019. Stinnie stepped in to help Tampa Bay win a Super Bowl when Cappa suffered a broken ankle in the playoffs.

Now Stinnie, fresh off a one-year deal, will get a shot at replacing Marpet at left guard. There could be a battle royale in training camp for that spot with Stinnie, Nick Leverett, Sadarius Hutcherson and Hainsey.

Marpet will be hard to replace, but Licht has done a remarkable job building – and now rebuilding – Tampa Bay’s offensive line since taking over as GM in 2014.

FAB 2. Licht Shines When It Comes To Trades

The Titans are releasing wide receiver Julio Jones. A former Bucs-killer while he was in Atlanta, was a bust in Tennessee, who parted ways with him in a cap-cutting move on Wednesday. The Titans gave up a second and a fourth-round pick a year ago for an oft-injured player who didn’t help them in 2021.

That was a rough trade for Titans general manager Jon Robinson, who used to work for Bucs GM Jason Licht in Tampa Bay from 2014-15. Licht had his own rough trade on draft day in 2016. He is known for infamously trading up in the 2016 draft to use a second-round pick on kicker Robert Aguayo, Jr.

Licht more than made up for that by trading up one spot in the first round of the 2020 draft to secure the selection of Tristan Wirfs. The right tackle became an All-Pro this past year.

But outside of that doomed draft day maneuver for Aguayo, which was really a draft pick more than it was a trade, Licht has been sensational when it comes to acquiring players via trade.

Here’s a look at the trades he has made for players since taking over as general manager in 2014.

2014 – LG Logan Mankins – two-year starter, Pro Bowler in 2015
2018 – OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – four-year starter, 12.5 sacks in 2018, Pro Bowler in 2020
2020 – TE Rob Gronkowski – two-year starter, 2 TDs in Super Bowl, 800 yards in 2021
2020 – DT Steve McLendon – key reserve for two years, helped win Super Bowl LV
2022 – RG Shaq Mason – immediate veteran starter, better and cheaper than Alex Cappa

Each of those acquisitions was for a third-round pick – or less! Mankins was acquired for a fourth-rounder and tight end Tim Williams in 2014. He brought leadership and toughness to the Bucs offensive line. Mankins made the Pro Bowl in his final NFL season before retiring.

Bucs DE Jason Pierre-Paul and GM Jason Licht / Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It only took a third-rounder to acquire Pierre-Paul from the Giants. He’s recorded 33 sacks over the last four years in Tampa Bay. Pierre-Paul ended the Bucs’ drought of not having a double-digit sacker with 12.5 in 2018. Two years later he was a Pro Bowler, helping Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV.

Once Licht secured Tom Brady as the team’s quarterback in free agency, Brady and Licht moved to have the Bucs trade for Gronkowski. He came out of retirement to play in Tampa Bay, so New England sent him to the Bucs for a fourth-round pick. Gronkowski is still playing at an elite level and has 16 touchdowns in two seasons in red and pewter, including three in the postseason.

Needing depth at defensive tackle following Vita Vea’s broken ankle in 2020, Licht traded a sixth-round pick in 2022 to the Jets for McLendon and a 2023 seventh-rounder. McLendon has been a solid, veteran reserve for Tampa Bay’s defense.

With Ali Marpet’s sudden retirement and the looming loss of Alex Cappa in free agency, Licht traded a fifth-round pick for Mason. He’ll replace Cappa and is one of the best guards in the league.

Licht doesn’t trade for players often, but when he does he’s been extremely successful at it.

FAB 3. Bucs Must Improve Running Game

When quarterback Tom Brady came out of his short-lived “retirement” and back to the Bucs, he came armed with a list of ways the team could improve in 2022. Longtime Tampa Bay Times beat reporter Rick Stroud revealed that information from a recent interview with quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen.

“It felt like the morning after we had just lost to the Rams,” Christensen told Stroud. “He had a list. He said, ‘Here’s how we can be better.’ I think he had been out of retirement 12 hours or so by then.”

It turns out Brady’s list was in sync with that of the Bucs coaching staff. While Bruce Arians’ system is a quarterback and receiver-driven vertical passing attack, Tampa Bay has to have a better running game this year.

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Everyone knows we’ve got to run the ball better,” Christensen told Stroud. “We’ve got to fix some stuff offensively. We’ve got to fix the run game. That’s No. 1. It’s all the above. Calling more runs, emphasizing more runs, getting some linemen, getting a back.”

They got some linemen, starting with the re-signing of Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen thanks to general manager Jason Licht and vice president of football administration Mike Greenberg. Licht then traded for Patriots stud right guard Shaq Mason to replace Alex Cappa.

