“I Was Sick To My Stomach”
August 1st, 2025
GM speaks out.
Bucs officials took the blown knee by rookie edge rusher David Walker last week hard.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht opened up on the subject.
“It was terrible. It was awful. Your heart goes out to him. I was sick to my stomach,” Licht told Loose Cannons. “I wasn’t the only one. We all were because we all saw what he was doing. He was wreaking havoc out here and we were all excited to see him with pads on. He’s just a really unique blend of athleticism and power and strength and effort and natural instincts.
Licht went on to remind fans Walker, a fourth-round draft pick, was dominant at the Senior Bowl and, of course, at Central Arkansas.
“I guess the silver lining is next year it’s like an extra draft pick,” Licht said. “He won’t be forgotton about inside these walls here. But maybe nationally forgotten about a little bit and then he’ll, you know, really turn heads next year.”
Who wouldn’t feel terrible for Walker, who is a 25-year-old rookie with a feel-good story.
However, Joe can’t feel like the Bucs suffered a significant loss. Walker never made it to practicing in pads. “Wreaking havoc” in underwear football, per Licht, is a very small piece of the pie.
Licht is right, though, Walker, assuming his ACL tear is typical, should be back and fully ready for training camp next year. That should a very nice bonus, especially if he’s diligent learning all season in meetings and at practice.
August 1st, 2025 at 10:58 am
From the headline, it was thought that Jason had just finished watching all 16 losses over the last two years and realized there’s a common denominator to all of them.
August 1st, 2025 at 11:05 am
He’s a 25 year old, 4th round draft pick from Central Arkansas
Are the Bucs this desperate for a pass rush from their OLBs
That they pin their hopes on this 25 year old rookie?
August 1st, 2025 at 11:11 am
Yes.
August 1st, 2025 at 11:14 am
I think they pin their hopes on great depth, which just got shallower.
August 1st, 2025 at 11:41 am
@OR Buc
Exactly, the whole point is to try to have as much talent on the roster as possible and all at once. Anybody, starter or contributor being lost to injury will effect the team. No reason to be salty about other peoples’ excitement, you are not a rain cloud.
August 1st, 2025 at 11:46 am
Absolutely this. We all saw how Philly won last year. Their ones and twos on the DL could start for any NFL team. You need waves of pass rushers to win the Super Bowl anymore.
August 1st, 2025 at 11:54 am
You have,
Hassan Reddick
Yaya Diaby
Anthony Nelson
Chris Braswell
Those guys are at the top of the rotation
How much more depth do you need?
.
Those four should give you 30 sacks or more
August 1st, 2025 at 12:32 pm
^^^ is that sarcastic? Nelson is a role player and been around a while. Yaya is coming off a 4.5 sack season in his 2nd year. There’s not much to say about Braswell other than hype. I think they will improve, but the promise of Walker brought this group up a level, but no longer.
August 1st, 2025 at 12:43 pm
So they pinned their hopes on Walker, Reddick
They don’t have much faith in Diaby, Nelson, Braswell
That’s my point,
They love to hold on to these unproductive veterans
August 1st, 2025 at 1:49 pm
They have been hanging on to Ramirez and Watts for about three years now. One of them should be able to be the fifth outside backer.
Didn’t Ramirez have about three sacks in the last preseason game last year? Then he couldn’t find the field all year.
August 1st, 2025 at 7:21 pm
Diaby has played 2 seasons
Braswell has played 1 season and didn’t even start
AKA “unproductive veterans” according to same of the brain trust around here…
August 2nd, 2025 at 6:26 am
excellent attitude Jason
August 2nd, 2025 at 7:24 am
Deep down I knew this guy was gonna get hurt. To much hype for a player that never played a down in the league annnnnd a 4th round pick. I blame Larry Foote lmbo