Buccaneers GM Jason Licht on Tristan Wirfs, Antoine Winfield negotiations: 'We want them here long term'

Jason Licht and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have already had a busy offseason.

They re-signed quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David to highlight their efforts in retaining the talented nucleus of a squad that won the NFC South and won a playoff game.

This doesn’t imply that Licht’s work is done. He potentially has other signings to deal with and, unexpectedly, he might be scouting for a quarterback in the forthcoming 2024 NFL Draft.

With the draft looming, Licht is still hard at work trying to lock up extensions for Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tristan Wirfs, and expressed confidence the deals will get done.

“Licht stated on Thursday, as per the team transcript, “We’ve had very productive conversations there.” He continued, “It’s similar to when we were at the combine discussing Baker, Mike, and Lavonte. We genuinely want them here for the long haul, and I believe they also want that. We’ve historically been successful at achieving our objectives.”

Wirfs and Winfield, who were the 2020 first- and second-round selections for the Bucs, respectively, have achieved Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors on their way to becoming standouts for Tampa.

Wirfs, who has been selected for the Pro Bowl three times, is moving into the last season of his rookie contract, after his fifth-year option was activated. Meanwhile, Winfield, a 2023 All-Pro, has been retained through the franchise tag.

Even though Licht didn’t provide a comprehensive update, he radiated assurance that there’s positive news on the horizon.

“He said, “I feel quite positive about things being accomplished.”

However, the first order of business is the draft, which is set to begin on Thursday, April 25 in Detroit.

Licht, who is scheduled to choose at No. 26 overall in the opening round, believes that the team has numerous areas to work on.

“When asked about his team’s most pressing need, Licht responded, “We have many.” But he viewed this as a positive, stating, “It’s fine to have a lot of needs. I believe it’s a good thing, in fact. We were on the brink of reaching the NFC Championship Game last year, and despite re-signing our players, we still have a lot of needs. I think this signifies that we could be competitive if we make the right decisions, possibly as soon as this year or in the next few years. I’ve always been partial to the trenches, and I believe we need assistance in both.”

Maybe the Bucs will address both sides of the line early, maybe they won’t.

It could be surprising to see the Bucs searching for a quarterback after having re-signed Mayfield, which is an area to watch.

That wouldn’t disqualify Licht from taking another signal-caller, though it wouldn’t be to compete with Mayfield. Behind Mayfield currently are Kyle Trask, a 2021 second-rounder of the Bucs who’s appeared in only three NFL games, and John Wolford.

Licht stated, “We evaluate all the quarterbacks thoroughly. I won’t rule out the possibility of us picking a quarterback, as doing so might turn out to be a good decision later on. Currently, we are satisfied with our lineup, but we still scrutinize all available options, or in fact, we may have done so already. This year’s options are a bit top-heavy, but if we find a player we really like and believe he surpasses other positions available, we would definitely consider him.”

Indeed, the busy offseason for Licht and the Bucs is far from over.