“Anything Can Happen”
March 6th, 2024
Don’t take him for granted.
To quote the late, great “Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, “I smell agent.”
Last month Bucs icon Lavonte David went on local sports radio and said if he wasn’t playing for the Bucs this fall, that meant he retired. He had no interest in playing elsewhere.
And this is where “agent” probably enters the picture.
David’s agent likely scolded him for saying publicly it’s the Bucs or nobody. By doing that, David lost negotiating leverage.
As a result, David went on a massive national media campaign that has far more reach, far more eyeballs and far more ears — and is wired into every NFL team headquarters — than any local sports radio outlet.
(Yeah, two national TV/radio appearances for David in a week is a “massive national media campaign.”)
Last week David appeared on “Good Morning Football” seen weekday mornings on NFL Network saying he could play elsewhere in 2024.
Monday, David was on SiriusXM NFL Radio, as Joe typed up David saying he has strong leverage with the Bucs. There, like he did last week, David said he could very well be wearing a different uniform this fall, as Kevin Patra of NFL.com noted.
“Obviously, I would love to finish my career at an organization that I played for the past 12 years, but anything can happen,” David said. “I’m just focusing on what I can focus on and let everything else unfold.”
Well, is David’s leverage is his (ex?) teammate Devin White? It’s clear to Joe the Bucs are not going to re-sign White, barring an emergency. Losing David could be that emergency.
If David walks and White does go elsewhere, all of a sudden you have a massive hole at inside linebacker. Yes, Joe knows K.J. Britt is a good tackler, maybe very good against the run. Against the pass, well, that’s up for debate.
Losing David and White means you all of a sudden you go from potentially the best inside linebacker duo in the league to probably bottom-10.
If the Bucs lose David and White, Joe can pretty much gamble on what position the Bucs would draft at No. 26 next month.
So yeah, David’s leverage is White or retirement. Losing David and White, the Bucs would go from a strength to alarmingly thin at a key position.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Yes, Joe knows K.J. Britt is a good tackler, maybe very good against the run.
——-
The problem with Britt is his speed. We saw that in the Lions game where he made a great play – then I think it was the very next play, he was just too slow to make the play, if it was White, I have zero doubt he’d have done so.
I like Britt as a special teams guy and a depth play, but if he’s your starter, yikes.
But Britt wouldn’t be in there for David, they’re not even remotely the same type of player and not even remotely in the same class.
If David left you’re turning to Dennis, who is more in the David profile in terms of speed – but he didn’t show anything last year, after sounding like he had a good camp.
In any case, you find the money to resign David. He has not fallen off hardly at all yet, and behind Winfield, you can say he’s the 2nd best player on defense (although I expect big things from Kancey – and no disrespect to Vita, I’d put him 3rd at the moment).
March 6th, 2024 at 4:08 pm
Britt is probably a better football player in all aspects than Devin White. That’s what my eyeballs tell me.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:08 pm
Massive hole > Devin White
March 6th, 2024 at 4:10 pm
Joe : Losing David and White means you all of a sudden you go from potentially the best inside linebacker duo in the league to probably bottom-10
Everyone think d. white he sucks … so how … with him and David they become one of the best duo ?
March 6th, 2024 at 4:12 pm
They WERE the best duo
March 6th, 2024 at 4:14 pm
Keyword: Potentially.
Did anyone before the season truly envision Devin White getting benched with the Bucs in a playoff chase?
March 6th, 2024 at 4:16 pm
Let’s not forget..Devin White basically became an after thought leading up to the playoffs and during the playoffs. Britt played much better than White the Matador.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:18 pm
trade down early, use the pick to take an LB in the middle rounds.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:18 pm
It started off a couple years ago with a grudging admission that White wasn’t good in pass coverage, despite his speed. As time went on, there was a grudging admission that he wasn’t good in RUN defense either because he couldn’t hold his gap. EXACTLY what else does a linebacker do?
March 6th, 2024 at 4:19 pm
Joe Says:
Did anyone before the season truly envision Devin White getting benched with the Bucs in a playoff chase?
———
Joe, legit question – not a loaded question – did anyone in the media ever ask, and follow-up, about the way that White was being used?
I mean, we have the tape, when White is an attacking LB, he’s great, he’s an ALL-PRO, and he did that in this offense. Then, Bowles decided to stop using him that way and to keep him back in coverage all the time, where White stinks.
I don’t get it, never got it, and I haven’t seen anyone even ask Bowles about it – although I certainly could have missed it since I rarely pay attention to the coaches since they rarely say anything. But if you heard that, I’d be really interested in hearing what Bowles had to say, if he gave more than a generic response.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:19 pm
I don’t think the Bucs are worrying, They can pay him a bit more this year than last, say 10-11 million, which is probably about the most anyone would be willing to pay.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:22 pm
We need to add ILB help either way but plz lord keep him lol
March 6th, 2024 at 4:25 pm
If you quote that old worthless blowhard drunk, then you’re a loser.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:33 pm
Rod … ‘Then, Bowles decided to stop using him that way and to keep him back in coverage all the time, where White stinks.’
