Blaming Jason Licht
January 2nd, 2019
Bucs GM Jason Licht
It appears short of winning in the next season or two, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has painted himself into a corner.
And by reading the words of Tampa Bay Times humorist Martin Fennelly, Licht has made himself out to be Paulie Gatto of “The Godfather” fame who “sold out” Vito Corleone and paid the ultimate price of getting whacked by Rocco Lampone, a trusted Corleone Family capo and underling of Corleone Family underboss Peter Clemenza.
Fennelly, not one to be easily outraged, is nearly outraged that Licht is still employed by Team Glazer and is heading up the search for a new Bucs coach.
Fennelly believes with the Bucs’ record with him as general manager, Licht should have been sent packing with former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter.
I’m not saying the Bucs should have kept Koetter. But this should have been a package deal. If Koetter is going to get strung up by the thumbs for a 19-29 record despite an explosive offense, then how does Licht skate at 27-53?
You heard it right. That’s Licht’s record as a football executive in Tampa Bay:
27-53.
That’s one win less than the modern art masterpiece rolled out by Licht’s predecessor, Mark Dominik.
Fennelly is leaving out a major element here which may very well be the reason Licht is still employed. And for Joe, it’s a big, fat, boldfaced asterisk in that record. For Licht’s first two seasons, he served at the pleasure of inept Lovie Smith, who had full and complete control of the football wing of One Buc Palace.
There wasn’t one player on the roster Lovie didn’t want; there wasn’t one player that was thrown aside that Lovie wanted. And that includes America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
The general rule of thumb in the NFL is that a general manager gets to hire two coaches. If both fail, the general manager then gets tossed over the side. Licht did not hire Lovie. Rather, Lovie hired Licht.
Early last year, jet-flyin’, kiss–stealin‘, data-analyzin’, Bucs-film-studyin’, limousine-ridin’, why-man Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times did an exhaustive piece on Licht’s draft record. Bassinger found that Licht is about an average selector in the draft when compared to the rest of the NFL.
At the end of the day here, Licht needs to hit a home run with the coach selection. If the Bucs don’t make a playoff run (at least) in Jameis’ final year of his contract, Licht may not be around to ring in New Years Day 2020 as general manager.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:08 am
Thanks for posting this, Joe.
I completely understand your point about GMs getting their own hire.
I just think Licht did as bad of a job/worse than Koetter.
The lack of RB/Kicker after 5 years leave me doubtful that Licht knows how to fix it.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:09 am
When Jason Licht became the Bucs GM the Bucs were the worst team in the NFC South, 5 years later the Bucs still are the worst team in the South.
So his big mouth painted him in a corner not his 27-53 record…
Dysfunction at its best.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:09 am
“For Licht’s first two seasons, he served at the pleasure of inept Lovie Smith, who had full and complete control of the football wing of One Buc Palace. There wasn’t one player on the roster Lovie didn’t want; there wasn’t one player that was thrown aside that Lovie wanted”
^^^ This is an excellent point
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:12 am
That was an EXCELLENT article…accurate and BRUTALLY honest….a refreshing read
Licht is a snake
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:14 am
At this point, the writing is on the wall for Licht…He has to hit a home run with this hire or he’ll be gone next…
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:14 am
He’s still employed because Glazers accept loosing. Simple as that.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:14 am
“Lovie hired Licht”
That alone is reason for concern.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:15 am
Licht has made mistakes, but his draft picks are improving. Licht didn’t have control under Lovie and Koetter’s choice of coaches was based on comfort and buddies instead of results and effectiveness. According to Koetter, offense is great as long as passing stats are great, disregarding turnovers, no running game, sacks, qb pressures.
Just like Koetter received, Licht should be given another year to show he can pick a winning coaching staff. (However, If he doesn’t draft trench talent in early rounds I’m done with Licht)
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:17 am
When I first heard that the coaching staff was fired, the first thing that came to my mind is that Licht never got to hire his own coach. Now he has that chance and if the coach doesn’t produce, Licht will and should be on the chopping block.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:21 am
Do we know if he hired dirk or the glazer boys ? We know Lovie hired him , maybe this will be the first time he is hiring a coach , also we do have talent on the roaster just need better coaching to pull it out especially on defense
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:22 am
Same logical reasoning could be used to defend Koetter…no run game…no defense to give the O a breather and a chance to no play catch up…Koetter was the same work in progress as Jameis..Licht and Koetter which is why I thought the trio should have been kept together for 2019…..Hey…could rehire Dirk
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:22 am
Jason Licht kinda looks like Luca with that dumb “Gee I dunno” look on his face all the time. Striking resemblance.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:24 am
He was a new gm basically learning on the job. Not an excuse it’s a fact so yes he had some bad picks but a lot of his picks look worse than they should Because he had an incompetent coach who had. O clue what he was doing evidenced by the idiotic idea of rotating guards since he’s been here and playing them out of position. The one thing I don’t like was Licht and Koetter looking at a tackle in the draft and saying of he projects as a guard and saying market projects as a center. It’s the one thing I hate and I wish the guy would stop trying to outsmart himself and just draft a lineman to play the position you evaluated him at in college.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:26 am
The only explanation I could understand is if they kep Light because his relationship with Arians, if not is another stupid decision…….Check Light record, check his free agency hires check his draft choices and check his HC hires…..Mediocre being optimists…….
