Jason Licht Wants A New Running Back “To Carry Some Of The Load”
March 26th, 2024
It’s a strong draft for running backs and Joe will combine that fact with what seemed like a slip of tongue from Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht this morning.
Answering a running backs question from Joe at the NFL Owners Meetings at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Licht acknowledged the NFL’s running backs market had a financial revival this offseason and he appeared to begin saying the Bucs need a No. 3 running back before catching himself.
“We need, uh, well, looking forward to seeing Sean [Tucker] this year. He was a rookie last year, and see what he does,” Licht said. “We love Chase [Edmonds] and obviously Rachaad [White], but we’re looking for another running back to be in the competition there to carry some of the load.”
Licht also went on to say it’s a quality draft for running backs. Earlier in the day Todd Bowles suggested a running back would not be drafted in Round 1 next month.
Unlike Licht, Joe doesn’t have to be corporate correct in any way. So Joe will say it.
The Bucs need a running back. If you’re going to run the ball, you want to do it well, and the Bucs have not the past two seasons.
Improvement arrived in the second half of last season, but how freakin’ nice would it be to be one of multiple teams every year that finds an instant-impact rusher in the draft?
(Can’t wait for the RB deep dive, Sean!)
March 26th, 2024 at 12:15 pm
A while back, I said Coach Todd would be here through 2025,
and the team would draft a running back in the first round.
I would like the Bucs to draft CENTER, then wide receiver.
March 26th, 2024 at 12:21 pm
It starts at center, then the rest of the line you build it strong….
Running back has to hit the hole, or find someone on the practice squad that will … they are out there and they are hungary …. if management has the balls to cut some people to wake them up …
March 26th, 2024 at 12:32 pm
Need a RB1.
March 26th, 2024 at 12:58 pm
Unlike the draft rich WR, which about half a dozen will be drafted in the first round RB look week this year. I don’t see any RB being drafted until the middle of the second round. With that said, a lot of decent RB can be picked up in the 3-5th round.
March 26th, 2024 at 12:58 pm
I’ll be sad if we don’t draft a RB by R3/R4.
March 26th, 2024 at 1:00 pm
Damn – accidently hit return. Need an edit button Joe. Weak not week.
March 26th, 2024 at 1:08 pm
rojo for vet minimum ???
isn’t he out of the league…maybe he’d come back…one year prove it deal ???
just a thought…hits the hole hard and not much wear on those tires
March 26th, 2024 at 1:10 pm
Yes I am also looking forward to Mr. Sullivan’s insight
March 26th, 2024 at 1:13 pm
ROJO makes too much sense and that is why it will never happen.
March 26th, 2024 at 1:14 pm
adam from ny Says:
March 26th, 2024 at 1:08 pm
rojo for vet minimum ???
isn’t he out of the league…maybe he’d come back…one year prove it deal ???
just a thought…hits the hole hard and not much wear on those tires
——————
Not sure Rojo and block – or has the will to. He is out of the league for a reason – but I hear you man. We need a big hard running dude!
March 26th, 2024 at 1:17 pm
NFL.com (Chad Reuter) has the Bucs taking Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen with their second 3rd Round Pick at #92… Penn St. TE Theo Johnson with their #89th. JPJ at #26. And, Pittsburgh taking Barton at #20. Then, “Bucky Brooks” also, at NFL.com… Has BOTH “Barton” (Dallas at #24) & “JPJ” (#21 to Miami) GONE.
March 26th, 2024 at 1:38 pm
As long as it’s “a given” that the Buccaneers will make the.playoffs again…Lenny! Bring ‘im back.
Good to hear they like Edmonds though, he did a good job at “keeping-it-going” for Rachaad in the “5-of-6-win-streak” last year.
March 26th, 2024 at 1:51 pm
No other team wants Rojo or Lenny, so why should the Bucs?
Bucs need a power RB who can block and catch. I like Estime and Davis with Allen also as a possibility if the others are gone. Should be a late 3rd or 4th round pick.
March 26th, 2024 at 1:53 pm
Hell, that’s nothing new. I’ve been saying this since the end of the season that the Bucs need another RB to help cut the load of White. Just think about it, White had 900 carry yards last season. We all know that White yards per carry was atrocious for the first 10 or so games, so how did he almost get to 1000 yards, a lot of carries Not good for your so called #1 RB
March 26th, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Rachaad hit every hole the O-line created: what’s that say about the O-line?
March 26th, 2024 at 1:59 pm
When you have one of the leagues worst rushing attacks, yeah you better draft a RB. Not to say they don’t need to improve the interior O line. My guess is both better be addressed.
March 26th, 2024 at 2:02 pm
I think we should draft Florida State RB Benson or Michigan Corum both are fast and can find the holes in the line that White just couldn’t seem to see.
