Bucs GM Jason Licht fires back at reports team signed RB Samaje Perine

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht fired back at sports media personality Dov Kleiman on Monday. He refuted a report that the franchise was signing veteran running back Samaje Perine.

“No we did not,” Licht put simply, responding to the report on X. There’s a ton of misinformation on social media at the start of NFL Free Agency, and the Buccaneers GM made sure to deliver some cold, hard truth regarding their latest move, or lack thereof.

All told, Perine would be a nice player for Tampa Bay, but the move evidently hasn’t come to fruition. He spent the 2024 season with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played his role well in the offense and helped the franchise to the Super Bowl.

At 29-years-old, Perine could be a solid addition to any running back room in the NFL, able to step in and contribute in multiple ways. Time will tell if Jason Licht comes back around on the former Oklahoma Sooners star, bringing him to the Buccaneers, or if a different team sees the light.

More on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFL Free Agency

While Samaje Perine isn’t a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at least not at the moment, the team has made some moves. Jason Licht spearheaded the movement to re-sign Chris Godwin to a new deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal is for three years and worth $66 million.

Godwin only played seven games this past season after getting injured about halfway through. He finished the year with 50 catches, 576 yards, five touchdowns and 11.5 yards per catch.

Over the course of his career, Godwin has 579 catches, 7,266 yards, 39 touchdowns and 12.5 yards per catch in eight seasons. He’s played his entire career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Godwin was a third round pick in 2017 out of Penn State and developed into one of the better receivers in the NFL. During his contract year, many thought his value would fall due to injury in 2024.

However, the new deal signified the Bucs’ commitment to one of their top playmakers. He’ll be with the team, potentially, for the rest of his career.

Now, Godwin can run it back with fellow WR Mike Evans and QB Baker Mayfield. The Bucs won the NFC South in 2024, but lost in the NFC Wild Card round to the Washington Commanders.

— On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this article.