“He’s Like A 16-, 17-Year-Old Kid”
November 13th, 2024
Joe hears the rumblings claiming Lavonte David looks washed, aka old, slow and less interested.
Joe finds that incredibly harsh. Some fans are acting like David is Cameron Jordan, the shell of himself former Bucs killer who has 3 sacks in his last 27 starts.
David may have had a couple of rough games this season, but he’s still posting solid numbers. And Joe will suggest David might be suffering a bit because of who has been playing around him.
Maybe David has lost a half step at 34 years old, but head coach Todd Bowles says David hasn’t lost a thing when it comes to practice.
“[Lavonte is] so mentally tough and he loves the game. It’s something he grew up playing; he still treats it like he’s playing in high school, and that’s rare for a player,” Bowles told the Buccaneers Radio Network.
“You either get bored or you get bunch of money and you don’t want to play any more. He’s not like that. Every day is like a game for him, whether it’s practice or a game. He still loves playing. He’s like a 16-, 17-year-old kid.”
Joe loved hearing this about David. It gives Joe a little hope that David will want to return for his 14th season in 2025.
November 13th, 2024 at 12:41 pm
I agree, with all that. JL needs to give Lavonte one last big sell. HC input, FA input, let him know we aren’t sitting idle like 2024, pushing our chips in for 2025 and we need him. My biggest worry is how much Bowles factors into Lavonte wanting to stay.
November 13th, 2024 at 1:21 pm
There Lyes are issues!!!! sounds like everyone on defense is bored and has tuned out Rogers and Bowles!! Could be a long 7 games, please someone help!! Go Bucs!!
November 13th, 2024 at 1:33 pm
Upstate NY BUC….you’re a Bucs fan.
You’ll be fine the next 7 games even if they lose all of them.
Go Bucs!
November 13th, 2024 at 2:02 pm
Unfortunately, the Bucs won’t have a lot of money to be active in FA, due to the dead money they have to pay to Shaq and Ryan Jensen (~$28M) and void year money to Evans, Godwin and LVD.
They will focus on resigning players like Godwin and LVD. Maybe they can pick up a ILB in FA and depth pieces. Expect DT, OLB, CB and ILB to be the focus in the defense heavy draft. Maybe a WR to replace Mike Evans one day as that player isn’t on the team today. But, that depends on how long after 2025 the Bucs think he can play.
November 13th, 2024 at 2:03 pm
I agree and said it on a post prior. David while maybe losing a step , but is suffering more due to the players around him. I think he may be past where he can prop up those around him like in years past. However if players around him were playing as solid as he is, I think the problems would be a lot less. C’mon he is 34, somebody needs to help him a little. I say yes put better players around him and give him another year to mentor and help those around him!!.While not the player he was and few are at his age, he is still producing. The problem lies with severalplayers around him. BTW, can somebody tell me what is going on with Winfield and Whitehead?. They are not playing well and are hard to dfind anywhere near the ball these days.Yes they are a head scratcher
November 13th, 2024 at 2:18 pm
Who ever is calling LVD washed is BS. They must not have seen him clobbering CMC. JL needs to get him a running mate kinda like white in his 1st few seasons just without the drama lol.
November 13th, 2024 at 2:26 pm
David isn’t completely done whoever is saying that doesn’t know what they are watching but he is definitely a bit slower that’s just what it is no one beats father time no one.
November 13th, 2024 at 2:49 pm
David has been the pillar of Buc Defense for quite a while. And he is geting long in the tooth. Looks like he has slowed down a tad. Probably due to injuries. This is probably is his last year.
November 13th, 2024 at 2:52 pm
Hard to believe that Lavonte is 34 now. “Mentally tough and loves the game.” Per Coach Bowles. That says it all, great traits to have as a football player. Hope he stays through 2025 too.
November 13th, 2024 at 3:23 pm
Bucs Guy… I know they have some dead money still but they will have much more space to work with this year than last as I understand it.
Maybe someone will the actual numbers can fill us in? Maybe the difference is only 20 million and that’s Godwins contract on the books this year and currently not for next.
November 13th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
LVD just took over #7 all-time solo tackles last game!
November 13th, 2024 at 4:55 pm
LVD is HOF bound or he better be. He knows first hand all the corruption and BS with this game. Bucs have already had at least 3 games stolen from them, but that’s nothing new. They have to play two teams: the refs and the opposing team. Same as it ever was. Thank god for the bye week.
November 13th, 2024 at 6:17 pm
I don’t think he looks uninterested at all.
And at the beginning of this season, I didn’t think he looked any slower either.
However, I will say the past 2 games he def looked a step slower than normal. Hopefully the bye week helps him out a lot, cuz he’s about 1 of only 3 good players on defense.
November 13th, 2024 at 7:07 pm
the money goes up yearly for salary cap no worries they have money so shut TFU
November 13th, 2024 at 7:49 pm
Guess who our leading tackler is. He did the same for us back when Luke Kuechly (spelling ?) was getting all of the accolades with the Panthers. Go compare their stats during the same time period.
Go Bucs!
November 13th, 2024 at 10:03 pm
He can still get it done, but has lost the explosive impact plays. Tackles are nice but still giving up yards, not getting a lot of TFLs, FF, ints. He needs help so that he can be a guy that comes in and punches the ball out, bust through for a tfl.
November 13th, 2024 at 11:08 pm
It’s obvious no one has gone to KJ Britt to offer any improvement coaching. Players coach don’t wanna hurt any feelings. Give them the rest of the time off before the next game, that’ll fix it,
November 14th, 2024 at 8:14 am
He may be mentally 16, but as much as I love and admire LVD, he is not the player he once was. He has lost a step.
Just like Derrick Brooks did.
November 14th, 2024 at 10:13 am
Lost a step, time to draft linebackers. Let LVD play 40 snaps a game not 60
November 14th, 2024 at 12:50 pm
He will be a warrior until the day he retires!
November 14th, 2024 at 6:43 pm
There was at least one Joe on here that wrote about how slow David was looking this season and slinging shade at him several weeks. It was critical and ugly. Lavonte David will never deserve that kind of disrespect after what he’s done for this franchise.