Why Jason Licht Has a Lot of Confidence in the Buccaneers in 2026

Jason Licht still strongly believes in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' future. Despite losing franchise legends like Mike Evans and Lavonte David as well as established veterans like Jamel Dean, Licht still feels that the roster he has constructed in the past four years will be able to weather the storm and get the team back on track.

Recently, Licht sat down with Ira Kaufman of JoeBucsFan.com and was able to give his opinion on why he believes the Bucs are still a franchise with tremendous upside.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"We have a lot of good young players from the last four drafts that we’re very excited about. We didn’t win enough games last year for various reasons," Licht said, per JoeBucsFan. "We’ll never hide behind injuries, but that was a factor. Here in Tampa, Lavonte David never got enough credit. There are a lot of players that have been here in the past that didn’t get their due for what they were. It is what it is, I’m not complaining about it. If we have a chance to win more games, there will be more players that people realize how good they are."

Licht also feels that the energy that the team has is higher now than in the previous few seasons. Licht credits that to some of the new additions they've made in free agency, specifically to the front seven.

Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (94) looks on before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

"There’s been more energy than I can remember since 2020, with JPP. A’Shawn Robinson has brought a ton, and Nacho has been lights out. Al-Quadin Muhammad and Alex Anzalone have also brought a lot of energy here." Licht said.

The additions of Robinson, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Alex Azalone should help give the Buccaneers more leadership in a defensive locker room that feels like it has been devoid of such leadership for the past couple of seasons.

Time will tell whether or not Licht is right about his assessment of where the team is and where they are going. A lot of faith and confidence has been placed in recent draft picks and the occasional veteran to help raise the floor of what the franchise should be.

If it is revealed that the team still has a ways to go, it will be up to Licht to make the correct decisions going forward.

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