CBS: Jason Licht Transitioning Well
May 26th, 2026
Navigating eras.
If this were a quiz, this instructor would not give Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht an “A” grade. But he’d still get a good grade.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS didn’t like how Bucs icons Lavonte David and Mike Evans are gone. Bad for the Bucs, he said. However, Sullivan seems to think the Bucs are transitioning away from their Super Bowl team of 2020 and are entering a new era.
In that respect, with the players Licht added this offseason, Sullivan thinks Licht and the Bucs deserve a “B” grade.
… Meanwhile, Todd Bowles is sneakily on the hot seat after missing the playoffs in 2025, and Baker Mayfield is currently in the final year of his contract, so this feels like a pressure-cooker season for the Bucs.
Fortunately, while they’ve seen talent walk out the door, they’ve done a good job of refilling the cupboard. Having Rueben Bain Jr. fall to them at No. 15 was one of the biggest coups of the first round, as he should help bring an immediate boost to the pass rush. Taking Trotter in the second round, along with the free-agent signing of Anzalone, will help cushion the loss of David. While improvements to the offense took a backseat, don’t sleep on the signing of Kenneth Gainwell, who played well in a complementary role in Pittsburgh’s backfield last season.
On the issue of losing icons, yeah, losing Evans stings. Badly. Joe doesn’t care that Evans only played a handful of games last year. Evans demonstrated he still had “it.”
David’s retirement was far sadder than hurtful. It was clear David was being tapped on the shoulder by Father Time. That old SOB is undefeated.
David wasn’t playing to the level he set for himself and the team. So his departure didn’t really hurt. It was just depressing.
Alex Anzalone and Josiah Trotter (if he lives up to the hype) will be a nice upgrade at linebacker. And Joe is pretty confident Bucs receivers will be solid without Evans.
Joe cannot say the Bucs are better off without Evans and David. Who knows how much David’s knee set him back? What if his knee was medically repaired and he returned?
May 26th, 2026 at 12:15 am
I keep typing it. The WR room has proven diddly yet.
May 26th, 2026 at 1:36 am
They will prove plenty this year. And Godwin certainly has already proved lots. Egbuka’s quite a bit too.
May 26th, 2026 at 1:42 am
Oh we’re entering a new era alright. The post Bowles/ Licht era. I’m here for it.
May 26th, 2026 at 3:23 am
Just recovering from last season’s injuries, and with an OC who can hopefully better utilize his resources, the Bucs offense should be back to close to 2024 levels.
From the players perspective, how close depends upon how close Godwin is to his preinjury 2024 form, and what Hurst, Sharp and the other new comers bring to the game minus what was lost when Evans left. If Godwin goes on a tear like the one he started 2024 with, and if Hurst can bring 75% of what Evans brought, the offense should be in great shape.
And, the defense should be much better than it was in 2024 or 2025. The gaping chasm at ILB has at least been bridged over, and it will be sealed shut if Trotter lives up to the billing. And, the DB room should be better than it has been in the last two years even though Dean, the best DB, left.
And, the pass rush should be better. And, the run game, already very good, should be even better.
Licht has made some moves that I have hated: not taking an ILB last year, using a second round pick on a QB when trying to repeat as champs, picking Trotter’s machismo over Anthony Hill, Jr.’s production and speed. But, overall, the Bucs have come a long way in rebuilding while remaining scrappy and competitive.
With a smidgen of lucky health, I think that the Bucs are going to blow the doors off of the NFC this year.
May 26th, 2026 at 5:41 am
Anybody who says something disrespectful about David or Evans is a real POS.
I have seen every game. Every snap since they were drafted.
They were fighting on every play no matter what the score was.
They are great men who also donated their money and time to the community.
Evans and David are not just the ideal Buccaneers. They are the ultimate human beings.
David didn’t say he “loafing” because he didn’t care.
He was dealing with a seriously injured knee at 36 years old!
Let’s see some pictures of the men posting on this site.
How many of you are obese and out of shape?
How many of you are just fat haters on their sofas.
If you hate on David or Evans, you are a sick and disgusting human being.
May 26th, 2026 at 5:57 am
“That old SOB is undefeated”. Teacherman, nobody is hating on Lavonte or Mike. Well, maybe Mike a little bit. You can see how a traitor might receive some blowback. Bottom line- we’re way better off without them.
May 26th, 2026 at 6:17 am
I wish them both well. Both will end in the HOF.
May 26th, 2026 at 6:47 am
Jason has done a decent job of keeping the team competitive after Brady left.
Has he been really good? No. But navigating salary caps, injuries and staff isn’t easy. I’m hoping we resign Baker and draft a qb in next year draft. That is the one major flaw of Jason and the team. They cannot identify a franchise qb and develop him.
May 26th, 2026 at 6:47 am
Anybody who thinks they know what this Bucs team will be like is kidding themself. They could be the same 7-10, 8-9,, 9-8, 10-7 team. They could be worse; they could be better.
There truly are few teams in the NFL with better talent.
New offense. Many new pieces on defense. Your guess is as good as mine. Can’t wait to see how it all unfolds!
May 26th, 2026 at 7:11 am
I’m glad we didn’t have to push David out the door, and as for Mike, from a purely business standpoint (which is where Bellicheat and Bill Walsh would have looked at it) The $22 million or so it would have taken to keep Mike was better spent in other places
May 26th, 2026 at 7:11 am
Damn!
That’s gonna be one big ugly woman!
May 26th, 2026 at 8:20 am
Hatred based on bias is a deep character flaw , but not unfixable.
I pray for all haters every day.
May 26th, 2026 at 8:31 am
Just wait until Burrow shreds this Swiss cheese scheme for 60+ points in game one.
The illusion being constructed will come crashing down hard.
This is like trying to build a skyscraper on quicksand. Tragedy is guaranteed.
The Pom Pom waivers just make themselves look more pathetic with every mindless over the top Polly positive post about how good Bowles is as the HC\DC.
I’ll be with the group saying told you so in the fall.
May 26th, 2026 at 8:39 am
LaVonte getting more press in retirement than he ever got as a player. I will miss him more for the player he was, not counting last season, think he made the right choice to retire. Big Mike will be hard to replace, but he was becoming a part time player with the injury issues.
May 26th, 2026 at 9:06 am
I fail to see how losing Lavante had anything to do with the Bucs. He aged out.