Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht can joke about coach Lovie Smith having final say over the roster.
In Licht's mind, the impact will be "none, zero, zero" even if he won't offer specifics about how he expects to resolve things the first time he and Smith butt heads.
"We walk into a room, we shut the door, and when we come out we have the decision made," Licht told USA TODAY Sports last week at the NFL scouting combine, then added with a laugh, "Maybe we'll have a chalkboard with my wins and Lovie's wins and we just keep track."
It's a new era at Bucs headquarters, where a vibe of inclusion has replaced the tension and gloom of a 4-12 season marked by an eight-game losing streak, an ugly divorce from quarterback Josh Freeman and an outbreak of MRSA infections that struck three players.
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Smith also recommended reopening the team's weight room to all employees when players weren't using it a subtle but meaningful gesture as the new regime tries to build the atmosphere it wants in the building.
"He's a really calming presence with the stress of a new job and dealing with free agency, the draft, our own evaluations all going on at the same time," Licht said. "Being around him actually brings down the stress level, because he's got that attitude: 'Hey, it's all going to get done.'"
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"We've got a great road map put in front of us that we've designed," Licht said. "We're going to be proactive. We're going to look for a lot of value, and value doesn't necessarily mean cheap it just means getting a great return on your investment.
"We've got some ammunition to do it."