Jason Licht Says Mission Accomplished On Securing “Nasty Pri*ks”
March 21st, 2026
New Bucs defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson.
The Tampa Bay defense was pillowy soft last season.
Steps were taken to increase the defense’s toughness quotient, per Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht.
Licht went there during his intimate no-cameras sitdown with Joe and three other media members Wednesday at One Buc Palace.
One question posed to Licht was about the free agent of signings of high-energy middle linebacker Alex Anzalone, angry defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson and hungry rags-to-riches edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammed. Licht was asked if those guys, with combined 2026 salaries of over $20 million, will “change the demeanor” of the Bucs defense.
Licht didn’t acknowledge his defense resembled warm cinnamon rolls last season, but he did admit the Bucs were seeking nastier players.
“We’ve never said that we don’t want those kind of players, ok. (laughs),” Licht begain. “So, you know, we stressed high character, football character, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t want some nasty assholes when they get on the field.
“But when we had the chance to get guys like — [Alex] Anzalone is also [in that camp] — to get those kind of guys and the energy that they have, hen we had A’Shawn [Robinson] and Al-Quan Muhammed in the building, it definitely raised the level of intensity.
“And it’s going to be a lot of fun, I think. Because they definitely are nasty, you know, pricks. So I’m looking forward to that. It was a bonus. We did, we have made a little bit of a concerted effort to try to find the the right blend of high character when it comes team, and being teammates and football character, but also edgy.”
These three signings won’t be making Pro Bowl reservations, but they are a lot edgier than the dudes they will replace: overmatched SirVocea Dennis, bland Logan Hall and check’s-in-the-bank edge rusher Haason Reddick.
Joe likes the moves.
March 21st, 2026 at 2:28 pm
May help Todd’s stoicism. Or is that sleepiness from the carbs?
March 21st, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Geez more hype. How about underpromise and overdeliver this time Jason?
I remain unconvinced until I see it on the field.
March 21st, 2026 at 2:33 pm
We wouldn’t have won the Super Bowl without Jensen, Suh, or JPP.
All warriors.
The NFL is war. Without a doubt.
Without warriors, on both sides of the ball, you have no chance at a Super Bowl.
March 21st, 2026 at 2:35 pm
Hopefully they will stay healthy all season and that attitude will rub off. If you don’t have it to begin with you can aquire it, some can’t. When you have players that played the way they did last year it would piss me off so bad there would have been borderline if not actual fights in the locker room. I love the story of how Sapp and Brooks watched ESPN and they ragged the Bucs and those 2 said “oh hell no”, and took it on themselves to change the demeanor of that D, stat’s wise when you compare them to all the other great D’s, one of the 2 best if not best in NFL history. Nickerson started it and we definitely need more of that guy thank you.
March 21st, 2026 at 2:35 pm
Somewhere, an aging, large gummed ice cream eater is clutching his Batman themed pearls.
March 21st, 2026 at 2:37 pm
That’s why I’m leaning more and more towards Licht draft a Guard
We need that mean, nasty, mauler guard, to play opposite Mauch
When Licht signed Feeney, l think it was for depth
But l think Licht will draft a Guard early
March 21st, 2026 at 2:38 pm
Well on my humble opinion they have a long ,long way to go. Yes these will help, but they are rotational players except the LB. However even there they need 2 more as good or hopefully even better with or without David. Then they need at least 1 starting corner to replace either McColumn or Morrison, heck maybe both. I don’t see either as starting corners. Then there is the edge rush. They did little. Yes they brought in another 1 year wonder at 31 and saying the guy is nasty?. Didn’t we hear that about Reddick last year?. The Bucs really wonder how they lost Evans. Well just look at their plan for next year thus far. I just don’t get whatever they are thinking sorry. Like Evans I have lost all faith.
March 21st, 2026 at 2:38 pm
shake oil salesman. keep your mouth shut and CONCENTRATE on drafting the best defensive players. not BPA idiot. you had better not draft sadiq or a wr in the 1st round or your job is in jeopardy. be smart, get mesidor,,then go after lb , dl, and cb. get rid of that stupid smirk on the face, put on your game face, and be SMART.
March 21st, 2026 at 2:38 pm
Upvote for no mention of Mike Evans or LVD for once. Also, is “pr**ck” not allowed? If you touch a cactus, do you pr**k yourself?
March 21st, 2026 at 2:44 pm
Jason lost Mike Evans. He didn’t lose Bowles.He can yammer about all the signings he wants. He has proven himself to be incompetent.
March 21st, 2026 at 2:54 pm
This was an A+ pickup.
Go Bucs !!
March 21st, 2026 at 2:54 pm
Yes Lakeland draft a guard 15th overall; only if can also rush the passer. He can rotate on both the offensive and defensive lines. (sarcasm)
March 21st, 2026 at 2:59 pm
Jason licht is started to sound like a broken record every year. These are the guys? Why does he set us up for Disappointment every year?
-David
March 21st, 2026 at 3:02 pm
Messidor is the answer take him in the first. And draft Rodriguez in the second. These are ball players. Guys who just flat out play
March 21st, 2026 at 3:05 pm
I think all 3 pick ups are solid and will contribute to an improved front 7.
It’s a good start 👍🏼
March 21st, 2026 at 3:06 pm
I’m not writing SVD off completely yet tho… Unlike Joe and company
He might be a great special teams player and an effective spot blitzer. –Joe
March 21st, 2026 at 3:21 pm
After Suh left the D hasn’t been the same. No matter what people said about Suh and some of the dirty plays he did, he really made a huge difference to the Bucs D. Those type of guys are exactly what the Bucs need on D and it sure would be nice to have one on the offense side since it only seems like Baker is closest thing to it. Need an Incognito on the O side of the ball.
March 21st, 2026 at 3:41 pm
I am from Missouri-Show Me
March 21st, 2026 at 3:48 pm
He’s laying the groundwork to draft offense with over hyping his masterful defensive signings.
Signing a bunch of old guys with attitude does not speak to a long term commitment to winning.
Betcha he drafts a QB in 1st/2nd round.
March 21st, 2026 at 3:59 pm
Last year they were quite adamant they wanted only players modeled in demeanor after LVD.
Quite the turnaround!
March 21st, 2026 at 4:01 pm
Hope he drafts for the same.
I don’t know about the players themselves but I like the 4 round mock Chad Reuter did on NFL. Targeted the positions I would like to see early.
Rd.1 – Caleb Banks (DT)
Rd.2 – CJ Allen (LB…pipe dream or LBs fall?)
Rd.3 – OLB (can’t remember name)
Rd.4 – CB I think…
Again, players might not be the right guys but positions will be nice and hopefully some hungry dawgs!