Respect For Lavonte David
February 12th, 2020
One of the best.
Regular readers to this here website know that Joe is irked how year after year, Bucs linebacker Lavonte David gets shafted for honors bestowed upon the NFL’s best players.
And with Luke Kuechly now retired, Joe doesn’t think it’s outrageous to suggest David might be the best linebacker in the NFC South.
Hell, even the PFF tribe seems to imply David is an overlooked player in the NFL as they ranked him No. 36 in their top 101 players.
36. LB LAVONTE DAVID, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Tampa Bay defense has undergone plenty of changes in scheme and personnel, but the play of Lavonte David, who has been one of the best linebackers in the league since he entered the NFL, remains a constant. David … recorded 54 defensive stops over the season, the third-best mark among all linebackers. David was also deployed more on the blitz this season and registered 18 pressures from 98 pass-rushing snaps.
Here is all you need to know about how good of a player David is:
Through his first eight years in the league, David was exclusively an outside linebacker in a 43 defense. This past season David, for the first time as a pro, changed positions and went inside in Todd Bowles’ 34 defense.
And David didn’t miss a beat.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:30 am
Maybe Lavonte just refuses to sell his soul to be in the cool kids’ club. Good for him. It was pretty revealing when “Anywho” Dude put David’s stats side-by-side with Luke’s.
We see you, Lavonte!
February 12th, 2020 at 2:31 am
I think it was Munch who made that post, anyway. Apologies if I screwed up the attribution.
February 12th, 2020 at 3:09 am
I have follow lavonte all his career, and it pains me the way he is snub year after year.Yes we see you lavonte, we the fans know you are the best at what you do.Much love
February 12th, 2020 at 6:27 am
Him and mike evans are most consistent offensive and defensive players on our team over the years
Hope he gets a taste of winning some day
Think he still has 2-3 elite years left
February 12th, 2020 at 7:28 am
You can be irked all you want, Joe, but he gets lost in the shuffle because these are the facts: David is quiet and humble, makes splash plays infrequently, this is a small media market, and the Bucs lose.
No one recognizes a guy on a losing team. Shaq did not deserve serious consideration for Defensive player of the year honors because he did not help the Bucs to a winning record.
Let’s don’t get all Dabo here.