Jason Licht Talks Deion Jones Revival, Position Confidence
June 23rd, 2025
Deion Jones has Devin White’s number.
Don’t you dare throw shade at the Bucs’ inside linebackers corps.
Well, you can, but the power players at One Buc Palace will look at you funny.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht explained to Sports Day Tampa Bay.
“Internally, we feel a lot better internally about our inside linebacker position that it seems externally,” Licht said.
“We actually feel, I mean not to go off on a tangent on this, Lavonte [David], I think, is still going to have a great year. I think Voss, [SirVocea Dennis] coming off an injury, but we feel very, very good about it. And he’s having a hell of an offseason. Anthony Walker, who everybody loves right now. Deion Jones has been really, really good for us, and he’s a former Pro Bowler, and he’s probably our most athletic, fast, especially in coverage. And we’ve got these two undrafted free agents [Nick Jackson and John Bullock], they’re fighting for a spot [at inside linebacker] already.”
The rise of Jones is intriguing. He’s had significant injuries through his career (foot and shoulder) and maybe, just maybe, he’s finally getting healthy.
Joe did see Jones look explosive a couple of times in minicamp and make plays, but, you know, it’s underwear football without pads.
Still, Jones, a Falcons second-round pick in 2016, is young enough at 30 to potentially still have another good year in his body. The Bucs signed Jones in late December after he was out of football for months.
As for Licht’s confidence in Dennis, Joe gets it. But Joe would still like to see Dennis get through four or five games of full-time play without an injury.
June 23rd, 2025 at 1:43 pm
I’ve bitten on the pre-season hype before. As you say Joe, let’s get a few games into the new season and revisit the issue. Regardless of how it goes this year, I see ILB as a primary draft focus in 2026.
June 23rd, 2025 at 1:49 pm
Would love to see all the hype about Anthony Walker. He sounds like one of this year’s draft steal.
June 23rd, 2025 at 1:57 pm
Jones & Walker are the same type of guy it seems.
June 23rd, 2025 at 2:13 pm
Hope, Prayers, Ductape, and FML at ILB.
Hope – LVD can keep playing at his standard
Pray – SV stays healthy
Ductape – If LVD and SV get injured, Deon Jones can ductape it together.
FML – If Nick Jackson and John Bullock are called upon
The Bucs drafted Egbuka because they lost every game both Evans and Godwin were out. The need is still there. The Bucs will be drafting 1-2 ILB next year.
June 23rd, 2025 at 2:20 pm
Seeing #45 brings back memories of DW45 flying all over..on the attack.
When he was good…he was really good!!!
June 23rd, 2025 at 2:25 pm
he was good in coverage last year with the limited time he had
June 23rd, 2025 at 2:56 pm
Fingers crossed about Deion Jones. If he can drop 15 yards off the center and then trail a TE or a RB in coverage, after the completion, he’ll be at least as good as Britt was.
June 23rd, 2025 at 3:02 pm
Jones was fast enough to catch Jameis’s last pass as a Buccaneer.
June 23rd, 2025 at 3:15 pm
Dewey – LOL! I was so disgusted I never noticed which Fowlclown caught JaMiss’s duck. Arians called it a “lazy pass.” Pathetic.
June 23rd, 2025 at 3:39 pm
Interesting that we haven’t heard a rumor about trey hendrickson to the Bucs.
Bucs have $9M in cap. Trade Hall and a 3rd and that’s $13M. 1 restructure AWJ and you’re at $25-30M. It’s not a bad all in move for a 2025 Super Bowl shot. This is the prime year for another shot. Why not push all in?
June 23rd, 2025 at 3:59 pm
Licht is blinded by his draft picks, it made him overpay Dean, Davis and Winfield and now he’s gungho on Dennis being a starter with no viable alternative
Licht needs to have some awareness on how to get better and not only rely on his picks
There needs to be a happy medium of picks and free agency additions. It’s not realistic to hit on all of your picks
June 23rd, 2025 at 4:00 pm
This seems to be lost on most Bucs fans. He played well late in the year especially considering he wasn’t too familiar with the defense at that point. He’s only 30 and only started falling off because he had some nagging injuries. He’s fully healthy now. He probably one of the best 3 or 4 line ILBers. Hopefully LVD and Voss stay healthy and he’s not called on but if he is I’m confident he will fill in well.
June 23rd, 2025 at 4:06 pm
Deion Jones was a beast for ATL for several years. If healthy and still fast, that man could do well.
June 23rd, 2025 at 5:01 pm
Jones is going to play. There is no way LVD and SVD both make it the whole season with no injuries. And God forbid we gave them some plays off to rest a little during a game. Jones will play, Walker will play
Hopefully, those guys come in as super subs to keep the starters rested and not as semi permanent replacements.
What happened to that kid Grier who flashed a little last year? Are the rookies better?
June 23rd, 2025 at 6:02 pm
I just hope LVD and Voss stay healthy.
Walker seems like a great leader and knows what to do but I don’t know if he has the speed, kind of like KJ Britt.
And Jones… I honestly forgot about him so glad to see this article.
If he’s healthy, that is a sigh of relief because that is great depth for that pass coverage in the middle that was basically the Achilles’ heel of the defense last year
June 23rd, 2025 at 6:15 pm
SlyPirate
Do you think the Bengals would trade Hendricks for Hall and a second rnd. pick? I seriously doubt that. Some writers are mock trading two 1sts and two 2nds for T J Watt. I doubt you could get Hendrickson for less than that.
June 23rd, 2025 at 6:40 pm
Can’t count on LSU linebackers boys.
June 23rd, 2025 at 6:51 pm
Deion Jones opened the door to Brady coming.
Thank you Deion!!!!!
LFG!!!!!!