Give Lavonte David A Two-Year Contract
March 11th, 2024
The Bucs literally are marketing to fans “Mike Evans Is A Buc For Life.”
Perhaps he is, but Evans only signed a two-year contract and he says he wants to play 5 or 6 more years.
The math is awfully fuzzy if you’re claiming Evans will retire as a Buccaneer.
So since the Bucs are touting “Mike Evans Is A Buc For Life” — the marketing email is in Joe’s inbox — Joe has no problem lobbying for the Bucs to actually make Lavonte David “a Buc for life,” by offering him a multiyear contract.
If that kind of respect exists in the NFL (it doesn’t), the Bucs should want David to have a multiyear deal in his pocket. Yeah, it can have out clauses and fine print.
Why are the Bucs even in the position today of negotiating a contract with David? Because they didn’t hand him a multiyear contract last March.
Bucs officials love to tout the value of leadership in the locker room, and many, including players, will talk about the value David brings on that front. Well, if David really is that valuable, especially within Todd Bowles’ defense, then find a way to make sure he’s here in 2025 if he wants to play.
Joe gets that teams prefer to talk about forever dedication to players rather than to put pen to paper and make it real. Heck, just ask Rondé Barber about how much/little he was valued at the end of his career.
It’s a cold business, but it doesn’t always have to be.
Saints LB Demario Davis reworked the final year of his deal that had no guarantees, replacing it with a two-year, $17.25 million deal that includes $13.25M fully guaranteed, per source. Davis is 35 years old and now figures to finish his career in New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/DT1QMNZlO5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2024
March 11th, 2024 at 12:27 pm
Not a more deserving person, give him his bag.
March 11th, 2024 at 12:29 pm
Lavonte said he wanted to go year to year on contracts going forward, last year. It wasn’t some failure of the Bucs to sign him to a multi-year deal.
March 11th, 2024 at 12:31 pm
Maybe David wants to do this one year at a time.
March 11th, 2024 at 12:41 pm
David will re-sign.
Then go get a Center and Pass Rusher in draft/FA, see if Derrick Henry will take a 1-2 year team friendly deal and draft a WR, LB and DB.
March 11th, 2024 at 12:43 pm
The bucs are over the salary cap. they had 24 million before resigning baker. They are going to have to cut and/or trade players before its all over.
March 11th, 2024 at 12:49 pm
1 year respect the man he deserves it.
March 11th, 2024 at 1:01 pm
Demario Davis is amazing.
Lavonte David is even better.
Pay the man.
March 11th, 2024 at 1:01 pm
Sure would hate seeing him lining up next to Bobby Wagner next season.
March 11th, 2024 at 1:08 pm
Pay the man! He should go to the HOF.
My only disappointment with LVD, is that he couldn’t create a miracle with White improving his game this past year.
March 11th, 2024 at 1:10 pm
I think the Saints are silly not trading any veteran on their team that still has value.
March 11th, 2024 at 1:17 pm
Sign the man…he is the core of the defense!
March 11th, 2024 at 1:20 pm
In the word of Florio, it would be “moronity” if LVD does not play for us this (and maybe next) year.
March 11th, 2024 at 1:29 pm
Lavonte David deserves what he asks for in his next contract. He has been a true hearted Buc since 2012. Alright Jason where is the Lavonte David love now?
March 11th, 2024 at 1:36 pm
In fairness to the Bucs last year, I think they thought they were not going to be very good last year – and if they didn’t play in the NFC South, they wouldn’t have been very good.
But a one-year deal at the time seemed fair enough since you can always just do another one-year deal.
In any case, the Bucs need to, and will, get it done, I’m sure.
March 11th, 2024 at 1:57 pm
10 million 1 year deal
March 11th, 2024 at 2:02 pm
Lavonte EXPLICITLY SAID he was doing one year deals going forward. I recall it clearly.
March 11th, 2024 at 2:06 pm
I’d guess it’s more like 1yr / $7m, since last year he only took $4.5m, which was very very underpaid.
I do know it would be a huge blow to the Bucs to lose White and David and Shaq all in the same year. That amount of turnover, when you have very very little depth, would be a giant problem for the NFL’s #7 scoring defense.
March 11th, 2024 at 2:11 pm
I would be so upset if we don’t retain him lol. LIke emotionally
March 11th, 2024 at 2:24 pm
Pay him. Pay that man his money
March 11th, 2024 at 2:31 pm
Agree.. 2 years for 13 M + 2 M incentives
March 11th, 2024 at 2:55 pm
Or ask DB55. He was done dirty and still sticks around repping our team. He is the epitome of a professional and why he will always be the greatest Buc of all time. If the Bucs want to earns fans’ respect, find a way to keep David.
March 11th, 2024 at 3:48 pm
Lavonte should have been signed first. Signing everyone else and then expecting him to take whatever table scraps are leftover is disrespectful. Lavonte deserves better than table scraps! Just saying.
March 11th, 2024 at 3:53 pm
With what cap space?
March 11th, 2024 at 4:18 pm
Sign David. PAY DA MAN
March 11th, 2024 at 6:46 pm
Remember…they let Warren Sapp go.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:47 pm
Absolutely. It is not like they are paying older players for the hell of it. Mike Evans and LVD are still producing an extremely high level, so get him a two year contract.
March 11th, 2024 at 9:06 pm
I’ve said it before they signed anybody this year they need to sign Levante David now I said this three or four weeks ago he’s one of the most important pieces on the defense you have to have him…
March 11th, 2024 at 10:27 pm
They’re going to sign him. I’m not worried. I don’t know why they wouldn’t. They’re in okay cap shape, especially after trading CD3 and releasing Gage.
March 12th, 2024 at 12:03 am
L David wanted a 1 year contract last year and wants the same this year, so why should the Bucs impose a 2 year contract on him? Give the man what he wants, within reason.
March 12th, 2024 at 9:40 am
It would appear David’s only market is with the Bucs. Risky business for teams to go after a player with so many years behind him.
March 12th, 2024 at 6:28 pm
U guys saying if we weren’t in the NFL south we wud of been worse record wuda shuda Cuda is stupid logic u guys say the same thing over & over but we seem to have a good season anyway don’t u negative Nancy’s ever have remorse for stupid opinions obviously not u keep saying the same crap