With all of the speak this offseason for Bucs centered on Antoine Winfield Jr., Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, let’s not additionally overlook that future Bucs Ring of Honor member Lavonte David is a free agent as properly. And regardless that David is 34 and has performed 12 seasons, he’s nonetheless doing it at a really excessive degree. Ronde Barber, a Bucs Corridor of Famer who nonetheless works for the group as an analyst, has seen that first-hand. David is so necessary to what Tampa Bay does on protection and must return in 2024.
Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
That’s the reason as necessary as it’s to carry again a few of different beforehand talked about Bucs, it’s simply as crucial that Lavonte David returns, too. The Bucs had been in an analogous boat final season as David was a free agent they usually signed him to a one-year deal that wound up totaling $7 million with incentives that he hit.
To be sincere, David is value greater than that however age is working in opposition to him, and different groups don’t wish to shell out that form of cash to an getting old veteran. The truth that Bobby Wagner received a giant contract a few seasons in the past and by no means lived up the deal doesn’t assist out David’s case. There’s no query that David ought to be paid much more.
Lavonte David recorded a team-high 134 tackles on the season with 17 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, one pressured fumble and 5 move breakups in 15 video games. These tackles had been essentially the most he’s had since 2015, the tackles for loss was essentially the most David put collectively since 2016.
And the sacks? Nicely, that was the second-most of his profession, solely trailing the seven sacks he racked up in 2013, which occurred to be the 12 months he was first-team All-Professional. One may simply say that David has aged gracefully. The Bucs may certain use him once more.
Proper earlier than the start of the playoffs, Lavonte David was requested if he wished to maintain enjoying for the Bucs subsequent 12 months. Whereas he spent most of his response saying he was targeted on the postseason taking it sport by sport, he did end his assertion with “When it’s all stated and carried out, we are going to in all probability have a chat.”
Lavonte David May Take Ronde Barber’s Strategy
Bucs Corridor of Fame CB Ronde Barber and Corridor of Famer John Lynch – Photograph by: USA At present
In fact all of that is depends on if Lavonte David wish to proceed enjoying soccer and in Tampa. If he does wish to, he can take comparable steps that his former teammate Ronde Barber took as properly. Barber, a Bucs Ring of Honor member and NFL Corridor of Famer, took it 12 months by 12 months on the finish of his profession.
Showing on the Jay And Z Present on WDAE, Barber believed he may see Lavonte David taking an analogous strategy to it when answering on if he thought David, Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans would return to the Bucs this season.
“My intestine feeling on the finish of the season was that they might all be again,” Barber informed Jay Recher and Zac Blobner. “No less than that’s the sensation that I’ve, that Mike could be again with Baker as his quarterback and Lavonte, he’s nonetheless received it. We noticed him on the finish of final 12 months, he nonetheless seems to be early 30s. He doesn’t appear like a man that’s been within the league for 13 years. If he’s going to play, I’d think about they’d give him a one-year deal.
“I did that on the finish of my profession, I signed three one-year offers on the finish of my profession so I may simply hold enjoying right here after which lastly the wheels fell off and I used to be carried out. I’d think about that’s form of the place Lavonte is headed, however he’s had a implausible profession no matter he decides, it’s what it’s. I don’t see him enjoying anyplace however (right here).”
The wheels actually haven’t fallen off for David and hopefully that doesn’t occur anytime quickly. The Bucs did begin planning for what their protection may appear like with out Lavonte David after drafting inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis final 12 months, however maintaining David round would imply quite a bit to many individuals.
Try Recher and Blobner’s entire interview with Barber on the iHeart WDAE web site. You too can take heed to the Jay And Z Present and the entire WDAE programming there as properly.
