Report: Bucs gave GM Licht 5-year contract to mirror Arians' deal

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers brought Bruce Arians out of retirement to become their new head coach, the NFC South team also apparently secured the future of its other key leader.

Days after hiring Arians, the Bucs signed general manager Jason Licht to a new five-year contract, which includes a club option for 2023, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Licht's new deal reportedly mirrors Arians' contract, essentially locking the two men together.

Arians apparently stipulated that in addition to keeping Jameis Winston and hiring a host of his former coaches, Tampa Bay needed to retain Licht as GM in order to land him.

Licht served with Arians in Arizona in 2013 as the Cardinals' vice president of player personnel.

The Bucs GM has just one winning season in five years in Tampa Bay, going 27-53 with Lovie Smith - who he inherited - and Dirk Koetter as his head coaches. The team has yet to make the playoffs under Licht's guidance.

"We have great confidence in Jason," Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said last March. "Obviously, the record is the record. And there's still a story to be told."

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