Shall we talk about Lavonte David?
The most exciting parts of the Buccaneers offseason are already behind us: pre-draft scouting, free agency, the NFL Draft, OTAs, minicamp, etc. But what’s exciting is that this Buccaneers Storyline series began with training camp still weeks away, and now we’re less than a week away from Tampa Bay returning to AdventHealth Training Center to begin camp and begin preparations for the 2024 season.
But with over a month until the start of the regular season, there’s still plenty of time to talk about next season’s storylines, so in this series, we’ll focus on the Buccaneers’ biggest stars and dig into the big storylines that await each player heading into the 2024 season.
The six offensive players (quarterback Baker Mayfieldwide receiver Mike Evans and Chris Godwinrun back Ratchad Whitetight end Cade Otton Left tackle Tristan Wirfs), and switched to defenseman position at nose tackle. Vita Vere, Defensive Lineman Kariya Kanshi Outside Linebacker Yaya DiabyToday we continue our look at legendary inside linebacker Lavonte David.
Buccaneers Story: Lavonte David
Here are the three biggest storylines surrounding Buccaneers inside linebacker Lavonte David in 2024.
Could the passage of time be enough to defeat Lavonte David?
Buccaneers ILB Lavonte David – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
David seems to defy the clock with every passing year. At 34, the Buccaneers legend is entering his 13th season in the NFL, and in his age-33 season in 2023, he showed no signs of slowing down. He played 1,086 snaps, leading the Buccaneers with 134 tackles (86 of which were solo) to go along with 4.5 sacks (his best since his five in 2016) and 17 tackles for loss (his best since his 17 in 2016).
David also performed very well last year, according to Pro Football Focus. He had an overall grade of 72.3, 75.0 in run defense, 74.8 in tackles for loss, 70.9 in pass rush and 68.6 in coverage. He and All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. were the two best and most consistent players on Tampa Bay’s defense all year.
Lavonte David’s game on Sunday was absolutely ridiculous. He really doesn’t look his age. pic.twitter.com/vBZFJnFzjq
— John Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) October 17, 2023
There’s always talk about seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady’s battle with the years, but the Buccaneers got to see firsthand how it played out. Brady won one Super Bowl and two division titles with Tampa Bay in a three-year span from age 43 to 45. He also threw for more than 4,500 yards in each of those three years and had at least 25 passing touchdowns in that span (2022).
Now, all eyes should be on Lavonte David versus the God of Time. I’m not denying Brady’s longevity — he played at a high level for 23 seasons into his mid-40s — but the fact that David is still playing at a high level is a big deal. Linebacker That in itself is worthy of praise. It makes no sense that he’s in the top 10 (and borderline top 5) as an off-ball linebacker at age 34 (any list that says otherwise is garbage).
So, is there a chance that time will catch up with the future Buccaneers Ring of Honor member in 2024? Few would bet that it will. David has been a model of consistency throughout his career and has been a central leader on the defense from 2012 to the present. So, will time finally catch up with No. 54? As with Brady, everyone should be comfortable in “I won’t believe it until I see it” mode.
Will Lavonte David finally make his long-awaited return to the Pro Bowl?
Buccaneers ILB Lavonte David – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
It’s an absolute tragedy that Lavonte David has only been selected to the Pro Bowl once (in 2015) despite his consistent, phenomenal play every year of his 13-year career.
He’s a victim of the Pro Bowl system and how it treats off-ball linebackers, and the fact that he’s always been labeled “one of the most underrated players” in the league makes it even worse. At some point, shouldn’t the “most underrated” player each year be considered one of the best?
This doesn’t even touch on the name recognition issues he faced because he was playing on a weak Buccaneers team – the addition of Tom Brady in 2020 improved things to some extent, but clearly didn’t make enough of a lasting impact. He is still ignored by many people across the country. He only made the honorable mention list because Recent top 10 list of off-ball linebackers Put together by NFL executives, coaches and scouts? That’s ridiculous.
It may indeed be an uphill battle for David to return to the Pro Bowl in 2024, but his play is worthy of such an honor, and one could argue he was overlooked last year because his numbers were pretty good with the NFC representatives in the Pro Bowl game.
Fred Warner: 132 tackles (82 solo), 2.5 sacks, 6 TFL, 5 QB hits, 4 interceptions, 4 free throws, 11 PD.
Demario Davis: 121 tackles (84 solo), 6.5 sacks, 12 TFL, 11 QB hits, 1 interception, 1 free throw, 1 free throw, 6 PD.
Bobby Wagner: 183 tackles (96 solo), 3.5 sacks, 11 TFL, 6 QB hits, 0 interceptions, 0 free throws, 1 free throw, 3 PD.
Lavonte David: 134 tackles (86 solo), 4.5 sacks, 17 TFL, 5 QB hits, 0 interceptions, 1 free throw, 0 missed free throws, 5 PD.
David was second only to Davis in sacks and led all Pro Bowl linebackers with 17 tackles for loss. Where he falls short is in the splash play category, which could limit his chances of being recognized again in 2024. However, with Devin White gone, David’s chances of earning Pro Bowl recognition may increase. of A playmaking linebacker, with a few more flashy plays and his trademark consistency, might be enough for a second Pro Bowl selection, but nine years after his first, it’s too late to make up for how underrated he has been to date.
Will 2024 be Lavonte David’s final season?
Buccaneers ILB Lavonte David – Photo courtesy of USA Today
While it may seem like Lavonte David never ages and can play forever, the reality is that this is clearly not the case. In fact, this question has been asked for a number of years now. It’s hard to believe, but Lavonte David’s final game in the NFL is fast approaching.
Longtime pirate Said in September 2022 He’s in a position to take things year by year, and the contracts he signed over the past few offseasons support that. He signed a one-year contract to return for a 12th year in 2023, then signed another one-year contract in March of this year for a 13th year. And it wasn’t always clear to everyone that No. 54 would return this year.
But by the end of February, David was still Ready for the next season.
“Yeah, I’m ready to play,” David said at the time. “I feel like I still have some juice left. I’m still going to try. My body will tell me when to give up and when to give up. But right now, I feel pretty good. I have a lot of confidence.”
It feels like David still has a couple more seasons to play, but there’s always the chance that one of them will be the last of his career. His body may tell him it’s time to retire by the end of 2024. Or maybe he’s content to have another great season at age 34 and retire while he still has the strength. Only time will tell, but Buccaneers fans should be sure to be grateful whenever they see the longtime Tampa Bay captain on the field in 2024.
