“He Was Crestfallen”
January 14th, 2025
Pondering the future.
As Joe has typed many times, the Bucs won’t look the same when the team shows up for underwear football after the draft.
Teams rarely are the same. The 2021 Bucs were the rare exception after winning the Super Bowl. The Bucs wanted to “run it back,” and they nearly did bringing back 22+1 starters.
So a lot of current Bucs won’t be around in a few weeks. Off to other teams. Off to looking for work. Off to retirement.
(Man, Kyle Trask’s locker was one of the few completely empty yesterday as players were cleaning out their year’s worth of mess. Someone did a fast getaway.)
Former local sports radio voice Jay Recher has a bad feeling that Bucs legend Lavonte David is off to retirement.
Recher didn’t like the vibes he got listening to David in the Bucs’ locker room after the playoff loss Sunday night.
“He was crestfallen,” Recher said. “You could tell, man. There was a semblance of, ‘That’s it. That was it.'”
Recher also cited how K.J. Britt, whose locker is next to David’s, appeared shook, which added to Recher’s hunch that Sunday was it for David.
Well, it may very well be it for Britt. So Joe won’t put much stock into Britt’s reaction.
He’s a free agent and has no idea about his future. Joe spoke with Britt yesterday at One Buc Palace.
If David wasn’t seriously injured Sunday, once the pain wears off and the emotion fades, perhaps David will look back at his excellent season and remember he can’t find a few million dollars lying on the sidewalk — and decide he still has gas in the tank for another year.
Joe sure hopes so.
January 14th, 2025 at 4:42 am
One more please. Play until you can’t. Please.
January 14th, 2025 at 5:36 am
We were crestfallen, too. Bucs are screwed if he retires.
January 14th, 2025 at 5:37 am
Hopefully, it was more of a “how many more opportunities are there going to be?” The Bucs need David.
January 14th, 2025 at 6:11 am
Jay Recher using the $5 words I see
January 14th, 2025 at 6:12 am
Hoping Lavonte comes back for one more season. And it could be a SB year for the Bucs.
January 14th, 2025 at 6:25 am
KJ better not forget to bring home everything in his locker. He won’t be seeing it again.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:13 am
Hope he comes back – but if he feels its time then so be it.
Chances are in a few months he will sign another 1 year deal.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:56 am
The Bucs are going to be in a great position cap-wise during this off season. Their window for a Super Bowl run is open. I would like to see him back one more season if he can do it even if it was in a part time role.
January 14th, 2025 at 8:20 am
D-Rome – Absolutely agree.
January 14th, 2025 at 8:45 am
He had one helluva game.
January 14th, 2025 at 8:48 am
Man I hope LVD goes 1 more year. They should be a legitimate Super Bowl contender next year simply buy the young players maturing a little, getting healthy, and adding a CB, ILB WR, and maybe an edge
January 14th, 2025 at 9:05 am
I think he wants to go out a winner so I think he will be back since he sees a great offense (other than after a “Monday off!”) and a defense that is just a couple of pieces away from returning to glory.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:07 am
To add, and I may be mistaken, but Brady’s prorated contract, Ryan Jensen’s contract, Shaq Barrett’s original contract, and a few others should be rolling off this year. Between Jensen and Barrett that should be $29 million in cap space that will be freed up along with whatever the number they already have going into the season. It could be as much as $50 million if I’m not mistaken (I probably am).
January 14th, 2025 at 9:29 am
Need to say goodbye to Britt, Tryon & Dean. Never cared for either one of them coming out either (just like Carlton) & I can see why now. I don’t know if it’s something with Auburn even though Tryon was Washington or what.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:01 am
Like the lines from the old song,” oh they always seem to know , but they don’t know what they’ve got till it’s gone”, is the perfect refrain for the position the Bucs find themselves in , to be followed by the lines of the poem , “ the saddest words of tongue or pen , are the words it might have been”. Regrettably, in the coming months , I’m afraid We will come to realize the truth in those lines.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:49 am
It seemed like LVD was going to retire last year after our season ended. He hated to lose then, as now. He has it in him to play another year and I sincerely hope he wants to. He is one of our very best players.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:00 am
50-50
LVD had an awesome season so he’ll be tempted to come back for the record books. That final hit he took will be a test. Does he want to risk injury?
January 14th, 2025 at 11:04 am
I see some of you see what I see… a SB caliber roster to begin next season after loading up the D. Need Lavonte to do one more.
Unfortunately we will be spinning our wheels with Bowles. We will not win 3-4 playoff games with his clock management and conservative style. Get ready to see a SB season wasted. Hate to be this guy, I want to be optimistic but we have all the evidence and it’s gonna be our reality. The players will change, Bucs game outcomes won’t because of the HC.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:15 am
LVD! One of my fav Bucs of all time. Thank you Lavonte!
January 14th, 2025 at 11:30 am
With Capt. Bowles driving the ship Lavonte will get another year of heartbreak if he comes back.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:32 am
@D-Rome I believe we still have a cap hit for Jensen and Shaq next year… but I could be wrong
January 14th, 2025 at 11:40 am
The team won’t be the same, but with Bowles at the helm the results will be the same. anywhere, we hope, between 8 to 10 wins, hopefully a first round playoff loss. As for David, thanks for your service. ROH, deserve the HOF, but go out on top. Bucs need two new ILBs next season.
January 14th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
Please LVD one more. He played great. Dude is a beast. Still got to get his replacement this year even if he stays so he can teach and coach up the youngster.
January 14th, 2025 at 1:11 pm
The thing that some Buccaneers fans think about this year’s team is that, “oh they’re improving each year under Bowles though, so keep him.” It doesn’t work that way in the NFL. The great coaches will evolve every year to make their team better. For example, Sean Peyton took over a 5-12 Broncos team in 2023, and after 2 years got them back in the playoffs with a 10-7 record in the toughest NFL division. He did it by instilling a tough defensive style, similar to the one he had in New Orleans for 15 years (152-89). He converted one of the worse defensive team to the 3rd best defensive team this year. Peyton is a proven winner!
After 3 years, Buccaneers’ defense has regressed under Bowles. The offense improved each year because the Bucs brought in Canales & Coen to run the offense, and each year the offense got better. Apparently, Bowles has too much pride to give up being the DC. His defensive system doesn’t work: it never has. A good offensive team can hide a bad defense in the regular & win maybe 10-11 games, but in the playoffs, the bad defense gets exposed.
Todd Bowles overall HC record is 53-65! Ask anyone…Bowles is a great guy & a class-act, and Peyton is a complete a-hole…ask anyone. But who is more equip to get to the Super Bowl first. Peyton.
January 14th, 2025 at 1:43 pm
With Bowles coming back there’s a better chance he’ll be back
January 14th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
LVD is an absolute beast. And I hope he comes back.
We should draft his replacement this year even if he returns for one more.
But under no circumstance should Bowles be involved.
I don’t want him infecting another promising player with his soft as butter zone defensive scheming.
We can do a lot better. LVD deserves that too.
January 14th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Would love to see David play another year, Britt can pack his bags. If he hasn’t learned the finer aspects of pass coverage in four years he never will.
January 14th, 2025 at 6:25 pm
LVD is a class person, Ring of Honor guy and Hall of Famer (we’re counting on you Ira). The Bucs need to get a free agent ILB (Dre Greenlaw) and a 2nd or 3rd round ILB. Hopefully LVD will return for one more year to get them both off to a great start and be a member of the Bucs SB VX team next year. If he chooses not to return, I wish him the best and thank you for his time with the Bucs. He’s one of the best we’ve ever had in Tampa.