On Monday, it was reported that GM Jason Licht plans on leaning greatly on new Head Coach Bruce Arians leading up to the draft per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. After taking a second look at it, this may prove to be the best, and most crucial, off-season move Licht has made. Outside of hiring Arians himself of course.
Throughout his tenure as General Manager, Licht has been dogged by the Tampa Bay area for moves that have turned out to be disastrous. From bad free agent signings to the failed Dirk Koetter experiment, the case can definitely be made that Licht’s GM chair has been getting warmer in recent seasons.
Despite all that, he has made some good moves in the draft. From Jameis Winston to Mike Evans. Or Kwon Alexander to Adam Humphries. All of which have turned out to be good decisions on Licht’s part. Despite some good moves, many still can only remember key bad moves. Like trading back up into the 2nd round to draft a kicker. A player who has yet to find success at the pro level.
With the addition of Arians comes the experience of personnel evaluation. Throughout his coaching career he has had a knack for evaluating talent, and getting the most out of their skill sets.
It’s wise for Licht to lean on that experience, especially in a year that could make or break his tenure with the organization. Make no mistake about it, Licht must make all the right moves from free agency to the draft, and even with UDFA’s. The pressure is on for Licht, and the good news for him is he has an experienced Head Coach to shoulder some of that load.