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:28 am
Licht won’t be hiring the Bucs next H.C.. He’ll be conducting the search for one. We all know who the candidates are. Licht will make his recommendation to the Glazers, but let’s be clear, it’s the Glazers who will ultimately decide who the coach will be. By now Joe it should be obvious to you, and all that the Glazers put more stock in who the coach is then who the G.M. is.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:31 am
Free agency bad drafts and a losing record worst than the awful GM before him and we gets to keep his job?
Damn the Glazers are generous
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:39 am
The packaged deal is Jameis and Licht. There’re both gone of next season is anything less than a playoff appearance.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:40 am
Wasn’t Koetter in part responsible for the run game? And who exactly selected Mike Smith as his defensive coordinator? It wasn’t Bryan Glazer.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:41 am
Litch drafts decent but his free agent suck. The Bucs have talent with a better coach 7 to 9 wins possible in 2018.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:44 am
There’s too many assumptions. One assumes the GM makes all the draft and free agency decisions. Ultimately it’s his responsibility. But, did Koetter or someone else encourage some of the boneheaded moves? Did Dirk insist on Roberto because “all” he needed was a reliable kicker to win? Did Mike Smith insist or demand the GM draft a run stuffer in the first round because that’s all that was missing on defense? I refuse to accept a GM acts in a vacuum. He is getting input from someone. If a GM can’t trust his sources, he doesn’t fire himself, he improves his sources, coaches, scouts, whatever. Now, he’s out of excuses. I’m not upset, yet, that Licht was retained. Now, Jason, correct your mistakes. Do your job or you will be next out the door.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:44 am
in the trenches are 9 players, In the past offseason, The gm did an emergency rebuild on both with 6 new starters!!!!!!!!!!! How can you judge and fire coaches and not blame the GM?????? and of the 3 past starters DS76, DD69 and GMC93, all three of the established starters now are in question???????
Sad when joe and sheep don’t want to see the situation for what it is!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:47 am
Jason Licht should have done the honorable thing and fallen on his sword like Mark Richt…..
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:50 am
The 2018 Bucs should have won 7 to 9 games. Dirk’s team made far too many unforced errors. Litch could improve the team 2 to 4 victories with a good coach. Litch is a decent drafter, but his free agents suck. Drafting and free agents could make them wild card contenders. How to get some cap space is going take some thought? Gerald McRoy?
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:51 am
Can you stop referring to Jason Licht as “AC DC Loving”. It’s annoying and getting old.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:51 am
Prediction #1: BA becomes the head coach…BECAUSE of Jason Licht.
Prediction #2: All semi-Bucs fans will call for BA and JL’s heads after their first loss.
Those posting in here view the world through such a negative lens. For crying out loud, just shut the hell up already and stop being so f-cking historionic! Give Light and the Glazers a chance to over-deliver on expectations and remember, YOU aren’t paying a DIME for their moves.
Why not just sit back and enjoy a very exciting next “season” that should be, at minimum, quite exciting. And take your negative stinking-thinkin’ elsewhere.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:51 am
That’s dumb.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:52 am
Can’t do it, Sally.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:58 am
What happens if the Bucs go 6-10 next year? You figure Winston will be gone, along with Licht. What happens with the new coach? Is he retained by the new GM? What legit coach wants to come here with that hanging over their head? If you are tying Licht and Winston together in a do or die 2019, then why not promote Monkin as a 1 year interim coach, go get a proven D coord and let it play out. Glazers need a director of football ops to make these decisions and give this franchise some direction.
January 2nd, 2019 at 8:58 am
Worst gm in the nfl
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:02 am
Edgy alcohol withdrawals are a bitch….
