The Wisest Move

February 7th, 2021

Unlike other media, Joe is a Bucs fan to the core and doesn’t hide it or pretend to be objective.

Joe wants the Bucs to win and abhors anything that stands in the way of that.

So that is why Joe was screaming and screaming and screaming for the Bucs to add depth at running back last spring and summer. And it’s also why Joe was appalled that other Bucs media had the audacity to say the Bucs were all set at running back after drafting Ke’Shawn Vaughn.

Joe even heard local media types rumbling that Jason Licht would never draft a running back in the third round only to bury him under established veterans that he hadn’t yet signed.

Joe was mocked and laughed at by too many for begging publicly for Licht to make a draft-day trade for Leonard Fournette — one was offered — or to sign him later. And Joe was trumpeting that the Bucs should at least take a hard look at Devonta Freeman.

The Bucs drafted Vaughn and Joe kept screaming. And then the Bucs made their moves for LeSean McCoy and Fournette. The latter, a Sept 1 signing, was perhaps the most critical move this season outside of landing Tom Brady.

Including the playoffs, Fournette carried the ball more than 10 times in eight games. The Bucs won all of them.

Fournette scored eight touchdowns in those games and caught 34 balls. He was dominant in the Super Bowl and strong all playoffs, including a tackle-breaking, historic rumble for a touchdown in the NFC Championship game. Fournette pass blocks and catches better than Ronald Jones, and Joe’s not sure the Bucs have a ring without him this season.

“Playoff Lenny” is about to become a somewhat expensive free agent, and the Bucs have a big decision to make.

Maybe it’s an easy call to let Fournette walk and get paid elsewhere, or maybe it’s an easy call to re-sign him and hope he can duplicate what he did in 2020.

35 Responses to “The Wisest Move”

  1. 813bucboi Says:

    The dumbest move was made by the PATS and all the teams that ignored BL AND BOWLES LOL….

    GO BUCS

  2. Mtbucsfan Says:

    Would not be surprised if Brady reworks his contract to free up a little room to keep more players there.

  3. SKBucsfan Says:

    I hate to be a Debbie Downer but I just realized that the Bucs don’t get to pick until about 3 hours into the draft this spring.
    Super Bowl Champs baby!

  4. James Leventis Says:

    LAMARCUS says we won by 41 with jameiis

  5. FortMyersDave Says:

    Have not heard anything from Licht Joe! I guess he is just savoring the moment like the rest of us. I’ll admit I wanted him run after the 2016 draft turned up snake eyes but man what a job he did this year, GM of 2020 for sure with the signings he pulled off as well as the draft with cornerstones Wirfs and Winfield!

  6. Go Bucs! Says:

    Too many free agents. If Najee Harrison is there, pick him and combine him with ROJO and Vaughn! Keep defensive free agents and AB on a team friendly contract.

  7. Go Bucs! Says:

    In Licht we trust!

  8. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Signing Fournette will be nearly impossible…….we will be very fortunate to keep our Defense together and retain Godwin…

    Fournette & AB are gone!!!

  9. Bird Says:

    James leventis

    Lamarcus is the dumbest poster on here.
    He ate paint chips as a kid
    Anyone that still thinks jameis was the right move knows nothing about football

  10. firethecannons Says:

    I don’t think there has been much thought about any of this, they have been occupied playing in the superbowl. Playoff Lenny is a must as we witnessed Rojo at the endzone and it was not pretty.

  11. Cannon Says:

    I think we will all look back on this roster with great fondness.

    2020… the year the Bucs said “f’ck it”, and punched in the cheat codes.

  12. Miller5252 Says:

    Tomorrow will be February 8th and you still won’t be talking about the draft! Haha what a game for the team as a whole!! Can’t wait to see what they can do next year!!

  13. BackstaBucs Says:

    Eating a big W!

  14. RioDeJaneiroBucsFan Says:

    Playoff Lenny will get a fat check next season
    Unfortunately, I think that the Bucs won’t be able to retain him
    A great FA move, indeed. What a dream team
    KC has an excellent roster, but the Bucs have way much talent overall
    Let’s see how the offseason unfolds, but the Bucs will be a force, even without some free agents.
    In Licht we trust…

  15. BradyBucs Says:

    THANK YOU to Jameis Winston! If it wasn’t for his 30 INTs we may not have gone after Brady.

