After winning the NFC South and making the playoffs for a second season in a row, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves in a situation where they can either stay the course or make a bold move or two in order to take the next step.
Key wide receiver Chris Godwin is about to become a free agent, and there is plenty of doubt about whether they can afford to keep him around. They also need some help to improve a defense that ranked 16th in points allowed and 18th in total yards allowed in 2024.
On Friday evening, they did manage to keep one of their most important defenders around for at least one more season.
Tampa Bay has reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with linebacker Lavonte David, who was about to become a free agent.
“Tampa Bay Buccaneers star linebacker Lavonte David will add another chapter to his storied career in 2025 after agreeing to terms on a one-year deal, the team announced Friday,” wrote Jeff Howe and Jelani Scott of The Athletic.
“The Buccaneers agreed to terms with David, who turned 35 in January, to a new pact worth $10 million with $9 million guaranteed, a league source confirmed. With the longtime Bucs linebacker back in the fold, David, the organization and Tampa Bay fans can now look forward to him returning for his 14th and potentially final NFL season.”
David was considering retirement this offseason, but he will put that off for at least one more season. He recorded 122 tackles (76 solo), 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, six passes defended and nine tackles for loss in 2024, and he’s something of an elder statesman for the team.
He is one of Tampa Bay’s links to its Super Bowl championship-winning squad from the 2020 campaign. As it looks to enter the class of elite teams in the NFC, it can at least look forward to him manning the middle of the field once again.
David has played each of his 13 seasons in the NFL with the Buccaneers. Prior to that, he was the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2011 as a member of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
