The Buccaneers of Tampa Bay had a huge success in the annual selection program of the League since the current director general Jason Licht took over in 2014.
From 2016 to 2024, the former assistant GM of Bucs, John Spytek, was one of all this.
Advertisement
As with any frankness, there were failures, but successes prevail from far the Miss in the long -term success of the club. Licht’s very first draft choice after taking over at Tampa Bay was the large Mike Evans of Texas A&M. He almost surely goes to the temple of renown of professional football when he finally hangs up his crampons.
It’s a hell of a way to start your GM career.
Spytek explained how he and Licht and the staff approached the draft every season.
“”[Jason Licht] Said all the time: “We don’t miss the player, we miss the person,” said Spytek. “We really believe in it. We made it a central element in our screening process – we were going to commit to the person. “”
Advertisement
If you look at the heart of the Super Bowl winning team from 2020, of course, the legendary quarter Tom Brady was a key element, but the draft choices of Bucs like Evans, Chris Godwin, Antoine Winfield Jr., Vita Vea and Tristan Wirfs were all important pieces.
And for Skytek’s work in Tampa Bay, he is now a managing director in Las Vegas for raiders, working once again with Brady, who is a minority owner of the club. And his experience with Licht and the Bucs should be successful there. Looking at the 2024 list – last season from Spytek to Tampa Bay, 44 players on the list of 53 men were draft choices.
“It was not something we had thought of. We were just trying to select and sign good players,” said Spytek. “We have talked about the project and development model – it is difficult to stick to that. You start to chase free agents … It takes discipline of Jason and Joel Glazer and Todd Bowles to stick to the plan and reward your own players, but I really think it’s the best way to do it.”
Related: the role of Tom Brady with Raiders creates a controversy QB
Related: Buccaneers hope to keep QB Baker Mayfield out of danger in 2025
