Re-Signing Lavonte David “Significant” But Bucs Still Need ILB
March 29th, 2025
Not enough.
“Dee-FENCE… [Boom, boom, boom… ] dee-FENCE… [boom, boom, boom… ] dee-FENCE… [boom, boom, boom… ]… “ This is all the Bucs’ shot-callers need to keep repeating to themselves as they prepare for next month’s draft.
The offense is set. Maybe on Day 3 roll the dice on a receiver or a lineman. But the draft, at least in eyes of “this Joe,” is all about the defense.
Joe would be open-minded with an inside linebacker, an edge rusher, a corner, hell, even a safety (though Joe has a hunch Tykee Smith will get moved to safety and Christian Izien will be the nickel cornerback).
Good guy Dan Pompei has been covering the NFL some five decades, including many, many, many moons covering the old NFC Central, which included the Bucs. So Pompei knows what a good defense is supposed to look like.
When he sees the Bucs’ defense, he sees a crater of talent at inside linebacker. Pompei applauded the Bucs re-signing Lavonte David but Pompei, typing for The Athletic, said the Bucs need more need more.
…And even if [David] plays well again, a replacement is likely to be needed for 2026. Aside from David, the Bucs still are searching for another inside linebacker. The team remains hopeful about 2023 fifth-round pick SirVocea Dennis, but he has yet to start a game. Free-agent pickup Anthony Walker also could be a factor. The Bucs have a need at cornerback as well. Their primary need, however, is inside linebacker.
Seems like just about everyone is fed up with Jamel Dean. It’s not as much Dean’s play, it is his inability to stay on the field.
Joe hopes SirVocea Dennis is that guy at inside linebacker. But Joe is also a burning bush kinda guy. Until Joe sees that Dennis, too, can stay on the field, Joe lacks trust.
Dennis is a quick guy, a smart guy and he seems to be surprisingly physical. All great traits — for a guy on the field.
But Pompei is right, David is likely on his last contract. So yeah, drafting an inside linebacker would be the smart move by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
March 29th, 2025 at 12:14 am
Pick up EJ Speed after the Draft
March 29th, 2025 at 1:23 am
And….and…..and…..of the 28 or so undrafted free agents added after the draft. 25 of them need to be defense. If that means the fourth team doesn’t have enough offensive players, make them hit each other. Whatever.
Defense.
No more excuses.
March 29th, 2025 at 1:25 am
I want the 430 pound NT from the University of Florida. He can rotate for Vea. Imagine getting a break from Vea to face a 6-6 430 pound man?
Yea. Grab this guy!
And Hall needs pressure from another DE.
And I want a DT/DE to learn behind Hall this year. Hall is a FA next year.
Get two down linemen.
A NT and a DE/DT.
Copy the Eagles.
Pound the rock. And sack the QB!
March 29th, 2025 at 1:40 am
Schwesinger if there in the 2nd (unless we go LB 1st), CB if not Schwes, then Knight or Smael London 3rd or 4th….so many possibilities according to whose available…..Still want Jack Sawyer and OC Mclaughlin for backup.
^ i saw that guy Teacherman, he’s something. But once they get super heavy, one small injury and its usually over.
March 29th, 2025 at 4:14 am
That 430++ pounder is surprisingly fast for such a monster too. He’s likely to be available late or maybe not be drafted at all.
March 29th, 2025 at 5:21 am
so surprised we haven’t made the move for kyzir white already
March 29th, 2025 at 5:26 am
ask sapp…430 pound lineman will not make it here in the heat
March 29th, 2025 at 6:22 am
Bucs could use TWO ILBs in this draft … a MLB (starting position available) and a ILB (to train under then replace LVD in a year or 2).
March 29th, 2025 at 7:06 am
Unfortunately drafting is not like picking up a pound of bacon off the rack at Publix. There are going to be superior performers at certain positions. Identifying that top guy at that position and seeing how he blends with the team needs and group is the trick in the draft imo.