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:17 am
Jason Licht is also part of the run game problem. He has passed over some excellent RB’s in the draft and settled on RoJo who had little or no impact.
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:18 am
It’s silly for you to blame Lovie Smith and to put an asterisk on Backstabbin’ Jason Licht’s first two seasons, but I expect nothing less from you Joe. Let’s go through an exercise, shall we? How many of Backstabbin’ Jason Licht’s draft picks have become pro-bowlers? How many of those were drafted when Lovie was here? Most of the productive players and fan favorites around here were brought in or signed to extensions while Lovie was here:
Mike Evans
Lavonte David
Gerald McCoy
Adam Humphries
Cameron Brate
Ali Marpet
Jameis Winston
Kwon Alexander
Chris Conte
I’m probably forgetting a few others. Look at Licht’s record after Lovie. The 2016 draft was a giant miss. Every one of those picks failed. The 2017 draft looks to be good. The 2018 draft, apart from Vea, has too many question marks and Ronald Jones is a bust. The free agency signings continued to be terrible with notable malcontents like Swaggy Baker and DeSean Jackson. How about that wonderful free agent signing of an injured player that didn’t even play in 2016?
The point is, the bad free agent signings and misses in the draft continued **after** Lovie. The 2014 season was a rebuild and everyone knew it. The 2014 season was doomed when the Bucs lost their offensive coordinator prior to the start. The fact remains that Lovie’s last season as head coach was **better** than Dirk’s last two seasons and he had far superior talent to work with.
Dirk Koetter was far more inept as head coach and it was Backstabbin’ Jason Licht’s decision to hire him over others. Backstabbin’ Jason Licht’s record speaks for itself. For the past two years he’s built a 5-11 roster.
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:25 am
I distinctly remember most of Licht’s draft picks (minus Aguayo) and other signings being lauded as “successes” in real time. Even RoJo was said to be a value-selection. So the pundits all seemed to praise Licht’s draft selections and other personnel moves in real time. It certainly seems like Licht handed off perfectly respectable players to Lovie and Dirk only for the players to “fail to launch” or otherwise regress under their tutelage. I really am curious to see how things work out with a new head coach.
Bottom line: IF the Bucs rebound and are competitive/successful in 2019, it will be with largely the same core players (drafted by Licht) and we will then be able to definitively absolve Licht of *most* of the blame for the past (sigh) half decade.
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:27 am
Licht is a “made man” with The Glazer Family and clearly won’t get “whacked” anytime soon. A sad day in Tampa Bay…
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:28 am
With all the teams needing coaches, the Glazers didn’t want to put themselves behind by trying to find a GM first….
They can still find a good coach and Licht could still be canned afterwards…..or after next year.
Licht is very good at player contracts….not as good with evaluation.
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:30 am
Not to mention Licht gave that incredibly stupid huge contract to Brate.
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:31 am
So then we credit Lovie with the first two drafts? If Licht was playing puppet for Lovie and those are arguably the best drafts Licht has under his belt….Kind of seems moronic to think we are on the right track.
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:31 am
@Tampabaybucfan
How crazy would it be if the Glazers pulled a Claire Underwood (House of Cards) and then immediately fired Licht after he found them a new head coach?
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:37 am
so with lovie licht was 8-24….with dirk and minus the fluky 2016 season with dirk licht was 10-22…..
looks like he never changed…..
the asterisk should be on the 2016 season…dirk’s first season…..
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!!….#ADIOSDIRK!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:47 am
d-rome
i agree….
the fact that joe continues to bring up lovie is starting to get embarrassing…..i have no doubt in my mind that if lovie wouldve stayed we wouldve made the playoffs in 2016…..that team was going to win at least 9 games regardless of who was coaching them….
even after adding talent dirk went 5-11 back to back years….that itself has set us back 2 years!!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!!….#ADIOSDIRK!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
January 2nd, 2019 at 9:54 am
“Licht has made himself out to be Paulie Gatto of “The Godfather” fame who “sold out” Vito Corleone and paid the ultimate price of getting whacked by Rocco Lampone, a trusted Corleone Family capo and underling of Corleone Family underboss Peter Clemenza.” Damn Joe, you are a serious “The Godfather” junkie man!
January 2nd, 2019 at 10:12 am
Licht should’ve been fired right before Koetter if this ownership had any balls. This franchise is a fraud and we fans are frauds for supporting them.
January 2nd, 2019 at 10:13 am
Right, I mean if Lovie is to blame for the misses in 2014 and 2015 then he’s to be lauded for the hits in 2014 and 2015.
