Jason Licht Calls His “Quintessential Baller Move”
April 7th, 2022
Baller.
General manager Jason Licht is on top of the mountain, as far as Joe is concerned.
It’s not his fault the Bucs didn’t beat the Rams in January. Plus, the team is riding a 22-5 run.
Licht also has been crushing the draft. He’s got to be a top-8 GM over the last four years, if you’re strictly grading the draft.
It’s been quite a maturation process on the job for Licht, and he discussed that on a recent podcast episode hosted by former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, who has a GM-focused podcast compiled after a load of interviews.
Dimitroff asked Licht to name his “quintessential baller move” since taking over Tampa Bay.
“Everybody would assume that I would say going after Tom Brady, and that was. But I would say talking Bruce Arians out of retirement to come to lead this organization,” Licht replied.
Licht’s comment was intriguing. Joe hadn’t heard it phrased quite that way — that Licht talked Arians off the golf course to coach the Bucs.
Regardless, there’s no question that without Licht, there would have been no Arians. And without Arians, there’s no Tom Brady. And without Tom Brady, then all the ecstasy of Bucs football over the past two years either wouldn’t exist or wouldn’t be the same.
Enjoy the latest Ira Kaufman Podcast, the ultimate transition of power episode, presented by Bill Currie Ford.
April 7th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Likewise. If 49ers says yes…we would be living in totally different dimension
April 7th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Hes definitely improved over the last few years. But trading up for Darden is puzzling and the Trask pick is questionable.
April 7th, 2022 at 12:16 pm
How is the Trask pick questionable ? Did I miss a game where he threw the ball ?
April 7th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
Lamarcus: brady was never going to play for the 49ers. He wanted to be east coast so that he could see his son in New York much easier.
April 7th, 2022 at 12:37 pm
Lamarcus:
If Bo Jackson said yes…
If Bill parcells said yes…
If Brett favre said yes…
What exactly is your point? News flash, the Bucs said yes. As did Brady. Do you even like this team?
April 7th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
I remember calling for Arians since I knew they had a connection…its somewhere in the archives…i was so pissed off at the time.
All good though, I trust Coach B to keep us remaining as serious contenders 🙂
April 7th, 2022 at 12:44 pm
No Arians, no Brady? That’s quite a stretch Joe. Mort, Brady has access to private jets, and the redeye. Whenever a professional athlete uses his kids and wife as excuses or reasons, it’s bunk. So it really wasn’t about the extra couple hours on a plane. NFL players get six months off a year. That’s plenty of time to spend with family, probably too much. The reason it didn’t work out with SF is Kyle Shanahan. They had a did meet . After that meeting it was clear they didn’t see eye to eye. Brady continued to bring up the Atlanta superbowl as examples of what not to do. Kyle has an ego that rivals any coach, so That must’ve pissed Kyle of something fierce.
As for the GM. Last year’s draft was no slam dunk. I like licht, but it’s immeasurably easier to make solid draft picks, when picking higher. drafting with a 12-5, or 13-4 record, now that’s hard.
April 7th, 2022 at 12:56 pm
Jameis Winston had run this woebegone franchise further into the muddy ditch. There was no way out. Years and years of disgrace. Good players drafted high wasted and destined to end their career as losers in Buccaneer cove. Eventually Jason Licht found himself on the ropes, all options spent, out of ideas. One last move to make, one more reach. He pulled old buddy Arians number outta his back pocket. The rest is history.
April 7th, 2022 at 12:59 pm
@rashad brown
The Trask pick is questionable precisely because he never threw a pass last year.
So, at least for last year, and more than likely this year as well, he was for all intents and purposes a wasted pick.
Because the pick we used on him could have been used on a high quality depth pick up at a number of positions that very well could have been the difference between us getting bounced by the Rams in the Playoffs and making it back to the SB.
Plus Trask is booty butt garbage and he’ll be nothing more than a career back up in the NFL.
April 7th, 2022 at 12:59 pm
I think I have gob on my shoe. Gross.
April 7th, 2022 at 1:14 pm
It is not a questional pick when you have a 44 year old quarterback I get the reasoning even though I didn’t like the pick I can make sense of it and there are many quarterbacks who sit as backups for two or three years or more before they see the field and some of the qbs have been successful. If he isn’t ready he isn’t ready despite what fans may think doesnt mean he is a bust or wasted pick won’t know that until he hits the field.
April 7th, 2022 at 1:36 pm
I love Tom, but the cynic in me is wondering if he only came out of retirement so he can promote his brand. I follow him on IG and it’s all weird brand promotion. The Brady Brand fashion line was a horrible idea. Maybe him returning would give his sales a boost.
April 7th, 2022 at 1:41 pm
Heck Patrick Malhomes didn’t even start his 1st season.
Not like he is getting worse or dumber sitting behind the Goat.