  16. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Here’s how it worked:

    Glazers stuck with Licht’
    Licht got BA
    BA got Bowles & Brady
    Brady got Gronk, AB & Fournette

    BA, Bowles,Brady, Gronk, AB & Fournette…..got us a Super Bowl

  17. Doctor Stroud Says:

    Fournette did a great impression of Michael Pittman in the Super Bowl! Give me Tiger Pittman! Tiger Pittman!

  18. Doctor Stroud Says:

    Fournette did a great impression of Michael Pittman on that touchdown run! Give me Tiger Pittman! Tiger Pittman!

  19. Dcap Says:

    Ryan Succop was arguably the 2nd best signing this year. Money.

  20. cmurda Says:

    I jumped in my pool in honor of Licht after the game. I quickly realized why I need a pool heater. DNg that was cold but still felt great.

  21. lambchop Says:

    I have a feeling some of these players may come at a hometown discount while Brady has a few years left. I mean if they care about their legacy more than money.

    This is going to be the most anticipated offseason. So many players to retain.

    Go Bucs!

  22. tbbucs3 Says:

    Right on Dcap.

    Think this Bucs team wouldve won 3 road playoff games with shaky Matt Gay thinking? I think not

  23. delson Says:

    What did Vaughn do?

  24. delson Says:

    As a rb jones played the hardest. He could’ve made them same plays

  25. delson Says:

    Joe ride outta here with fournette

  26. delson Says:

    Manziel n winston

  27. delson Says:

    I’ve seen Fournette miss simple pass blocks but he never got taken out

  28. David Says:

    I don’t see them affording Fournette and AB.
    They absolutely must re-sign Shaq and Godwin.

    I think with a full off-season blocking and running routes with Brady, Jones and Vaughn will be a formidable tandem. I would prefer Jones and Fournette but I don’t see how they can afford that.

  29. David Says:

    Delson
    Not often. Jones and Vaughn need to get much better at pass blocking this off-season. They also need to get better at running routes in order to be the dump off safety valves. Fournette dropped his share this year but he knows where to go

  30. Jeffbuc Says:

    Man this is what patriot fans had for 20 years. Could you imagine this being us the last 20 years. But the worst is every patriot fan I know coming to super bowl party today with a Brady bucs Jersey. It doesn’t work that way. I’m a patriots fan and a Brady fan. I wanted to rip them jerseys off of them so bad. No don’t hop on a bandwagon because we’re in the super bowl. I’m a ride or die team fan. Sapp and lynch left they left. I did t become a Broncos or raider fan. I like most of you probably disliked Brady. Because you felt there had to be cheating going on for that extended success. But when you join my favorite team I support you when you arrive I would never buy another teams jersey. I actually have been asked a lot lately if I am a true bucs fan. Because I wear a bucs shirt all the time. Now I have to be asked if I’m a badwagoner. Don’t hop on our bandwagon and enjoy our long awaited success. I have suffered for 18 years of season tickets, hours upon hours of joe bucs fan. This is all of us joe bucs fan die hards super bowl not Brady bandwagoners. Our defense won the game.

  31. “That guy” Says:

    Or maybe all these mercenaries decide to take a pay cut to keep the roster together and go ring chasing for the next 2 years. Call it the Tom Brady effect? Would be awesome if it happens.

  32. Perimeter Blocker Says:

    This dude is a creature. Would love to have him back…. so many mouths to feed! Time for Licht to work magic….

  33. HankGator Says:

    James White will join TB12 to handle the pass catching and blitz pickup on 3rd down this offseason. Book it. What have you heard about that Joe?

  34. DavidBigBucFan99 Says:

    Wish Brady woulda trolled Jaymiss and said in air ” WE EATIN A W TONIGHT!!! and then say ” NAW WE HOISTIN A TROPHY TONIGHT!!!

  35. TOM Says:

    I agree if the Bucs lose Lenny then I could see them signing White which would be a dam good signing IMHO