Like Bobby Wagner, Lavonte David is coming again for a 14th season. The Buccaneers are re-signing their standout linebacker, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
Predating the Tom Brady period by practically a decade, David started his Bucs profession when Josh Freeman was nonetheless calling alerts. David will match Derrick Brooks for Bucs profession length by enjoying a 14th season. Whereas David doesn’t have the Corridor of Famer’s accolades (partially due to an antiquated Professional Bowl method involving linebackers), he has been an anchor for the Bucs’ protection. The previous second-round decide continues to play at a excessive degree effectively into his 30s.
It will mark a elevate for David, who performed the 2024 season for $8.5M after being at simply $4.5M in 2023. The Bucs have seen David outlast practically all of his LB friends, and the staff that separated from a a lot youthful expertise (Devin White) will proceed to make use of a 35-year-old on the place.
David, who turned 35 in January, has now agreed to 6 Bucs contracts. He had signed a five-year extension in 2015 and a two-year deal as a part of the Bucs’ mass retention effort in 2021. The Nebraska alum is now in a year-to-year part, having contemplated retirement before his 2024 deal. David was seen as really on the fence about playing in 2025, however he met with the Bucs final month and has discovered widespread floor. Exterior curiosity was believed to exist for David, however it’s actually not shocking he’ll keep in Tampa.
David’s one profession Professional Bowl is among the many oft-changed all-star recreation’s greatest indictments. Because the Professional Bowl grouped 4-3 exterior linebackers with their pass-rushing friends, little room existed for David honors throughout his 20s. Todd Bowles shifted the Bucs to a 3-4 scheme in 2019 and has been in a position to depend on David, even because the Bucs have seen their different ILB spot change in that span. Final season, David began 17 video games and registered 122 tackles to go along with 5.5 sacks — his most for the reason that 2013 season.
Tampa Bay’s linebacking nice does have three All-Professional nods on his resume, the latest coming through the Bucs’ Tremendous Bowl-winning season, and has run his profession sack whole — regardless of by no means being a real rush linebacker — to 39. The Bucs have K.J. Britt due free of charge company, however David will stay as a linchpin of a protection nonetheless housing first- and third-level mainstays in Vita Vea and Antoine Winfield Jr. Shifting into third place in Bucs historical past with 198 video games performed with the staff, David trails solely Ronde Barber and Brooks for video games performed by a Buccaneer.
