Buccaneers’ Veteran LB Still Named Among NFL’s Best

At some point, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David should begin to slow down. Time and age dictate as much.

Someone should let David know that at some point.

PFF’s Gordon McGuinness still has David, 34 years old, listed as one of the best in the league in his ranking of the Top 32 linebackers in the NFL ahead of the 2024 season, putting him at No. 6 headed into his 13th season.

“David, 34, is coming off his lowest season-long PFF coverage grade since 2015,” McGuinness wrote. “That being said, his 68.6 mark still ranked inside the top 25 at the position, and we only have to go back to 2022 to find him inside the top five, with his 88.0 PFF coverage grade placing second among linebackers.”

McGuinness had San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner ranked at No. 1.

Only New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis was ranked ahead of David in the NFC South, at No. 3.

David Has Been One of NFL’s Best For Over Decade

History tells us NFL linebackers should not be playing at such a high level into their mid-30s, but David is coming off a season in which he had 134 tackle despite missing two games due to a groin injury. He also helped lead his team to a third consecutive NFC South Division title.

David has played his entire career with the Buccaneers after they selected him in the second round (No. 58 overall) out of Nebraska in 2012.

In 12 seasons, David has registered over 100 tackles in 10 seasons and helped lead the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl win following the 2020 season. He’s also a three-time NFL All-Pro and his one Pro Bowl selection in 2015 … is frankly shocking.

David signed a 1-year, $8.5 million contract to remain with the Buccaneers in March 2024 and will have accumulated $94.4 million in career earnings following the 2024 season.

“David was the lone player in the NFL in 2023 with 100-plus tackles, 15-plus tackles for loss and 3.0-plus sacks,” wrote Buccaneers.com’s Briana Dix in March after David signed his new deal. “His 17 tackles for loss last season are the second-most in a single-season by a player age 33 or older since data became available in 2008. David continued his stellar play in the postseason, spearheading the unit with 18 tackles, a sack, a quarterback hit and a forced fumble.”

Buccaneers Need Help With Edge Rushers in ’24

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht made a pair of moves to secure the heart of the defense in the offseason by signing David to his deal and making safety Antoine Winfield the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history with a 4-year, $84.1 million contract.

Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, neither David or Winfield is an edge rusher — a place where the team could use a lot of help.

Outside linebacker YaYa Diaby led Tampa Bay with 7.5 sacks as a rookie in 2023 and Winfield was second on the team with 6.0 sacks — not what you’re really looking for out of a safety. The team’s presumptive other starting outside linebacker, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, was the team’s first-round pick in 2021 and had his fifth-year option declined by the franchise even though he’s coming off a career-high 5.0 sacks in 2023.