Jason Licht And The “Tweeting Class”
June 6th, 2025
So it seems in the mind of one dude who traffics in the fantasy world, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is inching toward getting run out of Tampa by a Twitter mob if the Bucs don’t make a serious run at the Super Bowl soon.
That’s what Patrick Daugherty of Rotoworld seems to think as he typed out his annual general manager rankings for the NBC outfit.
Daugherty is of the mind Tom Brady made Licht’s career. Had Brady (and unspoken, but one can read) and Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians not gotten a Super Bowl win, Licht would already be gone.
And while Daugherty believes if you don’t win or make a Super Bowl, there’s no point in keeping a general manager around; dump the guy no matter what if he doesn’t produce a ring.
Daugherty gives Licht credit for building a team Brady wanted to come to, Licht’s tenure is now tied to Baker Mayfield, Daugherty suggests. And it seems Daugherty isn’t sold on Mayfield as a Super Bowl-winner, as Daugherty listed Licht as the No. 10 general manager in the NFL.
10. Jason Licht, Bucs
The Bucs “should” have fired Jason Licht after 2019. Coming off a 7-9 season, he was 34-62 (.354) after six years on the job and had ridden the Jameis Winston “era” into the ditch. You know what happened next. Tom Brady wanted to move to Tampa and the rest was history. Brady’s last ride, of course, could have only worked with what turned out to be a deceptively-great Licht roster, and the personnel man finally earned some newfound respect. But then Brady retired and surely that was the end of it, right? Licht’s latest reinvention has been even more surprising than the first. It’s easier to win when you have the greatest player of all time. Much less so after he retires, but Licht has continued to thrive. The Bucs have not only won back-to-back division titles without Brady, they have done so in a fashion that’s gotten back-to-back OCs head-coaching jobs. There is still work to be done.Despite overachievement now so routine it’s fair to argue he was underrated all along, Baker Mayfield can probably only be ridden so far. Mike Evans and the defense are old. The Bucs’ 2023-24 drafts were not calamitous, but they weren’t home runs, either. Licht’s staying power has been remarkable. But that’s not a self-perpetuating quality. Licht needs his new guard to show up. If it doesn’t, the tweeting class will once again be ready with their “shoulds.”
Joe want to ask Daugherty, if it’s all about winning Super Bowls, how are Eric DeCosta, Les Snead, Brian Gutekunst, Brad Holmes, John Lynch and Brandon Beane done better than Licht?
Daugherty has all six listed ahead of Licht in his rankings. DeCosta and Snead have just as many rings as Licht.
Lynch is looking for his first Super Bowl ring as a team executive. Gutekunst, Holmes and Beane have never been to a Super Bowl as general managers.
And as much as some folks cherry-pick Licht’s draft picks, Licht is a complete genius at the draft compared to Lynch. Do the names Trey Lance, Reuben Foster and Solomon Thomas mean anything to you?
Lynch traded a total of three first-round picks, and one each in the second, third and fourth rounds for those three stiffs. That’s not to mention Lynch could have had Pat Mahomes or a then-clean Desean Watson but went for Thomas instead.
If Licht made half the draft errors Lynch has, there would be a parade of people in front of One Buc Palace holding out white platters.
Licht trades up for Tristan Wirfs? Crickets.
Lynch trades up for Trey Lance? All hail Lynch.
Joe guesses this all boils down to Licht hasn’t drafted a legacy-media-approved quarterback. You know, he’s banked on two free agents, Brady and Mayfield, the latter most of these self-anointed football sophists still turn their noses up at, Joe guesses.
So yeah, if the Bucs can’t get to a Super Bowl in the next year, Team Glazer is going to follow the advice of the Twitter mob and run Licht.
Sure.
June 6th, 2025 at 4:53 am
What an idiot!
I think I was maybe 12 when I figured out that coaches and leter GMs get fired because they lose games and because they can’t find a QB. Doen’t matter if he is drafted or a FA.
Licht had the choice of Jaymiss or Marcus. Turns out the correct answer was door number three (niether) but who knew? Had to go QB. Lichts fault? Nah. Staying with the clown? Maybe.
Getting Brady no doubt helps but so do some othe free agent signings. Jensen, Suh, Shaq, JPP. the insideous AB, Lenny…
Go Bucs!
June 6th, 2025 at 5:08 am
We weren’t TB12’s first choice.
Licht totally lucked into that. Lynch went with the prevailing wisdom that Tom was too old. It bit him in the azz. Lucky for us
June 6th, 2025 at 5:27 am
“The Bucs’ 2023-24 drafts were not calamitous, but they weren’t home runs, either.”
Graham Barton, Tykee Smith, Jalen McMillan, Bucky Irving – Calijah Kancey, Cody Mauch, Yaya Diaby, Sirvocea Dennis
Name me 1 other team that drafted 8 starters in the previous 2 drafts….
