ESPN defends Jason Licht’s controversial free agency decision, but it’s not going to change anyone’s mind
Licht didn’t grab a top pass rusher during free agency and it upset a lot of Buccaneers fans, as it was a major need. ESPN recently defended Licht’s actions, but it’s not enough to move the needle, unfortuantely.
The 2026 offseason was never going to be easy for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as general manager Jason Licht and Co. faced a myriad of problems to solve without many viable solutions.
The Buccaneers then had to watch star receiver and franchise icon Mike Evans swap sides and join the San Francisco 49ers before taking another major hit via Lavonte David’s retirement on March 24.
And even then, Licht missed out on free agency’s top pass rushers. The Evans departure and David retirement really stung and both developments form arguably one of the worst compounded losses in Buccaneers history. However, missing out on a guy like Trey Hendrickson or Maxx Crosby really ruffled the feathers of Bucs fans and it’s easy to see why when considering how sorely Tampa Bay needs to upgrade the position.
Jason Licht is getting a bad rap when it comes to adding a pass rusher in free agency
However, there’s a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to Licht’s efforts of obtaining a pass rusher in free agency and ESPN’s Ben Solak pointed out one important nuance in his latest article:
“I loved [Licht] passing on the top of the edge market. I know Bucs fans were hoping for a Maxx Crosby trade or a Trey Hendrickson signing, but I think the edge rusher market got out of control this offseason, and I don’t fault GM Jason Licht for skipping out. Tampa Bay still needs more at the position, but Al-Quadin Muhammad and Yaya Diaby are two good rotation guys, and David Walker (2025 fourth-round pick) still has his rookie season upcoming as he returns from a summer ACL tear. An early pick at the position should solidify the group.” – Ben Solak, ESPN
Solak’s correct – the pass rush market looked a lot like when the receiver market got of control back in 2022. Sure, a guy like Hendrickson would’ve been a good move on the surface, but he didn’t come with major risks. He’s over 30, is coming off serious surgery, and was looking for a salary in the $30-$40 million per year range. Other guys like Boye Mafe and Odafe Oweh were younger and promising, but still had nowhere near the production that equaled their $20 million per year and $25 million per year deals.
But also, it’s important to remember the Buccaneers were making a strong push for Hendrickson. They were one of the teams that offered him a deal and frankly, they had the smartest offer in the form of a short-term deal, which is usually two years.
The Baltimore Ravens truly sideswiped Licht after they backed out of the Crosby trade. Baltimore was already willing to pay Crosby $30 million per year via his existing contract, so shelling out $28 million per year to Hendrickson was no issue. Especially when considering they got to keep both first-rounders, as well.
Licht even caught some heat for offering Hendrickson a short-term offer, but the Ravens’ offer is actually a two-year deal in itself. $52 million of the total $112 million comes in the form of giant base salaries in 2028 and 2029. Meaning, the Ravens can cut him if he’s not living up to the deal, gets injured again, or whatever.
So, it’s easy to see why a lot of the final results were out of Licht’s hands. The frustration from Bucs fans, in an overall sense, is more than understandable. Last year’s collapse was inexcusable and the direction of the franchise is murky for the first time in half a decade.
Everyone knew the Buccaneers had to find a legit pass rusher in order for the defense to rebound. While that didn’t happen, Licht has done the best job he can at trying to make it happen and he obviously won’t stop just because free agency is over, either.
Licht still has the draft and there are viable options at hand and he knows that’s his best shot at landing a top guy. Unfortunately, no one is really going to change their mind about how this all went down until that actually happens.
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