Jason Licht to Return as Buccaneers GM After Dirk Koetter Firing

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced Sunday that general manager Jason Licht will return in 2019 for his sixth season with the team and conduct the search for a new head coach after Dirk Koetter was fired.

After going 5-11 and finishing last in the NFC South in 2017, the Bucs followed that up with another 5-11 mark in 2018.

When Licht took over as GM in 2014 following the departure of Mark Dominik, the organization had gone six straight years without a playoff appearance.

The Bucs bottomed out at 2-14 in 2014, but it allowed Licht to make his first big splash as GM by selecting Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft out of Florida State.

Winston and the Bucs improved from 2-14 to 6-10 in 2015, and they followed that up with a 9-7 season in 2016, which saw them barely miss out on the playoffs.

The 2017 campaign was difficult for Tampa, as Winston dealt with a shoulder injury for much of the season, and the defense struggled to prevent opponents from lighting up the scoreboard.

Also, while Licht's transition from Lovie Smith to Koetter appeared to pay dividends initially with a 9-7 mark in 2016, major question marks emerged regarding Koetter's ability as a head coach during his second year at the helm.

That was highlighted by a 2017 report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who said the relationship between Winston and his head coach was "not in a good place" because of the quarterback's feeling as though Koetter wasn't supportive of him while he was dealing with his shoulder ailment.

Drafting Winston and promoting Koetter are arguably the two biggest decisions Licht has made as Bucs general manager, and he has arguably missed on both choices.

Winston was suspended for the first three games of the 2018 season, and while veteran backup Ryan Fitzpatrick played well initially and got the Bucs off to a 2-0 start, their season went downhill shortly thereafter.

Earlier on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the Buccaneers believe Winston is the "right man for the job" going forward.

Licht will remain in Tampa despite the struggles, but now that the Buccaneers have missed the playoffs in 11 straight seasons, he may be on a short leash in 2019.