The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won the NFC South four straight seasons and aren’t all that far removed from their Super Bowl victory.
A lot of their recent run of success can be attributed to general manager Jason Licht and his front office support staff. Licht and his team have done a phenomenal job through free agency, scouting collegiate players and ultimately hitting on many of their draft picks over the past five years.
Neither the Bucs nor Licht have gotten the respect that they likely deserve, other than those who widely cover the NFL and the Buccaneers’ fans. That continues to this day despite the success we have seen from Licht, as Rotoworld has him ranked as the 10th-best general manager in the league.
The top three general managers listed make sense, as Howie Roseman continues to elevate the Eagles year in and year out by finding diamonds in the rough in the draft. The Chiefs have become somewhat of a dynasty under Brett Veach and Les Snead has done a great job retooling the Rams after going all-in with the ‘eff them picks’ mantra to win their Super Bowl shortly after the Bucs.
However, following those three, one would expect Licht to be in the top five general managers. He helped bring Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to Tampa Bay and was rewarded with a Super Bowl in 2020.
Sep 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Fox NFL broadcaster and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady speaks to Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Things could have fallen off following Brady’s retirement, but they took a gamble with Baker Mayfield that has more than worked out. Add in his genius over the past few drafts, and it’s hard to imagine Licht not being ahead of some of these guys.
The Buccaneers and Licht will continue to be doubted, and that is just fine for them. They don’t need the attention and they seem to excel when they are considered the underdogs. The newest iteration of Licht’s Bucs will get mandatory minicamp underway this week as they look to prove to the doubters that they can be true contenders in this league.