Nobody has ANY idea how Trask will do outside the organization.
Hell nonody has any idea how Griffen would do.
If you want we can start him over Brady so you guys can try to probe a point wherever you stand on Trask.
April 7th, 2022 at 1:45 pm
Hey Dingle. Trask never threw a pass because he was not needed. A low risk low need selection. All the sure qbs were already off the board. The kid may or not work out, but it was a no risk gamble that might payoff. Or not. With Brady back the team has another season to develop the kid. Or not, haha.
April 7th, 2022 at 2:05 pm
We’ll have to trade up for Olave….next years pick, do it
Logan Hall
Alontae Taylor
Ed Ingram
Matt Araiza
D’marco Jackson
Drake London if we have picks left
April 7th, 2022 at 2:26 pm
@Wild Bill
Again, the pick we used on him could have been used on a player that actually contributed on the field.
In case you don’t remember, the Bucs came up short against the Rams in the playoffs and were facing depth issues at multiple positions. If they hadn’t picked Trask they more than likely would have won that game if everything else remained the same.
April 7th, 2022 at 2:30 pm
When I think of Licht’s baller move, I think of JPP for a 3rd round pick. That was baller
April 7th, 2022 at 2:32 pm
Dingle….. sorry but I completely disagree with you! The Trask pick was a smart, forward thinking pick knowing Brady would most likely only be here for another year or two. Picking him up with the last pick of the second round was a great value pick. He’s as good or better than every QB in this years draft but since you took him last year you have the added benefit of being able to develop him in your system for an extra year. I am very optimistic about Trask. Fact: he is big, strong, accurate, smart, and was highly successful playing in the SEC. Don’t buy into all the negative speak coming from the anti-Trasker’s. They have no facts to back up their position.
April 7th, 2022 at 2:39 pm
What would Licht know about good coaches. The experts who post here that diss BA are getting paid a lot of money by the NFL to offer their expert opinions. Right dorks?
I’m thankful for Licht and Arians, and agree with the Joes who also make a living at this stuff. But you highly paid experts who seem like idiots are actually very astute. In your own little worlds
April 7th, 2022 at 2:46 pm
And remember, if there’s no Arians, there’s probably no Licht. Remember that his seat was red hot after the Dirk Koetter firing. GMs usually don’t get three head coaches. It’s pretty crazy he’s now on his fourth.
April 7th, 2022 at 2:47 pm
Hard to believe we wanted him canned 5 4-5 years ago lol
April 7th, 2022 at 2:50 pm
His baller move was going to a franchise as a new GM knowing he would have to wait out Lovie before he made progress.
April 7th, 2022 at 2:59 pm
As I remember, Licht was in very hot water, but Arians saved him.
But really, Brady saved everyone. Thank San Francisco, because Tampa was not his first choice.
Think about what life would be like in Tampa, had Brady not come here ?
And, think what it would have been like, had Brady not Unretired.
April 7th, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Lovie hired Licht, not the other way around.
April 7th, 2022 at 3:10 pm
@dingleberry
There was no one player for depth that the bucs could have drafted in the second round that would have got the bucs past the rams as we had multiple injuries in many positions. Just don’t think that’s as strong an argument against drafting Trask as you think it is.
April 7th, 2022 at 3:14 pm
“Licht also has been crushing the draft. He’s got to be a top-8 GM over the last four years”
AGREED. Need some more draft magic from Jason this year!!
April 7th, 2022 at 3:25 pm
Ash…..Well said! Completely agree with you!
April 7th, 2022 at 3:26 pm
@Ash
My entire argument is that if we had extra quality depth at even ONE of the positions that got decimated by injuries, that likely would have been enough to beat the Rams.
and @BUCman
I’d be more inclined to agree with you if I had any faith in Kyle Trask’s ability and potential to develop into a quality starter. But I don’t. I see him has Mike Glennon 2.0. A quality back-up at best. Nothing more.
April 7th, 2022 at 3:34 pm
Firethecannons splains it just right.
April 7th, 2022 at 4:37 pm
Wow, even Tantrum Tom didn’t want to play for the Yucs. Yikes!
April 7th, 2022 at 4:41 pm
How often does a rookie picked at the end of the second round change the destiny of any team? Karen Rodgers sat behind Favre fora few years. I am sure some pucker fans viewed that as a wasted pick.
April 7th, 2022 at 4:46 pm
Goatlker, Brady didn’t come here because of Arians, he came because he saw so much talent being wasted by shty coaches. Evan’s, Godwin, the oline, JPP, Suh, he knew if he could get Gronk, AB & a guy like Lenny they had a great chance to compete. Sure the laud back approach was appealing after 20 yrs with a drill sergeant. It didn’t take long for Brady to experience the careful what you wish for regret. It was the talent that drew him to Tampa. He first choices were SF, LV, Miami.
