With Tom Brady asserting his retirement final week, the Bucs have one different veteran free agent to decide about this offseason. That, after all, is linebacker Lavonte David, a longtime defensive captain who has starred for Tampa Bay from 2012-2022.
David simply turned 33 years previous, so his profession is probably going winding down. However as he confirmed in 2022, he can nonetheless play at a excessive stage. He may not be the splashy playmaker he was within the early years of his profession, however he has been as regular as ever at the same time as he’s performed into his 30s. In truth, he was probably the most constant Buccaneer defender this previous season, and his team-high Professional Soccer Focus grade of 85.1 backs that up.
So, what does the longer term appear to be for David? He joined Ronnie Lane and Tom Krasniqi on the Ronnie & TKras Present on WDAE from Radio Row on the Tremendous Bowl on Thursday, and he made it clear that he desires to be “Lavonte David: Profession Buccaneer.”
Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
David mentioned he hasn’t spoken with the Bucs but, however expects that he’ll hear from them someday quickly. He alluded to how busy they’re proper now given the retirement of Brady, their seek for a brand new offensive coordinator and their quest to discover a new quarterback.
“Proper now, I’m simply having fun with this break day. Simply getting my physique again proper. I’ll in all probability begin again coaching actually going arduous fairly quickly. Spending time with my spouse and daughter. Getting the possibility to go on holidays presumably,” David mentioned. “I haven’t actually obtained an opportunity to speak to the Bucs about stuff like that. On the identical time, they’ve obtained a variety of stuff occurring anyway. So, you’ve positively obtained to provide them that point.
“However I’m fairly certain they’ll in all probability hit me up at any time when they sort of cool down. As a result of clearly, I’d like to be again in Tampa. I performed 11 years there. I wouldn’t wish to be anyplace else. However I’m not naïve to the enterprise aspect of soccer. So, I’m positively grateful for no matter occurs after.”
Lavonte David Desires To Be part of Derrick Brooks And Ronde Barber As Profession Bucs
Bucs LB Lavonte David – Picture by: USA As we speak
David had comparable ideas following the Bucs’ season-ending loss to the Cowboys final month. He mentioned then that he would love to stick with the Bucs, but in addition maintained that he wanted to maintain his choices open due to the enterprise aspect of the sport. Even nonetheless, he had extra to say on Thursday about becoming a member of an elite class of gamers who spent their complete careers with the Bucs.
“For certain. I’d like to retire as a Buccaneer,” David mentioned. “Attending to play in the identical constructing my complete profession like guys like Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks, that’d be wonderful. Simply to stroll the identical hallways they walked their complete profession. Particularly Derrick Brooks, you all know the way I really feel about Derrick. Each time he comes round, my eyes mild up. So, he’s positively a man who I sort of wish to mannequin after, simply be a man who performed with Tampa their complete profession and was only a staple for what they do.”
It’s value mentioning that David’s legacy with the Bucs has already been cemented. He was drafted by the crew within the second spherical of the 2012 NFL Draft and has been maybe the league’s most underrated participant all through most of his profession. He has only one Professional Bowl and one All-Professional to his title, however he has been a constant contributor for Tampa Bay in his 11 years. The crowning achievement of his profession got here in 2020, as he manned the center of the Bucs protection that gained Tremendous Bowl LV. So, even when he solely has the one Professional Bowl and one All-Professional choice, he additionally has a Tremendous Bowl ring.
David ranks third in Bucs historical past in tackles, trailing solely Brooks and Barber. He has performed the fifth-most video games of any Buc, owns the sixth-most passes defensed in crew historical past and is the franchise chief in compelled fumbles (27) and fumble recoveries (18). He additionally broke into The highest 10 in sacks this season. There’s little doubt about it: whether or not he retires a Buc or not, Lavonte David will in the future see his title unveiled within the Bucs Ring of Honor inside Raymond James Stadium.
The Bucs Can’t Afford To Lose Lavonte David Proper Now
Bucs LBs Devin White and Lavonte David – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Spotrac tasks David’s market worth to be $9.7 million this offseason, whereas Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo projected a contract within the neighborhood of $13.5 million for the veteran linebacker — with a cap hit proper round that $9.7 million determine for 2023. It’s arduous to argue towards the worth there for David, even supposing he’s set to enter his age-33 season. Fairly frankly, the Bucs can’t afford to lose their longtime captain this offseason given the shortage of a transparent path ahead for the within linebacker place with out him.
With out David, Tampa Bay must seek for a starting-caliber working mate for Devin White. There isn’t one on the roster proper now, plus the crew has numerous different holes to fill on its roster. At the same time as he will get up there in age, David is a identified commodity. He’s an assignment-sound participant and has confirmed extraordinarily sturdy through the years. Probably the most video games he’s missed in a season is 4, and that was when he handled a foot harm late within the 2021 season.
David has damaged 100 tackles in 9 of his 11 seasons. He has additionally posted double-digit tackles for loss in 9 of 11 seasons. This previous season, he completed with 124 tackles (80 solo), 10 tackles for loss, a compelled fumble and a fumble restoration. His three sacks have been his most in a season since 2018. No. 54 clearly nonetheless has some good soccer to provide. So, if he desires to stay a Buccaneer in 2023 and transfer nearer to retiring as a one-team man, Tampa Bay ought to completely oblige.
