Tampa Bay Bucs Didn't Interview the Woman Jameis Winston Allegedly Sexually Assaulted Because They "Read the Depositions"

The Tampa Bay Bucs shouted – bragged, even – that they interviewed around 75 people in the orbit of Jameis Winston before deciding to draft the Florida State QB. The one person they didn’t interview? The woman he allegedly sexually assaulted in 2012.

Wondering how a team can reconcile that? By reading the depositions, obviously. Here’s what Jason Licht, the GM of the Bucs, told MMQB’s Peter King:

"“We are not talking about this now… but we read the depositions. We knew what she was going to say. This was a thorough investigation. We were not going to mistake charisma for character.”"

Sounds like a GM who has definitely done his homework. We should, of course, expect nothing less from Jason Licht. Remember his 2014 free agent class? He signed Josh McCown, and dropped him less than a year later. Tackle Anthony Collins was signed … and cut a year later. Defensive end Michael Johnson was given a massive contract … and cut a year later. All were terrible fits for various reasons.

Jason Licht and the Bucs got an ‘A’ in free agency in 2014 from Sports Illustrated, yet the three marquee signings were all gone after one miserable season.

I confess to liking some things Tampa did in the 2015 draft – two offensive lineman who will contribute immediately, LB Kwon Alexander from LSU (should provide some depth) and two potential #4 WRs in Kenny Bell from Nebraska and Kaelin Clay from Utah. Perhaps one of them – I really like Bell – could become a #3 WR in year two.

But back to not interviewing the woman Jameis Winston allegedly sexually assaulted. Wasn’t it even worth a call to her lawyer to see if she’d talk? Did it not interest you at all to place a phone call?