Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB has been one of the greatest Tampa Bay defenders of all time. The statistics play that out.
But there's still work to be done for the 12-year veteran to earn the respect he deserves in some folks' eyes. Particularly when you're mentioning his name as a Hall of Fame candidate.
As it turns out, David can vault his name high in one major statistical category this season: solo tackles. He currently sits in 11th place all time with 1035 career stops.
A shot to move next to a Buccaneer legend this fall
However, he stands to move much higher on that list in 2024 if he can deliver the type of performance he's been delivering annual throughout his career. And if he does it, he could move next to one of the greatest Buccaneers of all time in Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.
David needs to tally 101 solo tackles in 2024 to pass Donnie Edwards and move all the way up to fourth place on the all-time list. It's admittedly a tall task, but it's a number he's hit before in his career. Had he not missed two games in 2023, he potentially could have reached it. Derrick Brooks sits in third place with 1300 career stops over his 14-year career.
David will certainly pass (barring injury, of course) another Buccaneer legend this season in Hall of Famer Ronde Barber. The 2023 Canton inductee totaled 1044 stops during his 16-year career.
David has a legitimate shot to move to third all-time in another category in 2024
David also stands to move up in another key category in 2024: tackles for loss. David sits inside the all-time list there at ninth with 160 career tackles for loss. Last season David totaled 17 tackles for loss, the most since 2016. If he can repeat that number in 2024, he would leap all the way to third on the all-time list, ahead of Aaron Donald.
It's also worth noting that David is the only player in the top 10 who is an off-ball linebacker. Every other player is an edge rusher or defensive lineman. The next off-ball linebacker on the list is Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher all the way down at 13th with 138 career tackles for loss.
Many folks on social media outside Tampa Bay argue that David isn't a Hall of Fame player. However, fortunately, those who vote consider things like statistics and all-time standing. And David can give them a lot to talk about when it's his turn to be considered with another big performance in 2024.