That’s been the media’s position Rod, but the last 2 years Devin White’s pass coverage RESULTS have improved. His average pass completion allowed percentage from 2019-2021 was 80.7% but look at the last 2 years:
o 2022: 76.7% completions allowed (400 yds & 2 TDs allowed)
o 2023: 67.4% completions allowed (194 yds & 1 TD allowed)
Devin didn’t blitz nearly as much in the last 2 years, but still averaged 4 sacks per year and 17 QB pressures per year. Got a hunch Bowles felt he had no choice but to hold White more in pass coverage because our pass rush just wasn’t getting it done.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:36 pm
A great view, Joe. The leverage that White gives David is an interesting take on this. Maybe the Bucs keep White ‘in play’ until/if David is signed. If David leaves, then do the Bucs reconsider retaining White, at a low salary? White and Britt as starting ILB’s? That’s concerning to me.
Even if David is signed, I don’t see him being around for more than two years. When I look at ILBs in Draftek, I don’t see it being a deep class. Does that influence the Bucs to go ILB in round 3 or earlier? I do like the idea of a rookie ILB being mentored by LVD for a year or two. If the rookie is very good, maybe he starts ahead of Britt?
March 6th, 2024 at 4:47 pm
Found a list thru 2021 of 57 players that played for only one franchise. Found a stat that over 25000 people have played in the NFL.
Odds of David playing for one Franchise is about 438 to 1.
March 6th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
We dont agree on much but this is a no brainer. You can not lose both White and David. LVD must be resigned.
March 6th, 2024 at 5:46 pm
“Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, nice to hear his name again. I would listen to him every afternoon driving home from work. I can only imagine what he would have been saying in the past years since he died. So much has happened, including COVID.
We definitely need to keep Lavonte.
March 6th, 2024 at 5:48 pm
He’s a dawg.
David deserves at least 7-8m, 10m with incentives.
Anything less is an insult
^^mtn^^
Since ’76
March 6th, 2024 at 5:52 pm
“Joe Says:
Did anyone before the season truly envision Devin White getting benched with the Bucs in a playoff chase?”
^^mtn^^ says: why did it take so long for Bowles to bench White?
March 6th, 2024 at 6:01 pm
Use the money u save by cutting white and sign David…done
March 6th, 2024 at 6:44 pm
Defense Rules – Thank you for actually using some stats and putting effort into your opinion. I get so used to talking to the Baker Boi(s) I start to think everyone here is a low effort moron.
Anywho, I know why Bowles started using White more in coverage, because in 2021, you had all the injuries at corner, and they had to play a lot more zone. Completely understandable. But it also seemed like because of the way that Rams game ended in the playoffs, that Bowles started coaching scared, and got a lot less aggressive in 2022, and then for the first half of 2023. To Bowles credit, he changed things up on defense, and mostly got some good results from doing so – but even once the Bucs started to plan man more and more, they still continued to use White mainly in coverage.
Now, that’s where what you’re saying is interesting. I should modify my opinion, I never thought White was as bad in coverage as people think, but he’s clearly not good – and absolutely isn’t special. But rushing the passer, he seems special.
You bring up a very good point, in that Bowles was forced to use White more in coverage because the pass rush just wasn’t getting there. So that’s a valid point, if you’re sending Shaq, that’s your 4th guy, and if you’re sending 5, do you want White in coverage, or Yaya/Tryon? White is certain better than either of those two in coverage — so now to get to White, you’re talking about bringing 6, which is pretty risky.
But in nickel, which I think the Bucs played almost as much as base, that’s a different story – and that’s where seemingly you’d unleash White a lot more.
In any case, when you have a special talent like White, you figure out how to use them. I know White is a weirdo, but who cares, the Bucs have a veteran locker room, and while White is strange, I never heard he’s a guy that was causing issues with his teammates (but maybe I missed it).
In any case, Bowles seems extremely eager to get rid of him, so I know he’s not coming back – but I wish I really understood, from both sides, what caused him to be wasted away, if it really was just a scheme issue, other players, his attitude, etc.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:46 pm
I always thought Devin White should have been used in the same way the Giants used the great Lawrence Taylor. Whites best attribute was getting to the QB with his strength and blazing speed.
March 6th, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Rod … Lots of stuff about lots of players that we’ll never know. Kinda like working at some of the higher levels in government or business; when you get to see ‘behind the veil’ it’s easy to become discouraged. Things are rarely as they seem ‘in public’.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:48 pm
David is like Evans to me…. If you don’t sign him there’s a big issue. Dude has earned a career ending contract with the Bucs just like Evans does. Both are ring of honor guys, both are all time favorites with the fans and both should be getting fitted for their gold jackets. Do not, I repeat DO NOT screw this up Tampa! Give the man what he deserves and DO NOT treat him with the same disrespect he gets from the rest of the league! Be the only franchise in the NFL that gives him the respect he’s earned over his 12 year career. The dude has earned a good contract, so pay the man!
March 7th, 2024 at 10:29 pm
Pay david