On A Draft Roll
January 22nd, 2021
Winning the draft.
The way to build a good NFL team is to draft well.
And the Bucs are one of the best teams in the NFL. Yeah, Joe feels a bit weird typing that since they’ve been the NFL’s fire hydrant in a dog park for so long.
But dammit, it is true. The Bucs are only one of four teams still standing. Rotten teams don’t do that.
Now some may say the Bucs bought a team.
OK, park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking Bucs quarterback Tom Brady was bought. And so was Ndamukong Suh, Shaq Barrett, Leonard Fournette and furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing Antonio Brown.
The rest of this team was either traded for (foot-rubbing, car-littering tight end Rob Gronkowski or sackmeister Jason Pierre-Paul), or drafted or signed off the street by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
This man has been on a roll. Rarely do you see teams hit mammoth home runs in the first round of the draft in three straight years.
Three years ago, Licht traded back to select Vita Vea. If he’s not the best nose tackle in football, then he sure as hell is No. 2.
The following year, the Bucs chose Devin White. With another good game Sunday or perhaps beyond, he will cement himself as one of the best linebackers in the game. In his second season, he was elected to the second-team All-Pro squad.
And then this year Licht drafted right tackle Tristan Wirfs, who was third in the voting for All-Pro right tackle. This Wirfs has been a huge reason why the offensive line has transformed from just OK to damn good.
You know what else is weird for Joe typing this story? It may be the first draft-related story Joe has written in months. Usually, Joe’s already pumping out a draft-related story by Halloween.
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:20 am
“Rotten teams don’t do that.”
Rotten teams also don’t have Tom Brady.
Wonder how all this talent would fare without Tom….
Go Bucs!!!
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:27 am
Licht has done a great job, lately. But let’s be real, Tristan Wirfs basically fell to us. We were needing a tackle, so we traded up one spot in the draft to grab him.
Lucky for us!
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:37 am
I suspect we will get a comp pick…..maybe 2 this year……Licht should use an extra pick to move up for a DT/DE.
We will need to replace a player or two making big salaries next year..
I suspect Shaq & or Suh will be on that list.
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:38 am
If we can keep our offense as is…..minus Fournette & AB…..we will be in great shape next year…..but in order to do that, we’ll have to come up with a minimum $16 mil (franchise $$$) to keep Godwin.
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:43 am
TBBF – Good points. I agree that DT/DE will be priority. Move up in the draft at some point.
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:52 am
It’s long past time for the Licht haters to shuttup and get lost. Licht has taken the opportunity the Bucs gave him and educated himself into one of the very best GMs in the League. Period. Truth. If this team gets into the SB, I hope someone will be standing by to rescue him when he takes his victory plunge into his pool. Go Mighty Bucs ( somehow)!
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:18 am
Seems like this would be the draft to get a young QB to groom. Unless the plan is to keep plugging in older successful FA QBs every few seasons. We would be like the Pats, but, with QBs. 🤔
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:27 am
where is realist?…lol…
GO BUCS!!!!
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:28 am
great job licht…
great job on find talent and hiring coaches who can develop talent….
GO BUCS!!!!
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:32 am
813bucboi
Him and ndog started a sheep herding business. They are Super busy and super scared to post anymore. I mean its got to be tough being wrong all the time.
😂
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:33 am
It is not just Licht. He is aided by an excellent capologist.
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:55 am
bird
lol…more like a sheep breeding business!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 22nd, 2021 at 11:03 am
Everyone buys a team at some point. The Bucs are just good at it this year.
January 22nd, 2021 at 11:17 am
By the time we start talking draft the draft will be only a few short weeks away 😌
January 22nd, 2021 at 11:18 am
How about the youngest defensive backfield in the NFL that seems to be coming together at just the right time? Dean and Davis have been good all season, SMB is really playing well right now. Winfield has been great as a rookie and Whitehead has been good. Mike Edwards looks like he might be so good in coverage that he could push Winfield to SS next year and Whitehead out of a starting roll. This is a talented and young group of six. They are peaking at the right time.
January 22nd, 2021 at 11:47 am
7 of our 11 starting offense and 7 of our starting defense have been drafted by JL!! That’s pretty remarkable!! A few more of those were picked up in FA over the last couple of years, so yes he is doing it right!
January 22nd, 2021 at 12:47 pm
He does pretty good as long as he isn’t drafting corner backs. The man does not seem to have an eye for that. A lot of draft capital and average at best results.
January 22nd, 2021 at 1:26 pm
Bucs should franchise and trade Godwin…he’s awesome, yes, but that also means his value is sky high right now. AB can be re-signed for much cheaper, in addition to Scotty and Tyler Johnson clearly being very capable. With Gronk and potentially OJ back the offense is still elite PLUS all the capital you get for Godwin could help replace pricey vets like Suh and DSmith, as well as open of the cap to resign guys like Lavonte and Shaq.
All these years of being horrible has really made me love draft and FA talk LOL
January 22nd, 2021 at 1:45 pm
Licht on a roll indeed. He’s deserved plenty of criticism since arriving in Tampa but he’s also earned plenty of praise. The last year has been pure bliss if you’re a true Buc fan; and a net positive in my book, no doubt about it.
January 22nd, 2021 at 2:04 pm
Yeah I think a big priority this offseason should be some youth on the pass rush front. Might be worth doubling up.. at least one early and a rotational guy. No way are we bringing back Suh, jpp, and Barret. And quite frankly do we want to keep relying on the first two continuing to hold up? They’re showing signs of slowing
January 22nd, 2021 at 5:51 pm
When you’ve been picking as high as the Bucs have, you’re bound to hit on some good players. Remember, 5 losing seasons before Tom Brady decided to come to Tampa. If not for Brady, this would’ve been the 6th losing season. I’m not giving Licht credit for landing Brady, he wanted Tampa. Other players stayed, like Suh, because he was coming. We’d be up schitt’s creek still if not for Brady.
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:25 pm
We MUST get a good QB in the next draft…unless we sign a premiere one in free agency…but that won’t happen unless Tom retires.
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:29 pm
@Hodad
Now you are just being silly. Brady would not have come if Arians were not here.
Licht originally signed half our defensive line BEFORE Brady was coming.
He drafted Evans, White, Vea, Miller, Godwin…well, most of the team.
Every GM has misses. Fans like pointing them out. But Licht has had better hits than misses.
January 22nd, 2021 at 8:20 pm
Licht is much improved and riding the wave of BA and now Brady…he’s done well. The Vea pick traded was the one Buffalo used on Josh Allen. Impossible to predict Winny would soil himself and his future at the time but still. The additional 2nd round pick was wasted on M.J. Stewart if I’m not mistaken. All’s well that ends well but lotsa luck and happenstance involved.
January 23rd, 2021 at 6:59 pm
Wow, my post deleted….really Joes? thats just wrong…didnt say anything bad but whatever