Nitwit!
June 6th, 2025 at 6:01 am
The defense is old?
June 6th, 2025 at 6:56 am
This story brings out a pet peeve of mine. The Josephs were all in for drafting Fameis, prior to that they wanted Johnny Football. Their reasoning was partially correct IMHO. They felt that the NFL is QB driven and you can’t win without the right QB.
I agree with that part of their take. But the followup was the NEED to draft one.
I do not rule out drafting a great QB. I simply believe great QB’s come from more than the draft. The draft is a MAJOR CRAPSHOOT full of Jameis Winstons and Marcus Mariottas and Johnny Footballs and on and on. There is more than just the draft to provide a QB.
The Bucs are the proof. The two SB’s won by the Bucs came with QB’s NOT drafted by the Bucs. They came with QB’s drafted in the 6th and now non existent 9th round. The current QB did come with all the “awards” Heisman, #1 pick but not from any draft choices the Bucs made.
While I think QB is obviously the single most important position on an NFL team, how a team gets one and just how GREAT the QB has to be is debateable. I love Brad Johnson. He was never considered the premiere QB in his playing days. Brad was simply an “athlete” and a winner. Completely different style but that’s what I hope Jason/Todd have found in Baker.
June 6th, 2025 at 7:26 am
Joe it appears as though Daugherty’s article twisted your nips. Settle down fella, he’s just killing time and space…. you can relate
June 6th, 2025 at 7:31 am
We had all 22 starters set BEFORE the draft.
That’s unbelievable!
Licht has built insane depth over the years.
Free agency next year will be very interesting.
We have some serious guys who will need contracts to stick around.
Zion, Dean, Mike Evans, Goedeke, LVD, Vea,
@joe
Can you write an article about all our guys playing on their last year?
I would like to know how many starters will be FA next year.
Thanks Joe’!
June 6th, 2025 at 7:33 am
What in the heck is Rotoworld? It sounds like you needed your sewer lines cleared and accidently stumbled over a “football” site. They are probably a bunch of Browns fans. At least I know where they mine for material
June 6th, 2025 at 7:42 am
How can we possibly judge the ’23 and ’24 drafts at this point?
June 6th, 2025 at 7:43 am
I can tell you a few free agents Mike Evans, Luke Goedeke, Raçhaad White, Logan Hall. I think Zion McCollum too. I guess Reddick is only a one year deal Otton Kieft, but who cares that’s all I can think of now.
June 6th, 2025 at 8:28 am
@stpetebucsfan,
If I were a GM, my preference would be to acquire a QB via free agency rather than the draft.
There are so many busts when drafting QBs. Even some excellent talent evaluators have chosen the wrong ones. With free agent QBs who have a track record after playing in the NFL, it’s much easier to know what you’re getting.
June 6th, 2025 at 8:37 am
Problem with a FA QB is if they’re good they aren’t FA’s. Baker was released by bad teams, picked up by a good one. Shows you need more than just a QB, Seattle built their team first, then got Wilson. Licht has had mostly good drafts but has also learned along the way, I think his “I am that Man” approach is paying dividends and the rest of the league will/is following that.
June 6th, 2025 at 8:45 am
Grateful JL has (at least) a staffer dedicated to reading JBF. If there ever were a receipt Jason Licht would save, this. is. it.
Time to add another link to the body of the Outlook calendar event, scheduled for Feb. 9, 2026, entitled, “Receipts.”
June 6th, 2025 at 8:55 am
I agree with Daugherty to a point. I will say that Jason Licht is very lucky he wasn’t fired after 2019. Very few GMs in the history of the NFL keep their job after missing on the #1 overall pick.
June 6th, 2025 at 9:08 am
He’s right. Licht was floundering. Doesnt mean he is now.
June 6th, 2025 at 9:23 am
34-62 mattered then, not now. But it’s fair to say Licht should have been fired based on how the NFL operates. He wasn’t, and now he won’t be unless the team falls apart for a span of years. Some people cling to the past so hard that it’s impossible to change their minds about someone who improves themselves. Oh well, turn the page.
June 6th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Brandon Beane hit a home run with Josh Allen. Besides that, the same draft criticisms that are levied on Licht can be said of Beane. No home run drafts, top picks are hit or miss, gets great value in later rounds. Josh Allen elevates Buffalo and their defense continually gets exposed in the playoffs.
On the negative side, Beane does worse in free agency than Licht. Von Miller was a big signing that didn’t pan out from injury and suspension, the Bills just signed TWO DL who were busted for performance enhancing drugs after signing, and Joey Bosa is already hurt.
June 6th, 2025 at 9:38 am
Also, Howie Roseman didn’t win a Super Bowl until his 7th year on the job and didn’t win a second until 7 years after that. I’m sure that Eagles fans aren’t complaining about him not being fired during those spans.