March 26th, 2024 at 2:14 pm
Rachaad doesn’t need glasses; we’ve been through this (chortle). Even the announcers were impressed how he made at least “some gain” on zero help from the O-line on a ton of plays.
March 26th, 2024 at 2:16 pm
White is a good RB better at catching the ball but I think the run blocking needs to approve before we start saying we need new RBs. Draft a new center get some guys in here that can run block.
March 26th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
Fix the interior OLine and the running backs on the roster start making a lot more and bigger plays. Duh…
That said – we absolutely need to add a 225-230+ lb power back to the mix.
Sean Tucker is a potential wildcard with speed and strength aplenty- but we can’t count on him making the big jump in year 2 that he absolutely is capable of athletically…..
March 26th, 2024 at 2:22 pm
You get what you pay for……a 3rd round pick….cheap FA and an UDFA…..
What does anyone expect?
March 26th, 2024 at 3:05 pm
Look at our running numbers with Ryan Jensen and then look at our running numbers without Ryan Jensen yet Joe won’t acknowledge the importance of the center position, I get it that Hainsey is decent but is decent going to cut it? Center, then RB .. most likely in the 3rd or 4th round
March 26th, 2024 at 3:31 pm
Braelon Allen would look pretty good as a R3 pick. Audrick Estime if Allen is gone
March 26th, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Estime please.
March 26th, 2024 at 3:58 pm
We need IOL and RB help.
Sure our OL blocking was poor, but looking at White, he wasn’t great. YAC should be a good measure of the RB vs. the OL. In YAC/Attempt for the regular season, White averaged 1.4 YAC/att, to rank 65th for players with over 40 attempts. Edmunds was 1.5 YAC/att. The leaders were up around 5 YAC/ATT. White’s a great receiver, but we need an upgraded RB1.
The last two years, in R1 and R2, three backs were picked each year. RB’s started really going off in R3:
’23 ’22
RD1 2 0
RD2 1 3
RD3 4 3
RD4 1 5
RD5 4 5
RD6 3 4
RD7 3 2
Maybe our first pick in Rd3 could go to the 5th or 6th best RB, or maybe trade up to early Rd3 to pick up the 3rd or 4th best RB?????
Pick Position
26 Edge
57 IOL
89 RB
92 IOL or Edge
125 ILB
220 ?
246 ?
March 26th, 2024 at 4:45 pm
Kid out of Louisville would be a great addition. Reminds me of Pacheco a bit.
March 26th, 2024 at 4:57 pm
Rd 3 is the sweet spot, especially with 2 picks. Braelon Allen would compliment White ideally perhaps
March 26th, 2024 at 5:33 pm
A great online makes average backs look good, so
March 26th, 2024 at 5:44 pm
Rachaad White needs LEGITIMATE competition for playing time!! HE believes his vision and performance is good enough🤔!!
March 26th, 2024 at 6:11 pm
Round 3 is the sweet spot for RB’s
March 26th, 2024 at 6:38 pm
Lenny never did this team wrong. Sometimes your answer is strait in front. Probably get him for a song too. He is still a load that can block, run, and catch.
March 26th, 2024 at 11:11 pm
Second round pick- the Bucs select Tennessee, Texas or Florida State RBs, after grabbing a guard/center in round one or maybe go Blake Corum- that young man has vision. Davis in round three would work as well. That state champion wrestler from WV might be a beast at center, Van Pram is falling and might be a beast snagged in the mid-rounds as well. It’s not just picking the right RB, center and LG need an upgrade and Mauch needs to get his weight up.
March 27th, 2024 at 12:55 am
We don’t need a RB.
We need
1. A Center
2. A LG
3. A CB
4. An OLB
5. ILB
6. WR
7. NT (Vea needs a clone)
8. Fast TE
Running back?
No way!
March 27th, 2024 at 8:03 am
Nothing better when you need to grind out a win than having a big, mean RB punching out 3-4 yards a carry over and over again. That is NOT White’s game.
March 27th, 2024 at 2:46 pm
We definitely need a quality back who can carry the load on first and second downs. White is a better third down back.
March 28th, 2024 at 9:28 pm
I had all my fingers crossed that we would pull the trigger on trading and extending someone like Joe Mixon. Who was consistent in this same offense for Cincinatti. Instead the Texans got him. Having White and Mixon in the backfield would have been awesome. Shame. You won’t find a running back who can consistently figure out the open run zone lanes in this offense in the draft. Aaron Jones was probably outside our price range. Outside of those two, we’re just as better off drafting. I’ll keep all my fingers and toes crossed Edmunds can figure it out this year and stay healthy. White was doing well at the end of last year.