March 29th, 2025 at 7:21 am
Relying on rookies to save the defense this year is a fools errand, its a rare draft getting late 1st players to impact their unit immediately, like Barton, otherwise theyd be projected higher, most are on a Logan Hall/Goedeke type path of steady improvement each year, so lets temper our expectations
March 29th, 2025 at 7:27 am
And this may be why some 3rd picks tend to outperform imo. Clearly top physical guys get picked sooner in the draft. However, mid round guys get picked later because they may lack a little in the physical evaluation but they look to have innate intangibles that aren’t so physical in nature but a ‘being in the right place at the rite time’ abilities over and again. Some have that ‘got to’ that doesn’t show up rite away on tape, but if looked at long enough that trend appears again and sgain.
Case in point, Tom Brady. Now Tom was drafted in the 6th round of a 15 round draft. How was this guy so overlooked?
Another case in point, Bucky Irving. 4th round pick in a 7 plus round draft. How was this guy so overlooked?
March 29th, 2025 at 7:30 am
If Jahdae Barron falls to the Bucs, I’d trade Dean immediately for another 3rd round pick and pick a DL.
March 29th, 2025 at 7:36 am
If Jahdae Barron falls to the Bucs, I’d trade Dean immediately for another 3rd round pick and pick a DL.
If Barron doesn’t fall then I wonder if Licht would trade down to early round 2 and get another pick in 4 or 4. The Giants and Jax have some good early end 2 picks and their GMs need to make a splash to keep their jobs.
March 29th, 2025 at 7:44 am
We do need some more youth in our LB room, period. Dennis is a question still. Campbell looks the part and has shown he can be that LB, but he has a serious injury to his shoulder. An injury, from what we have read here and other blogs, if he re-injures it after this surgery, he will not be able to play again… That makes him as good as he may be an enormous NO to me!
Several other LBs are out there across the draft, and we do need to add a few to our LB room. We do have several veteran backup(?) LBs now instead of Russell and Britt. I feel we are better in our depth with Walker, Jones, Grier Jr., and Jennings. YES! YES! YES!!!! We do need more… But we also have OLB/DE, CB, S, and DT needed to add to our team.
Excited to see what happens over the draft and the days after it.
GM Licht and his scouts and our HC Bowles have their battle plans under final construction. Let us all hope they also are not using “Signal” to “talk among themselves” about the Buccaneer 2025 draft plans…
GO!!!!! BUCS!!!!!
March 29th, 2025 at 7:49 am
Joe, I’m not sure if you watch the United Football League but do you think that the Bucs watch any film from the UFL looking for free agents? Maybe there is a guy we could pick up in a pinch from the UFL that has just played all Spring.
March 29th, 2025 at 8:12 am
Aside from Campbell (who MAY be ready to play by training camp) how many ILB’s are worthy of a first round pick? I’m hoping we trade out of the first
March 29th, 2025 at 8:31 am
Here is a profile of two different linebackers:
1. He is one of the premier linebacker prospects in this year’s senior class. The transfer is undersized but able to overcome that through his instincts and speed. He has enormous tackle production throughout his two years, posting over 260 tackles in his short time there. Instincts are the key to his game, as he always seems to be in the middle of action whether rushing the passer or covering tight ends. He will need to stay off blocks at the next level and either gain strength to shed linemen or continue to play instinctually to stay free entirely. His athletic ability allows him to play loose and fly around, and he should be a fit to a team who loves undersized, athletic linebackers.
and
2. He profiles as a modern NFL linebacker. His tenacity in pursuit and natural feel in coverage suggest he can get defensive snaps early as his athleticism and instincts will shine. Natural instincts in zone coverage with fluid hip transitions and exceptional awareness of route combinations developing behind him – shows advanced pattern matching ability. Had 10 PD last year.
While his frame limitations will show at the next level, he has shown enough on tape his track record against the toughest competition demonstrates he can hold up against elite athletes. His dramatic improvement after transferring last year hints at untapped potential. Defensive coordinators will need to protect him from direct offensive line climbs, but his range and football IQ make him an intriguing target.
The ideal landing spot would be a defense that emphasizes speed and pursuit from their linebackers, where he can play fast and leverage his natural instincts.
1st guy is LaVonte David who measured 6 foot 1 inch and 233 lbs with a 4.65 forty, a 36.5 vertical, a 119 broad jump.
2nd guy is Chris “Pooh” Paul (@poohpaul4) who measured 6 foot 1 inch 224 lbs with a 4.63 forty, a 36 vertical and a 117 broad jump. Paul had the lowest missed tackle rate among linebackers last year despite being a new player with Ole Piss.