June 6th, 2025 at 10:54 am
Man, if only we had the talented Joe Schoen as GM — Daugherty would change his tune.
June 6th, 2025 at 11:15 am
These past few years, Licht and staff have done an absolutely terrific job. I could not say that about Daugherty. I wonder where he would rate himself.
June 6th, 2025 at 11:26 am
Only times I’ve heard him talk about teams success he immediately pivots to his staff or the team or the owners or anyone else except him. Hmm. Maybe the Swag is coming from the top?
June 6th, 2025 at 11:27 am
Gronk, Brown, and Fournette were all players Brady lobbied for to make what was a Good roster a Super Bowl roster.
Sure you can give Licht credit because he had the final say but it was Brady that got them here.
Anyone says that the Bucs were kicking the tires on A.B. before Brady was in the building is crazy. Wouldn’t be surprised if Brady had planted the possibility even before signing.
Spytek and Carroll with Brady’s insightful input will be contenders in no time. Not a bad choice at 3:1 to make the Playoffs and 20:1 to win their division is still better than any Instant Ticket out there too.
June 6th, 2025 at 12:39 pm
The question of how We got our Two Super Bowl winning Quarterbacks ( not home grown through the draft ),is a valid one, especially since We let three quarterbacks go who went on and won SuperBowls for other teams! ( The only team to ever let that happen!), A legacy that is going to be hard to live down , especially if it happens again!
June 6th, 2025 at 1:26 pm
Outside of having the GOAT who brought in a ton of talent with him(the chance to win a SB)…
What’s his overall record?
Be honest. The question is as that SB gets farther and farther in the rear view mirror…what’s Licht’s expiration date? GM’s rarely get 3 head coaches let alone four.
Again, outside of the Brady years…what’s his overall record?
It is a fair question.
June 6th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Expiration date??? Seriously Bucs4Ever?
We’ve got the best drafting GM in the entire league.
Lets go back one more draft from those mentioned for proof…
In the 3 prior drafts to this year (’22, ’23, ’24) – Jason Licht has drafted TWELVE starters.
Graham Barton, Tykee Smith, Jalen McMillan, Bucky Irving – Calijah Kancey, Cody Mauch, Yaya Diaby, Sirvocea Dennis – Logan Hall, Luke Goedeke, Cade Otten, Zyon McCollum
PLUS contributors Rachaad White, Ko Kieft, Paybe Durham, Josh Hayes, Trey Palmer, Chris Braswell, Elijah Klein and Devin Culp
PLUS UDFA standouts like Izien, Merriweather and Sean Tucker
Not 1 other NFL GM has averaged FOUR starters per draft over the previous 3 years. ONLY Jason Licht.
And this question of ‘outside the Brady years’ – LOL – Jason Licht CREATED the “Brady Years” – by coaxing Arians out of retirement and great drafting that created the team Brady wanted to come to……
What about since since Brady left? instead of the 2-3 year crash into losing that would be expected with so many aged out good players and like $180M in debt to contend with – the Bucs have won their division and gone to the playoffs EVERY year since Tom terrific walked out the door!
The list of players drafted in that time period is the reason. The players Jason Licht drafted.
Nobody cares at this point what Licht’s won/loss record under Lovie and Koetter was – it is completely irrelevant to the question of – what kind of GM is Jason Licht today?
The answer is – Licht is a WINNING GM – one of the best in the business.
June 6th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
With the exception of DeCosta, you could cherry pick every general manager.
June 6th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
The Bucs “should” have fired Jason Licht after 2019. Coming off a 7-9 season, he was 34-62 (.354) after six years on the job and had ridden the Jameis Winston “era” into the ditch.
———–
That team is 9-7 if Gay doesn’t personally lose two games for the Bucs. Additionally the defense, with a ton of young players, was literally on pace to be the worst defense in the history of the Bucs through the first 8 games or so, before having a huge 2nd half turn around.
Anyone who watched that 2019 Bucs team play and thought they should fire the GM, after he just recruited Arians, is literally a retard.
June 6th, 2025 at 3:31 pm
Bucs4Ever Says:
Again, outside of the Brady years…what’s his overall record?
————
Hey dummy… what if Licht was responsible for building the team that Brady wanted to play for?
BOOM!
Wow, amazing, talk about a real mind twister.
What a breakthrough.
June 6th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
Bucsfan66
Hard to argue with your point given the history of the Bucs.
BTW Licht is getting blasted for stuff that happened because of the HUGE mistake of selecting Fameis. BTW I was on board with that selection I understand the HOPE involved. But Licht had very little to do with that since it was still Lovie’s team. Licht got his real power when HE brought in BA who was the real savior not St. Tommy!
June 6th, 2025 at 4:49 pm
Licht has grown and matured as GM. I am proud of him. Love and trust him, now. I did not always see him this way.
Go Bucs!!