It’s midsummer already so that means there’s a palpable excitement building among Buccaneers fans. General Manager Jason Licht had about as ideal an offseason as a team manager could with reacquisitions, contract negotiations, and the Draft. The man has batted .1000 consistently and accomplished everything he set out to do.
My Draft Prediction: Jason Licht is gonna do his thing and we're gonna have some new beasts on the field next season. Let the man work his magic. We have the best GM in the NFL#GoBucs #NFLDraft #NFL #InLichtWeTrust pic.twitter.com/YdHL85UKhs
— Josh Heishman (@jaheishman) April 24, 2024
These are just a handful of the moves and decisions that could very well makeup the difference between the Buccaneers and the elite of the conference. Tampa Bay was literally a couple plays away from the NFC Championship this past season. The foundation was there. Licht has just put more bricks into their proverbial wall.
Beginning with the obvious, reacquiring Baker Mayfield on a multi-year deal after Baker had a full on career revitilization in 2023, securing a third straight NFC South title and almost immediately winning over teammates and fans alike. His winning attitude, incredible work ethic, and “John Q. Everyman” swagger is infectious. When he gets absolutely blown up by a pass rusher and pops up off the ground in the guys face, jawing and blustering, the fans erupt. They love Baker. That relentlessness spreads to teammates, and Licht saw that early. With Baker in Tampa at least for the next couple of years, he is truly closer than ever to the mountaintop.
In 2020, the @Buccaneers targeted a new QB in Tom Brady.
In 2023, a new QB targeted THEM.
Bucs GM Jason Licht joined me on “The Season with Peter Schrager” and we discussed the magic of QB 1 @bakermayfield .
Full ep on Spotify here: https://t.co/TyoZsjf5xX pic.twitter.com/PelNwxcbhV
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) October 4, 2023
Then you have Mike Evans. Evans is maybe the most consistent skill position player in the League, yet he never talks about it. The guys shows up and does his job the best it can be done every day, which is why he is a fan favorite. He has produced 1000 yards or more in EVERY season since he was drafted in 2014. Re-signing Evans long term when there were multiple teams interested in courting him (due to his expiring contract) was as necessary as Mayfield.
These two were going to be the motor that drives the car moving forward, but the seamlessness of the contract signing without ever being any real chance that they would leave, especially in Evans’ case is something I truly believe only Jason Licht could pull off.
It wasn’t just his ability to keep key players however that has garnered such good will between the fans and Jason Licht. Just as it is important to re-sign players you value, it is also vital, yet very difficult, sometimes to make decisions to part ways with players for numerous reasons. A prime example of this was linebacker Devin White. White was beloved once in the locker room and community in Tampa. When rumblings of a contract dispute and even poor behavior behind the scenes reared their head after the 2022 season, Licht conducted himself and ultimately made a hard decision like the veteran team builder we know him to be.
Bucs GM Jason Licht ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/lHydgWUKr7
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) January 8, 2024
White’s demand of 100 million dollars after 2022 were not only lofty, but they were seen as selfish. Tom Brady had retired after the 2022 season and without finding the cap space for a new signal caller, the Buccaneers would be in trouble. The decision was made to let White play out the fifth year option of his contract and the team parted ways with him almost immediately after 2023.
Last but certainly not least, the 2024 Draft. Licht and his war room managed to secure their new Center in Graham Barton (Duke) with their first round pick and followed that up by ticking box after box as Draft weekend chugged by. Their need of an EDGE rusher was filled in Round 2 with the selection of Chris Braswell (Alabama) and Licht & Co. continued building the defense in the third round, picking up Safety Tykee Smith (Georgia).
Jason Licht simply picks All-Pro OL. pic.twitter.com/wMKsYZiz2D
— JC Cornell (@CornellNFL) May 2, 2024
Then, in a whirlwind of what most would describe as ideal picks for this particular team, the Bucs landed Washington receiver Jalen McMillan, Oregon RB Bucky Irving, and finished the weekend with picks of Elijah Klein (G/UTEP) and Devin Culp (TE/Washington). The two Washington skill players were specifically interesting due to the gunslinger style of Quarterback that Baker Mayfield is, drawing people to compare these two players’ college QB, Michael Penix Jr., who himself plays in the same style.
There is a laundry list of reasons why this Tampa Bay team is uniquely better suited to push past their apex last year and finally make it back to the promised land. I would bet that anyone but Licht would not have been able to pull off the same series of decisions, and the fans and community love him for it.
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