March 29th, 2025 at 9:01 am
With pass coverage as their seemingly primary looked-for skill, 6’1″ 225lb seems like what you’d want. Not much space anymore between an ILB in as 3-4 and a strong safety
March 29th, 2025 at 9:02 am
Walker is an underrated signing. He could start all season and it would be an upgrade from last year, IMO. Hopefully Dennis will win the job, though. Take a LB in fourth maybe.
March 29th, 2025 at 9:34 am
I’m all for drafting an ILB or two who can cover but between the 30 year old Probowler Deion Jones, Dennis and David’s disciple from the Dolphins the Bucs have more at ILB to work with in 2025 than is being acknowledged. The Bucs did have a gaping chasm in the middle of their defense in 2024 but that is a design flaw of Bowles defense. It’s not something that will be solved by drafting Campbell or a day 2 ILB. Bassa in round 3, Buchanan in round 4 and/or king of the three cone Nick Martin in round 5 will do nicely.
Tykee Smith may have a desire to play safety but he gets crossed up and takes himself out of position and misses to many tackles for me to be comfortable with him as a last line of defense. Mukuba the safety from Texas is a ball hawk with more than a little John Lynch style punisher to his game. I like him in round 3 or 4 best.
That mountain of a DT from Florida is an interesting novelty the Bucs could play with in practice but a more realistic Vea understudy is Yahya Black from Iowa on day 3. Laki Tasi is an Australian rugby player who is part of the NFL’s International Pathways Program. He is 6’5/348 with 34 inch arms and will be running the combine drills at USF’s pro day on Thursday. He is down to 348 from almost 500 pounds. I like that his weight loss journey is complete. That is a tougher challenge than leaning the intricacies of being a DT in the NFL. His “why this? Why that?” curiosity and ravenous appetite for knowledge is as impressive as his stature his trainers at IMG Academy say. I like him as the Bucs seventh based on his potential and the fact that he effectively gives the Bucs a bonus roster spot as an IPP player. The kid started playing rugby/dominating grown men at 12 years old. I’m fascinated with him.
Licht said they just have to draft the right guys. The right guys right now play defense for sure.
March 29th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Dan Pompei knows what he’s talking about, in my mind.
My comments on another post from this morning would have been more appropriate for this one. Rats.
ILB in round one, then CB, Edge and DT in any order in rounds 2-4.
March 29th, 2025 at 9:44 am
Walker, Dennis and Deion Jones?
I don’t think we NEED and ILB.
What we NEED is to always have 4 great CB’s on the roster.
What we NEED is to improve our D-line depth.
We need a legit NT to rotate with Vea.
We need competition for Hall. He’s weak.
March 29th, 2025 at 10:09 am
“I want the 430 pound NT from the University of Florida” Add him and trade for T’Vondre Sweat from the Titans and have the Beefcake Wall of Doom
March 29th, 2025 at 10:27 am
If I’m the GM, I’m going to assume Dennis, Dean, and Winfield will miss 4 games each and draft accordingly.
March 29th, 2025 at 10:28 am
While I agree that defense should be the priority you cannot rule out a wide receiver in the first or second round. You have to apply the same logic at that position that you did on DT/Vea. Evans has one year left at 32, godwin is 29 and limping and so far Jmac has been injury prone in college and up here.
That is a position of need.
March 29th, 2025 at 12:49 pm
geno — good find on Pooh Paul.
March 29th, 2025 at 12:57 pm
Boy, some novels written huh
March 29th, 2025 at 4:00 pm
I’ve been saying we needed 2 ILBs and to resign Lavonte since last season ended.
1 out of 3 so far, let’s get the other 2.
March 29th, 2025 at 6:16 pm
The big Florida DT is surprisingly agile on the field. Would be very interesting to pick him up with a 3 or 4 round pick. Really cool to imagine Vea and 460 pounder side by side. It would look like the left side of a bridge.
March 29th, 2025 at 11:51 pm
Agrred. ILB is thr one position we absolutely have to address fairly early. Could we use more talent at corner and edge? Sure.. but we do have some depth there. May not have Reddick or Dean next year