April 7th, 2022 at 5:28 pm
I’d say it’s drafting a kicker in the second round and not getting fired
April 7th, 2022 at 5:32 pm
It looks like both politicians and Jason Licht is into spin to sugar coat reality. We were not going anywhere under BA until Brady came to play with the Bucs. The minute he “retired” the wheels came off to such a degree that the NFC South was up for grabs. Brady returns and shortly there after BA gets told of an unexpected opening in the organization “Up Stairs” and a ring of honor thrown in. Of course Bruce Arians is elated not to coach a team which looks like it can now realistically contend for the super bowl.
It sure sounds better and less cold blooded than the Glazers and Licht booting the “Best Coach” the Bucs ever had out the door because Brady let it be known that’s the price they had to pay if they wanted another realistic shot at a SB win. This “quintessential baller move” of acquiring BA over Brady is on par with the Hunter laptop coverup.
April 7th, 2022 at 5:35 pm
I went and listened to the podcast, it’s very good. The next one is the cesspool of New Orleans’ GM. I’m going to force myself to listen only to gain some insight as to how those A-holes think. I hate them. That city smells horrific in the Summertime. FTS
April 7th, 2022 at 5:47 pm
LISTNFRMAFAR- For the 20th time , YOU’RE OPINIONS DO NOT HAVE ANY CLOUT OR WEIGHT ON THIS OR ANY OTHER BUCS PODCAST !! YOU’RE THE FAKEST FAN OF ALL TIME .. GO TO THE NINERS OR DOLPHINS PODCAST WITH YOU’RE “FREE BRADY, FREE BRADY” BULLCRAP….
GO BUCS & ALL THE REAL BUCS FAN’S ON joebucsfan
April 7th, 2022 at 5:52 pm
Regardless of how you view Arians…..there is no question that hiring him was Lichts’ biggest move….
Truth be told, Licht wouldn’t have survived if it weren’t for that hire.
April 7th, 2022 at 5:54 pm
Lamarcus – If I would have said yes to playing different numbers on that last Powerball ticket, I would be a millionaire !! Why don’t you join your buddy LISTNFRMAFAR and go talk on the Fourtynevers podcast !!! Dbag
April 7th, 2022 at 6:01 pm
Tampabaybucfan – Agree đź’Ż !! All those domino’s fell at the right time and now we have the arguably the best Bucs teams we’ve ever seen ! Sure wish we had our 2002 defense to go with our offense now , talk about best team of ALL TIME.. But that is just a “WISH” not a “What if” .. Go Bucs
April 7th, 2022 at 6:05 pm
MadMax: I like your passion for the Draft, that’s basically the only thing us Bucs fans had to look forward to during the several dark years/decades. I don’t really get into the names (Alontae Taylor, for example) because I know the Bucs know a lot more about all of the players than I do, such as probably the most important question the Bucs ask, “Does the kid love playing football?”.
April 7th, 2022 at 6:17 pm
The whole “Trask was a bad pick” narrative, I’m not saying it was a good or bad pick, that’s yet to be determined. I’ve asked everyone who said it was a bad pick “Who would you have taken instead? You know, so 4 years from now we can actually see if it was?”. The only answer I got was someone said they would’ve taken Kelvin Joseph instead, the only problem with that is that Joseph was taken with the 44th pick, Trask was taken with the 64th pick. To make any sense, you would have to name someone taken AFTER the 64th pick.
April 7th, 2022 at 6:34 pm
Great quote from Licht.
You could argue his greatest move was Brady. Its a great argument either way.
Unfortunately some Bucs fans(fans?) have a hard time getting it through their thick skulls how much Arians has done for this orginization.
The list of free agents have been adding under Bruce is spectacular. I cant name one player that wasnt productive…….Thats a far cry from the days of Sweezy and Swagy.
The drafts are also noticably better as soon as Bruce got here.
Player development has actully become a thing now that Bruce got here. Right from the get go Bruces staff took hold of several useless players and got lot of good production from them. Turned a few of em into starters!……..Not to mention got them paid(which does matter greatly in free agency).
And dont forget Bruce took over for one of the all time worst defense to ever play the game. Its darn near a miracle Bruce and his staff took control of that unit and won a Supet Bowl with them a year later. Its why Todd the Godd deserved the job.
Oh, but its all Brady. I forgot he is GM, OC, HC and QB. You maroons make a great point there.
April 7th, 2022 at 7:04 pm
Licht has been solid to exceptional in the draft but let’s not overlook some seriously questionable reaches in rds 1 & 2 throughout his tenure
2014
2. Seferian-Jenkins
2015
1.Jameis (I don’t blame him here, plus one of his better yrs drafting)
2016- terrible
1. Hargreaves!!!
2. Spence
2. Aguayo!!!!!
2017
1. OJ Howard (again, tough to blame JL)
2018
2. Rojo (I blame coaches here)
2. Stewart, meh
2019
No complaints from me
2020
IMHO, best combined 1, 2 picks for him
2021
1. JTS
2. Trask…. both yet to be determined
This does not acknowledge first, 2nd and later rd successes. If Trask and JTS end up ballers, I give JL an A+ for his body of work drafting.
