Future Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht signs a football for an adoring fan.
Occasionally there is intriguing Bucs chatter during _NFL Live_ on ESPN TV.
On last week’s edition, it was noted that the Buccaneers still have on the roster every player that caught a pass or took a handoff last season. It’s a stunning reality that at least ties a league record.
Every fringe contributor is back as training camp approaches — from Ryan Miller to Rakim Jarrett to Kameron Johnson. Roster cuts before opening day likely change things, but for now, the Bucs offense literally returns every yard from scrimmage it had last season.
It’s why JoeBucsFan.com columnist and podcaster Ira Kaufman likes to ask, ‘Can Josh Grizzard screw this up?’ referring to the Bucs’ rookie playcaller inheriting the NFL’s fourth-highest scoring offense.
NFL analyst Kevin Clark stepped on the gas when that stat was referenced in the backdrop of the Bucs drafting receiver Emeka Egbuka at No. 19 overall.
Clark says that shows the Bucs are in the NFL’s elite class of roster-builders.
> “When I look at this Bucs franchise, I go back to a line that Billy Beane had in Moneyball 20 years ago: ‘When you have to do something, you’re screwed, right?'” Clark said. “The way the Bucs draft now is for value. They’re drafting because their roster is so good — like the Eagles do, like the Ravens do, like the Rams do, the top of the line franchises who understand you stack positions and just take best player available and you go from there. … The way they’re stacking talent, at some point we’re going to wake up and they’re going to be undeniable Super Bowl contenders. … Jason Licht is one of the best GMs in all of football. And the way they draft and the fact that they had a luxury at wide receiver and they took another one, they’re doing value picks. That’s how you win Super Bowls.”
Clark suggested the Bucs aren’t that undisputed Super Bowl contender this year, but they may only be a year away. Of course, that assumes Licht’s 2025 draft class is another stud crop on the field, not on paper.