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Licht said that a season-ending shoulder injury to Noah Spence affected the NFL's worst pass rush and gave insight into the reason for sticking with defensive coordinator Mike Smith after the Bucs finished last in total defense.

Licht said that a season-ending shoulder injury to Noah Spence affected the NFL's worst pass rush and gave insight into the reason for sticking with defensive coordinator Mike Smith after the Bucs finished last in total defense.

Licht pinpointed two obvious areas of disappointment – the lack of a consistent rushing attack and the inability to rush the passer.

We were happy with him all off-season and then he didn't have the year any of us really were really hoping, including himself, until the last couple games that he played, he came back and started showing signs of life again and we were happy with and then the injury knocks him out.

...behind it, but also that's an area where it's just not easy to go to the defensive line tree and pick guys. You know, it's a little difficult. It's challenging.'' Spence and defensive tackle Stevie Tu'ikolovatu are the only defensive linemen taken by the Bucs in the draft in four years under Licht, who defended his record in...

...Bucs have picked up the club options on all their assistant coaches for 2018, although Licht indicated there could still be some 'tweaks.' Overall, he said keeping the continuity of the coaching staff was the best way to go. The biggest needs for 2018 are on defense, Licht said. "We've been pretty heavy offense,'' Licht said.

He also placed a lot of the Bucs inability to run the football on a poor performance by Doug Martin, who has most likely played his last game for Tampa Bay.

...you or you wanted to take didn't work out and you're happy you got the player you took instead. So it can go both ways. You can't play the hindsight game too much.'' The Bucs have picked up the club options on all their assistant coaches for 2018, although Licht indicated there could still be some 'tweaks.' ...

For wiping the slate clean and starting over.

In this day and age, it's understandable that people seem to want instant change.

...feel like in this locker room that can turn this thing around.'' Without going into detail, Licht made it clear some free agents won't return in 2018. The speculation will center on defensive tackle Chris Baker and safety T.J. Ward. Expect to see receiver DeSean Jackson back despite a disappointing season in which he caught only 50 passes...

...we can get better. Nobody is working harder than these guys in this building right now on both sides. The answers are here in terms of the coaches, the personnel people and we have a lot of good players we feel like in this locker room that can turn this thing around.'' Without going into detail, Licht made...

Licht said that a season-ending shoulder injury to Noah Spence affected the NFL's worst pass rush and gave insight into the reason for sticking with defensive coordinator Mike Smith after the Bucs finished last in total defense.

Expectations, many of them he said he "cringed at," nonetheless went unfulfilled due to injuries, particularly the right shoulder sprain suffered by quarterback Jameis Winston.

On a day when the Tennessee Titans and coach Mike Mularkey agreed to mutually part ways after losing to the New England Patriots 35-14 in the NFC divisional playoff game, Licht defended the Bucs decision to keep coach Dirk Koetter and his entire staff following a 5-11 season.