The Bucs didn’t simply fall in need of assembly expectations in 2025 – they collapsed when it mattered most.
The fallout left head coach Todd Bowles below fireplace, the Glazer household going through uncomfortable questions, and normal supervisor Jason Licht was not protected from scrutiny, both.
For Bowles, overseeing the staff’s late-season fall from grace led to loads calling for his job. The Glazers’ resolution to maintain him was not (and nonetheless isn’t) standard, whereas others needed to see the house owners open up the pocketbook and enhance spending in free company.
Even given Licht’s success in turning over the roster in recent times, some have argued that not sufficient star energy has been introduced in. For these inside and out of doors the group, the previous few months supplied time to mirror and query the staff’s route.
Is Tampa Bay’s rivalry window nonetheless open?
Will they continue to be a middle-of-the-pack staff?
These are truthful questions I’ve touched on earlier than – however the reply begins right here:
Bucs followers, you may nonetheless belief Jason Licht’s course of.
Bucs Construct By means of The NFL Draft And Had A “Master Class Of A Draft”
The NFL Draft is the place the Bucs have had the perfect fortune including expertise to the roster all through Jason Licht’s tenure.
It began by choosing extensive receiver Mike Evans in 2014, and even by way of the ups and downs within the ensuing seasons, sufficient expertise was added to entice legendary quarterback Tom Brady to return to Tampa Bay in 2020. That yr’s draft class was spearheaded by left sort out Tristan Wirfs and security Antoine Winfield Jr., who every have had All-Professional seasons and are staff captains inked to long-term offers.
Licht needed to kick it into one other gear when Brady retired, as different veterans left city and unique draftees slowly shrank in quantity. That made each draft class all of the extra necessary, and the staff has finished so since 2022 by including roughly 4 starters per yr.
Bucs GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Quick ahead to 2026, and the entrance workplace’s philosophy and observe file on the subject of drafting must be trusted. With the staff lastly including exterior cross rush assist and including promising defensive expertise, there’s a lot to love about what meaning for this coming season.
Now, draft grades are a enjoyable train, however the outcomes don’t absolutely reveal themselves for just a few years. Whereas the Bucs had been seen for having among the best draft lessons throughout the league, incomes an “A” from pundits shouldn’t be your entire argument right here.
It’s in regards to the course of.
From prioritizing the trenches to constantly discovering surplus worth, Licht’s draft strategy has been each disciplined and repeatable. To that finish, proud Pewter Report alumnus and NFL Inventory Trade host Trevor Sikkema articulated this level effectively in a current particular visitor look on the Pewter Report Podcast.
“No general manager is going to bat a thousand, right?” Sikkema mentioned. “What you really need is, you need the final managers whose course of that you simply belief. The method goes to fail; it’s the expertise acquisition recreation. The draft, free company, the commerce [market], the professional personnel market, there are going to be bets that you would go in regards to the course of precisely the appropriate manner, and it simply doesn’t work out for you for no matter purpose.
“All that to say, I think Jason’s process and how he approaches team building is sustainable, smart, and it’s just something that a lot of other general managers around in the NFL do not have that kind of head on their shoulders. I am still very much a Jason Licht fan. I think that he is the right man for the job building this team, and I think he put that on display again with a master class of a draft for them this year.”
Bucs VP of personnel Mike Biehl and GM Jason Licht – Picture courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It’s exhausting to argue with “Tampa Bay Tre” right here. Not solely did the staff land a prime 5 expertise in exterior linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 15, nevertheless it adopted go well with with taking gamers who match the id they wish to construct at positions of want whereas betting on athletic traits and youth to make an affect.
Even the perfect entrance places of work miss.
The 2016 and 2021 Bucs draft lessons simply come to thoughts. Even in these situations, it was exhausting to fault the chosen path, reminiscent of drafting quarterback Kyle Trask as Brady’s doable successor. It simply didn’t work out. Issues won’t all the time be good, however it’s exhausting to discover a higher team-builder by way of the draft than Licht.
How A lot Higher The Bucs Will Be In 2026 Is Coming Quickly
The Bucs not making the playoffs final season was compounded by the participant personnel losses the staff suffered within the offseason. Seeing star extensive receiver Mike Evans stroll out the door and legendary inside linebacker Lavonte David grasp up his cleats weren’t the strikes anybody in Tampa Bay needed to see. This season marks a brand new period in a conventional sense, as most of staff’s previous guard has made manner for a brand new forged to takes their place.
Bucs edge Rueben Bain Jr., GM Jason Licht and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch P/R
At extensive receiver, it’s subsequent man up, as Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson all stay with third-round choose Ted Hurst becoming a member of them. At inside linebacker, Alex Anzalone is the brand new veteran within the room, with second-round choose Josiah Trotter anticipated to probably begin alongside him.
Broaden the view out to your entire roster, and there are many youthful faces seeking to assert themselves as leaders and let their play do the speaking, most notably defensive sort out Calijah Kancey, exterior linebackers Rueben Bain Jr. and Yaya Diaby, and security Tykee Smith.
Add in different defensive gamers with excessive upside, particularly within the secondary, and the potential is there for a turnaround on head coach Todd Bowles’ facet of the soccer. Ought to Bowles have success game-planning and using all of the accessible expertise, his unit has an opportunity to be actually good and actually thrilling to observe.
Bucs GM Jason Licht and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Switching sides, and the offensive coordinator change from Josh Grizzard to Zac Robinson has been seen as an improve. It should assist deliver the perfect out of quarterback Baker Mayfield, and Robinson ought to have higher outcomes correctly using the deep operating again and extensive receiver rooms, to not point out among the best offensive strains in soccer when wholesome.
None of those statements are a stretch or border on unrealistic. It does take some projection, however the image is there to see.
That is Jason Licht’s staff greater than ever earlier than.
Licht’s blueprint is in place, and his fingerprints are all around the roster an excellent deal as his draft lessons from 2022 are principally nonetheless intact. Whether or not that interprets into wins in 2026 stays to be seen, however the route shouldn’t be questioned.