Now the Bucs are charged with finding some more running backs to replace Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones II and Giovani Bernard. It’s doubtful that any of those return. That leaves Ke’Shawn Vaughn, a seldom-used third-round pick as the only viable back under contract.

Tampa Bay will probably turn to free agency to fill one spot and draft as many as two backs to fill up the depth chart. Licht has to be careful because unlike acquiring offensive linemen, drafting running backs has been his weakness (See Fab 4).

The reason why Brady wants the running game improved is because he’s typically thrived and won Super Bowls in New England with a strong rushing attack. Here is how the Patriots’ ground game fared over the last 10 years with Brady under center.

Patriots Rushing Rankings Over Brady’s Last Decade

2019: 18th – 106.4 ypg.
2018: 5th – 127.3 ypg. (Super Bowl victory)
2017: 10th – 118.1 ypg. (Super Bowl loss)
2016: 7th – 117 ypg. (Super Bowl victory)
2015: 30th – 87.8 ypg.
2014: 18th – 107.9 ypg. (Super Bowl victory)
2013: 9th – 129.1 ypg.
2012: 7th – 136.5 ypg.
2011: 20th – 110.2 ypg. (Super Bowl loss)
2010: 9th – 123.3 ypg.

New England won three Super Bowls with a ground game ranked inside the Top 20, including twice with a Top 10 rushing attack in 2016 and 2018. There were other years where the Patriots had a premier rushing attack and New England didn’t make a Super Bowl. But the Patriots still won the division and made the playoffs. Brady still made Pro Bowls and won NFL MVPs during a couple of those years where the Patriots either didn’t make the Super Bowl or didn’t win it.

Bucs Rushing Rankings Over The Last Decade

2021: 26th – 98.4 ypg.
2020: 29th – 94.9 ypg.
2019: 24th – 95.1 ypg.
2018: 29th – 95.2 ypg.
2017: 27th – 90.6 ypg.
2016: 24th – 101 ypg.
2015: 5th – 135.1 ypg.
2014: 29th – 85.9 ypg.
2013: 22th – 100.8 ypg.
2012: 15th – 114.8 ypg.

The Bucs haven’t had a running game ranked inside the Top 20 since 2016. Yet Tampa Bay won the Super Bowl in 2020 and had a franchise-best 13 wins last season despite a lack of success on the ground.

So why is there a sense of urgency to improve Tampa Bay’s rushing attack?

The Bucs averaged 122.5 yards per game on the ground in the 2020 postseason. That was 27.6 yards better than their in-season average. Tampa Bay ran for 142 yards at Washington, 127 yards at New Orleans, 76 yards at Green Bay and 145 yards against Kansas City. The Bucs also scored a rushing touchdown in each postseason game.

After rushing for 159 yards in a win at Carolina, Tampa Bay’s ground game went into reverse. The Bucs ran for just 62 yards in a last-second win against the lowly Jets. In a rematch against the Panthers the next week in the season finale, Tampa Bay ran for just 85 yards in a blowout win.

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

In the postseason, the Bucs managed 106 yards on the ground in a win over the Eagles. But only ran for 51 yards against the Rams in their playoff loss. That was the running game’s second-worst showing of the year. Tampa Bay ran for just 32 yards in Los Angeles against the Rams in Week 3.

The Bucs don’t have to average 125 yards per game on the ground, nor should they with Brady and the team’s vaunted passing attack. But getting to 115 per game and being more efficient should be the goal.

That’s an attainable number for other pass-heavy teams in the league like Kansas City. The Chiefs averaged 115 yards rushing per game last year and ranked 16th in the league.

Twenty more yards per game on the ground for the Bucs in 2022 theoretically equals two more first downs. That’s doable. That should be the goal.

FAB 4. Licht’s Blind Spot Is Running Back

Bucs general manager Jason Licht may have a knack for building a great offensive line, but that gift doesn’t translate to the running back position.

Thankfully Bruce Arians’ system is a pass-first offense that is wide receiver-driven. Licht has drafted a pair of Pro Bowl receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

Bucs RB Charles Sims – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

But when it comes to drafting running backs, that’s been Licht’s blind spot. As documented in Fab 3, Tampa Bay’s ground game has been lackluster over the past decade. The Bucs have only finished inside the Top 20 once in the Licht era. That came in 2015 when Doug Martin’s Pro Bowl season helped Tampa Bay average 135.1 yards per game, which ranked fifth in the league.

It’s a good thing the Bucs’ passing game has been at or near the top of the league with such poor results on the ground.

It takes a lot to have a successful ground game. It’s more than just having a stud running back. The offensive line plays a huge role, of course. As does the offensive coordinator who calls the right runs at the right time. And the quarterback also plays a role, checking into the right runs against the right defensive fronts (or checking out of them to prevent runs of no gain or a loss).