April 7th, 2022 at 7:08 pm
JimmyJack: Deone Bucannon and Joe Haeg come to mind, but that’s nitpicking, you’re right.
April 7th, 2022 at 7:44 pm
You people are a trip, especially ially the ones who never showed their faces here before Brady came. Such ‘experts’.
I see so many inaccuracies above, lol. I especially enjoy it when opinions are stated as facts.
April 7th, 2022 at 8:32 pm
@Mort. What organization was Brady referring to when he said something to the effect of “you’re sticking with that m’fer”? Anybody that thinks they know Brady, to include the sports reporters (I use the term reporters loosely) are wrong so I’m going to go with he did want to play for the 9ers organization that he grew up rooting for.
Nevertheless, I don’t get the beef with what @Lamarcus said. He’s 100% right.
April 7th, 2022 at 9:28 pm
Licht has been the best gm in the league three years running and we are blessed to have him. Now if he and his staff could just get good at drafting running backs…
April 7th, 2022 at 9:57 pm
Lamarcus Says:
April 7th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Likewise. If 49ers says yes…we would be living in totally different dimension
Why make this statement?
Life has so many twists and turns.
Is Jason some how penalized because he did not fumble the Brady Signing?
Is Licht Penalized for assembling the talent that Brady studied, and signed with the Bucs?
There are so many players that went to different teams over the years in Sports.
Like “What If Babe Ruth never signed with the Yankees, and stayed with the Red Sox, and the Yanks do not Dominate then during the Babes years??? There would be no house the Ruth Built.
Ok, What if Gruden never signs with the Bucs, and there is no Super Bowl?
What if Culverhouse would have paid Doug Williams?
and also as Steven said..
Steven007 Says:
April 7th, 2022 at 12:37 pm
Lamarcus:
“If Bo Jackson said yes…
If Bill parcells said yes… “Twice Actually early 90″s and before Gruden came”
If Brett favre said yes…
What exactly is your point? News flash, the Bucs said yes. As did Brady”.
GO BUCS!!!!!
April 8th, 2022 at 12:34 am
Whole lotta skip baseless type comments on here. Nonsense
April 8th, 2022 at 6:24 am
“Dimitroff asked Licht to name his “quintessential baller move” since taking over Tampa Bay.
“Everybody would assume that I would say going after Tom Brady, and that was. But I would say talking Bruce Arians out of retirement to come to lead this organization,” Licht replied.”
Straight to the point.
BA Brings in Bowles, and Todd turns around a dung hill of a defense in 2019. If that does not happen, then TB12 is not coming to Tampa Bay in 2020.
Credit first to J Licht, assembling the talent, then BA is hired, and then Jason does not fumble the Brady signing.
= Super Bowl Baby.
So for all you wanna be Crackpot NFL execs, that rag on BA, lol read it and weep if you like.
Go ahead and spin your dribble, for those here who like to argue with the facts.
Fact is BA Coached the team to a Championship. lol that is a fact!!!
We all could see him on the sideline. Again denying this is ludicrous. FACT
Do not give me that TB12 crap like he did it all. Tom could not overcome the Rams on his own. It takes a team effort. On 1 hand oh it is all Brady, but then out of the other side of your mouth, oh it was Bowles, thats why we lost. So you confirm it is more than Brady lol. And Brady cannot do it himself.
Okay, Bill lost 3 Super Bowls with TOM as the QB. Seems like that is impossible, I mean he had the GOAT for a QB. I mean because Brady is the sole reason the Pats won, Right? And again Brady is the Sole reason the Bucs won a Lombardi, Right?
WRONG, IT IS A TEAM GAME, AND ALSO COACHING. The Bucs Defense put the Beating of Pat Mahomes life on him in the Super Bowl. Funny, I did not see Tom make a single Tackle.
Do I think the Bucs win the Super Bowl without Brady, NO, but do I think Brady could play defense, and sack Mahomes, or Cover Tyreek, NO. It is a TEAM GAME
So much dribble spewed on this site by people that just want to vent, sorry, just because you think it is 22 against 1, sorry it is not it is 22 against 22.
GO BUCS!!!!!
April 8th, 2022 at 6:59 am
ever since licht dropped of the ole ron burgundy sports coat off at goodwill on hillsborough ave., he’s been on point and only getting better
April 8th, 2022 at 11:50 am
When they listen to me and a few others here, he drafts well…when they dont, you get meh….they didnt listen to me last year…but you get what you pay for right?