Buccaneers GM Jason Licht Comments On Re-Signing of K Chase McLaughlin
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done a tremendous job throughout the 2024 free agency period, as they have retained the core guys they wanted to lock down from 2023 along with bringing in some draft capital and an outside (at least for a little bit) free agent in Jordan Whitehead.
One of the key components from last season's team that Jason Licht and company wanted to bring back was kicker Chase McLaughlin, and they did just that by re-signing the veteran to a three-year, $12.3 million deal on Monday.
McLaughlin will now call Tampa Bay his home for the foreseeable future after bouncing around the league. In his first season with the Bucs, McLaughlin immediately turned in the best performance by a placekicker in franchise history as he set the team's single-season record by making 93.3% of his field goal attempts — both misses only coming off of blocks. Perhaps the most encouraging thing with McLaughlin is his efficiency from long-range, something the Buccaneers were desperately hoping for heading into the 2023 season. McLaughlin converted a shocking seven out of eight field goals from 50+ yards and 14 of 15 from 30-49 yards.
McLaughlin's deal was officially announced by the team on Wednesday and the Buccaneers general manager had a few words to say regarding the re-signing of the former Fighting Illini kicker.
"Re-signing Chase was one of our top priorities this offseason. He had one of the most impressive seasons by any kicker in our franchise history and was critical to our success last year," Licht wrote in a press release. “Chase has a very strong leg and has been incredibly accurate, so we are thrilled to be keeping him in the fold."
McLaughlin will need to keep up his excellent work in order to remain in Tampa Bay. The kicker pool has become pretty volatile in the NFL and once a kicker shows one sign of slippage, teams have shown they are not shy of mixing things up at the position.
McLaughlin and the rest of the Buccaneers' core will now look to make a run at the playoffs and the franchise's third Lombardi Trophy.
Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 offseason.