But even with the right call against the right defense with good blocking, it takes a great back to make a great run. The Bucs have had some real pedestrian running backs outside of free agent signing Leonard Fournette two years ago, and from Ronald Jones II sporadically in the 2020 season.

Here is a look at the five running backs Licht has draft since he took over as general manager in 2014.

2014: RB Charles Sims – 3rd Round
2017: RB Jeremy McNichols – 5th Round
2018: RB Ronald Jones II – 2nd Round
2020: RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn – 3rd Round
2020: RB Raymond Calais – 7th Round

Licht has also re-signed running back Doug Martin, which was the right call at the time coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2015, but backfired when he succumbed to drug use. But then Licht and head coach Bruce Arians were under the assumption that Peyton Barber, an undrafted free agent in 2016, was a lead back. He wasn’t.

Arizona State RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today

Licht and Arians are also under the assumption that Vaughn, a third-round pick in 2020, is also a lead back. He’s not. But he is the only running back under contract other than Kenjon Barner, who likely won’t make the team unless he wins the kick return job.

This year’s running back class has some Bucs’ fits on Day 2 and Day 3. BYU’s Tyler Allgeier, Arizona State’s Rachaad White, Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller, Georgia’s James Cook, Florida’s Dameon Pierce, South Dakota State’s Pierre Strong, Jr. Washington State’s Max Borghi and South Carolina’s Zaquandre White are some names to keep in mind on draft weekend.

We’re hearing that the Bucs might be cooling on the idea of bringing back Fournette. We’re digging into this to try to find out why that may be the case. But without Fournette, and possibly Giovani Bernard, who is a free agent, Tampa Bay needs to add three more running backs this offseason. Two could be rookies in addition to one more veteran. Perhaps Kansas City’s Jerrick McKinnon.

Whoever Licht ends up drafting needs to be a hit. That running back needs to be better than any of the draft picks the Bucs have selected since 2014. Otherwise Tampa Bay’s ground game may not be much better in 2022.

FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• BUCS’ DRAFT ORDER IS SET: Tampa Bay’s 2022 draft order is now set. The Bucs received a compensatory seventh-round pick from the NFL over losing lineman Joe Haeg in free agency last year. But Tampa Bay traded a fifth-rounder to New England for right guard Shaq Mason. So the Bucs are left with six draft picks in 2022.

27th overall – Round 1
60th overall – Round 2
91st overall – Round 3
133rd overall – Round 4
248th overall – Round 7
261st overall – Round 7

The Bucs don’t have a sixth-round pick this year from trading with the Jets for defensive tackle Steve McLendon in 2020. Tampa Bay will receive New York’s seventh-round pick in 2023 as part of the trade.

• INSIDE JENSEN’S CONTRACT: NFL beat reporter Aaron Wilson has all the contract details on Ryan Jensen’s new contract in Tampa Bay. The three-year deal is worth $39 million and makes Jensen the third-highest paid center in the league behind Philadelphia’s Jason Kelce ($14 million) and Detroit’s Frank Ragnow ($13.5 million). Although Jensen’s deal averages $13 million per year, he’ll make more take-home pay with zero state income tax in Florida. Michigan and Pennsylvania have high state income taxes.

• BUCS FREE AGENCY COVERAGE ON THE PEWTER REPORT PODCAST: The Pewter Report Podcast is energized by CELSIUS and broadcasts four live episodes each week. Pewter Report Podcasts typically air on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 4:00 pm EST.

The Pewter Report staff did an emergency podcast on Sunday night to discuss the unexpected un-retirement of quarterback Tom Brady. Bucs fans … Brady is back for another year!

On Monday, the PR staff discussed the Bucs bringing back cornerback Carlton Davis III and losing guard Alex Cappa in free agency.

On Tuesday, Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds and Matt Matera talked about the acquisition of free agent wide receiver Russell Gage and the breaking news of the Shaq Mason trade.

On Wednesday, Ledyard and Matera broke the news about which tight ends and running backs the Bucs have interviewed at the Combine.

Watch the Pewter Report Podcasts live on our PewterReportTV channel on YouTube.com and please subscribe (it’s free) and add your comments. We archive all Pewter Report Podcasts. So you can watch the recorded episodes if you missed them live.

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• HERE’S MORE ON MASON FROM THE PATRIOTS’ BEAT: ESPN’s Mike Reiss is one of the best beat reporters in the business. Nobody covers the Patriots better. Here’s what he had to say about new Bucs right guard Shaq Mason, whom Tampa Bay acquired in a trade this week.

• MASON WAS THE MAN AT GEORGIA TECH: I’ve loved new Bucs right guard Shaq Mason since he was an All-America  One of the best college highlight tapes you’ll see for an offensive lineman. Watch his college highlight tape. It’s pure football porn.