Lavonte David’s career will continue in Tampa Bay.
The longtime Buccaneers linebacker has agreed to re-sign with the club to a one-year, $7 million contract with a full guarantee, NFL Network insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport said, according to people briefed on the deal.
The treaty keeps David in Tampa for his 12th season. Despite turning 33 in January, David remains a seasoned midfielder. In 2022, he had 124 tackles and three sacks in 17 NFC South championship games.
A three-down defenseman, David is a confident tackler and excels in tackling. His 88.5 PFF coverage rating in 2022 was the best among linebackers and second among all defensemen. David is one of three players with over 500 tackles and over 50 tackles in a loss since 2018 (Ravens’ Roquan Smith and Saints’ Demario Davis), according to NFL research.
Given the Buccaneers’ limited salary cap, it’s entirely possible that David could leave Tampa as a free agent. Instead, Todd Bowles keeps his leader on the defensive. This is the second high-profile free agent the Bucks have kept in the offseason. Earlier this week, Tampa Bay agreed to re-sign defenseman Jamel Dean.
Source: www.nfl.com
