Not Blitzing Lavonte David Is Smart
April 26th, 2022
Graybeard.
Former Bucs defensive tackle Booger McFarland recently held court on local sports radio and had several interesting things to say.
And Joe knows who Booger shakes hands with and talks to with ties to One Buc Palace. Some direct, some indirect. So of course, Joe had his antennae up.
*Don’t blitz Lavonte David but let loose Devin White loose more on quarterbacks because he has deficiencies in coverage,” Booger told WDAE radio.
Joe thinks Booger is right on for a couple of reasons.
While White is not the greatest in pass coverage, David is very good in coverage. So of course blitz White more with his speed. Also, David is getting long in the tooth. He’s 32 and recently when he spoke with the local pen and mic club, he didn’t exactly throw cold water on the idea that this could be his last year in pewter and red. David’s contract runs out at the end of the season.
So save the wear on old man David. Blitzing leads to encountering big uglies trying to knock your arse into the middle of next week. David doesn’t need that kind of beating at his age.
April 26th, 2022 at 9:11 am
He is not really appreciated for everything he has done as a Buccaneer
April 26th, 2022 at 9:12 am
Devin should just be used exclusively as an outside linebacker on passing situations (IMO). Let David and Keanu Neal play linebacker on passing situations
White and Barrett getting after the QB on the outside with Tryon-Shoyinka rotating in for them.
April 26th, 2022 at 9:13 am
Let White’s speed loose getting after QBs!
April 26th, 2022 at 9:16 am
Devin White was horrible as a blitzer last year
Pre snap it was very obvious if he was coming or not, and he would constantly run right into offensive line and get stonewalled
Devin needs to make a big jump this year, I really was hoping he would last year but he was nowhere close to being a Luke Kuechly
April 26th, 2022 at 9:18 am
While Devin White is lacking in coverage skills, he is a good run-stopper and great pass rusher…..let him loose….
April 26th, 2022 at 9:19 am
White on the outside is scary! I would not TRUST him on the outside. The guy is undisciplined and not a good professional player, excellent athlete.
Blonde
April 26th, 2022 at 9:23 am
I would still want White in the middle on early downs! Definitely agree with Tampabaybucfan about his run defense. Just would love seeing him rushing consistently on obvious pass scenarios.
April 26th, 2022 at 9:24 am
Yup. Totally agree. Draft pass rushers and weapons!
April 26th, 2022 at 9:24 am
Booger is the master of the obvious here! Pretty certain every JBF reader knows this.
Devin White and JTS need to show up and play like #1 picks this season. LVD is starting to feel the Kryptonite.
April 26th, 2022 at 9:56 am
They did rush Devin and he missed alot of sacks getting side stepped a few times with no obstacles between him and the quarterback he has no pass rush moves am I the only on that watched the games? No Devin needs to strengthen his weaknesses in his game to be a better overall linebacker that’s what needs to happen so lavante can be lavante and not clean up after Devin lavante.
April 26th, 2022 at 10:12 am
I’ll be sad as hell if this is David’s last year. Devin, outside of his crazy good games durng our super bowl run has been a disapointment. Still a good player, just not worth the 5th overall choice in 2019. I’m wondering if we should be thinking about nabbing Devin Lloyd or Nakobe Dean with our first round pick?
April 26th, 2022 at 10:41 am
Hopefully Bowles reads what Booger has to say. Should also get him to say they need double coverage on Cooper Kupp.
April 26th, 2022 at 11:06 am
Don’t think it’s a big secret White is usually lost when forced to cover in a zone package. Therefore, he would be the guy to blitz far more often than David, no matter David’s age. I think 31 other teams and most Bucs fans know this as well.
April 26th, 2022 at 11:11 am
Devin reminds me of Kwon. Took a noticeable step back after flashing first few years. Too often he was caught taking the cheese and reacting to what he saw. Needs to put time in to the mental side of the game, and not get caught out of position so much. Critical year for him especially with David approaching the end. Hopefully the urgency of one more year with Brady instills the work ethic in everyone wearing pewter and red. This team
Has playmakers but we can’t be so beholden to the blitz. D is the key next year.
April 26th, 2022 at 11:53 am
White guessed way too much last year.. He was constantly out of position. This can happen, especially to freakish athletes. They rely far too heavily on ability, and not enough on technique. It was a problem that only got worse as the season unfolded. I’m not sure why it wasn’t addressed by the staff. He needs to be a better all around player.
David is about at the end of the line. He’s been a great player. But, he missed six games last year and is 32. It’s hard to see a linebacker getting better at his age. The bucs will be drafting a LB, you can count on that.
April 26th, 2022 at 11:53 am
Biff Barker 100% agree
Bowles needs to get 45 on the move and get him going from different areas on the blitz.
Booger is an interesting evaluator as most of the BSPN former players are GARBAGE except for Orlovsky
April 26th, 2022 at 12:11 pm
Another big need on defense is a worthy successor to David. I’m also concerned about his injury recovery and D. White’s inconsistency. KJ Britt may become a capable backup and okay starter at some point, but it would be nice to have a sideline to sideline playmaker waiting in the wings. Bonus if it was a guy who was deployable at OLB in addition to ILB.
April 26th, 2022 at 2:09 pm
Literally been saying that since Lovie got here. David, was, for years, the best blitzer on the team – and they never used him that way. In fairness to Lovie, in that defense he was playing the role of Derrick Brooks, and David also excels at coverage, which is what you need from him in a Tampa 2. But when Bowles got here, I thought they’d finally unleash David again – and… nope. But, in fairness to Bowles, David is great in coverage and White stinks in coverage, plus White might actually be a better blitzer than David at this point of his career.
Which brings us to a whole other issue. STOP PLAYING WHITE IN COVERAGE. He stinks at it. 90+% of defensive plays should be White blitzing up the middle, either stuffing the other teams interior run game, or causing havoc for their QB.
As for David, he’s a victim of his own success. He’s such a great all-around LB, and it’s so hard to get a good coverage LB, that he’s more valuable to the team in coverage than as a rusher, where they have Shaq and White.
April 26th, 2022 at 2:51 pm
How about this… trade D. White for picks and draft 2 LBs to replace him and back up. I am not sold on D. White. Lavonte’s successor needs to be picked sooner rather than later.
We need more picks.
April 26th, 2022 at 3:08 pm
Booger has no right to talk about who should rush the passer as he was ONE of the biggest disappointments in Bucs history !! We “Rich McKay” let Warren Sapp walk in favor of Booger and Sapp went on to have 3 more pro bowl appearances and a Gold Jacket as a Hall of Famer !! Booger is exactly where he should have always been , a talking head of the media… Go Bucs
April 26th, 2022 at 8:28 pm
Man love me some LVD. but we need to to find his replacement pretty early so he can be used a little bit less during the Season to keep him fresh
April 26th, 2022 at 8:34 pm
Just play the way you guys do We will be ok GO BUCS !!
April 26th, 2022 at 8:36 pm
TampabayDJ82 Booger was solid Not flashy like Sapp
April 26th, 2022 at 8:51 pm
Is it only me or does LVD look like Kanye West in that pic?
April 26th, 2022 at 9:06 pm
TampabayDJ82 – Rich McKay wasn’t even with the team when GRUDEN let Sapp walk and cut John Lynch. Gruden was a complete idiot, destroyed the team that Dungy and McKay handed him because he wanted to spend the money on Charlie Garner and 35+ year old injured offensive linemen.