The reality is that Lovie Smith had control of the final 53 and who played on Sunday. Not much different than Dirk Koetter. I mean, if Jason Licht was really in control of who plays then why didn’t we see more of Noah Spence?
In reality, there’s too much grey area to determine who made what decisions in Licht’s first two years. The fact remains is that when Licht took over the Bucs were in the division basement and five years later the Bucs are in the division basement.
January 2nd, 2019 at 10:15 am
Kevin Says:
“Can you stop referring to Jason Licht as “AC DC Loving”. It’s annoying and getting old.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No, it’s fine, thank you. Leave it alone.
January 2nd, 2019 at 10:16 am
I wouldn’t compare Koetter to Vito Corleone. Fredo is more like it…
January 2nd, 2019 at 10:20 am
That’s Mike Smith.
January 2nd, 2019 at 10:37 am
@Joe … “Wasn’t Koetter in part responsible for the run game? And who exactly selected Mike Smith as his defensive coordinator? It wasn’t Bryan Glazer.”
Two points Joe. First, Koetter NEVER would’ve made it to Season 3 without the Bucs defense leading the 5-game win streak in 2016. (Offense only scored 19, 14 & 16 pts in 3 of those 5 games, while the defense only allowed 17, 5 & 11 pts in those same 3 games). And in 2 of our other wins that season the offense only scored 17 pts in each, while our defense allowed 14 in one & 16 in the other. Strange thing … Scapegoat Smitty was DC that season. Had the Bucs gone say 6-10 instead of 9-7 in 2016 then 6-10 again in 2017, Dirk would’ve been a goner.
And second, Lapdog Licht as GM is kinda in charge of MANAGING personnel. He bought off on Smitty & any other hires that Dirk might’ve wanted. Same with the Glazer Boyz … they’re the OWNERS for heaven’s sake. Could you see Robert Kraft or Jerry Jones buying off on anything their gut said wasn’t in THEIR team’s best interests?
January 2nd, 2019 at 11:00 am
Alanbucsfan Says:
“I wouldn’t compare Koetter to Vito Corleone. Fredo is more like it…”
Joe Says:
“That’s Mike Smith.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOL… and apparently Dirk was unwilling to take Mike out in the canoe.
January 2nd, 2019 at 11:51 am
Incompetent loser lovie set this franchise back many many years!!!!! It was made worse when the franchise was not cleansed anything he touched !!!!!!!! The patch job is what would sink any good NFL coach!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and it looks like it will sink the bucs in 2019!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#loser_lovie_worst_coach_in_BUC_HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 2nd, 2019 at 12:08 pm
Say what you want. There’s still more talent on both sides of the ball than any team the Bucs have run out there since 2003.
January 2nd, 2019 at 12:25 pm
realist
dirk set this franchise back!!!!…lol….5-11 back to back years after adding talent!!!!!
dirk didnt even last til BLACK MONDAY!!!!!!…..he was canned sunday morning and cleaned out his office sunday night!!!!!!……glazer couldnt wait to fire that incompetent clown!!!!!!!
luckily, the bucs got better by making dirk walk the plank!!!!!!…..
dirk will not be here to sink the ship again in 2019!!!!!!!…..
KRIS RICHARD 4 HC!!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!!….#ADIOSDIRK!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
January 2nd, 2019 at 2:28 pm
Licht is totally incompetent with a huge ego. That’s a very bad combo.
You are what your record says you are. 27- 53
January 2nd, 2019 at 2:53 pm
That’s simply not true. Mike Evans, Lavonte David, Gerald McCoy, Adam Humphries, Cameron Brate, Ali Marpet, Jameis Winston, Kwon Alexander, and others are all players drafted and/or extended by Lovie Smith. I guarantee you drafting a kicker in the 2nd round never happens with Lovie as head coach.
Regardless, none of this should be about Lovie Smith. Plenty of teams in the NFL have turned it around from worse situations and all it takes is a season or two to make a team competitive and playoff bound. The Bears were terrible last year. The Rams were terrible before Sean McVay, the Eagles were terrible before Pederson got there. Two years ago the Chargers were terrible. Now they have the best record in the AFC. Two years ago the Saints were 7-9. Now the Saints are arguably the best team in the NFL.
Two years! Three years ago Dirk Koetter was hired by Backstabbin’ Jason Licht. Since then, the Bucs have finished last in the division twice. This team has the worst QB in the NFC South, had the worst HC in the NFC South, and currently has the worst GM in the NFC South.
January 2nd, 2019 at 4:52 pm
This team in going NOWHERE with Licht at the helm.