Despite delivering two Super Bowl titles and a masterclass in roster building, Tampa Bay’s veteran executive remains overlooked in Patrick Daugherty’s latest rankings of elite league architects.
With the recent positive talk about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' draft class and the consistent success from the franchise over the past half-decade, General Manager Jason Licht deserves a lot of credit for manufacturing the turnaround.
However, Licht is still overlooked by some media outlets.
On Wednesday, NBC Sports NFL writer Patrick Daugherty released his rankings for the best 10 GMs in the NFL, snubbing Licht.
Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman topped the list, with recent Super Bowl Champions John Schneider and Les Snead trailing behind him.
However, outside of Kansas City's Brett Veach, Licht has an argument to be ahead of the rest of the people ranked on this list.
Licht, who's entering his twelfth season with the Bucs, has an impressive list of accolades including 14 playoff appearances, 12 division championships, five conference championships and two Super Bowl titles overall.
Of course, Licht's most recent Super Bowl came with Tampa in the 2020 season, as Licht constructed one of the most impressive rosters of all time.
Headlined by 7-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady, Licht managed to recruit Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, Jason Pierre-Paul and other All-Pro level talents to chase a ring.
Licht has also been a savvy drafter over the last few seasons, most recently striking gold with Emeka Egbuka last offseason.
Egbuka, selected 19th overall, led the team in receptions (63) and yards (938), and finished as a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
In mid-April, FOX Sports named the Ohio State route technician the best player from the class, beating out Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan.
In this year's draft, Licht once again shined, drafting Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 15 overall after the Miami standout defensive end began to slip.
The Bucs' brass also made great value picks later on, including Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst and Miami defensive back Keionte Scott.
Both Hurst and Scott have received high praise throughout OTAs, projecting as day-one difference makers.
To add to Licht's case, he was able to sign starting quarterback Baker Mayfield to a very team-friendly deal back in 2024, securing their gunslinger on a 3-year, $100 million deal.
With Mayfield in line for another deal following this season, expect Licht to find a fair price for his standout QB and the team alike.
While ranking GMs can be difficult and very fluid, Licht has definitely done enough in his time in the NFL to earn a spot on this list.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
