Linebacker Market Gets Fuzzier
March 6th, 2023
Another huge-name linebacker hitting the market early today makes the Bucs’ attempted re-signing of Lavonte David more intriguing.
Eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner, part of David’s 2012 draft class, will be a free agent as Joe explained. And today the Vikings cut stud linebacker Eric Kendricks. The tackling machine is a 31-year-old former All-Pro coming off a strong season. He’s a salary cap casualty.
With David as a pending free agent, that means there are three older but productive inside linebackers heading toward the open market. Could that supply drive down the price of David?
Joe sure hopes so.
It was clear last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, per Bucs general manager Jason Licht’s State of Lavonte David address, that the Bucs will be putting an offer on David’s desk.
Maybe, just maybe, the Kendricks release will help make that happen.
March 6th, 2023 at 10:59 am
At his age chasing the bag is not all that smart. Retire a buc, no one is going to pay him what he made last year
March 6th, 2023 at 11:01 am
Looking like Lavonte will be a Buc for life.
March 6th, 2023 at 11:09 am
I hope the Bucs are able to keep him, and a few other of the defensive guys. I’d go defense with 2 of the top picks this year, edge and CB, with an OT in there somewhere. IF Goedeke can actually play RT with his short arms, I’d go D with all 3.
March 6th, 2023 at 11:10 am
Had the Bucs stayed at home and drafted properly by taking Devin Lloyd whom the Jags selected-we would not be spending to keep a LB-we would already have him. Drafting Logan Hall instead of Devin Lloyd is the type of mistake that Licht cannot continue to make.
March 6th, 2023 at 11:14 am
Hopefully LVD will have a more realistic approach this off season.
I would love to have him back – especially if we can defer some of his $6.9M in dead cap space to 2024.
We need all the cap help we can get and I really want to see him retire as a Buc.
March 6th, 2023 at 11:21 am
Let’s hope he is back. Although we still should get an LB later in the draft.
March 6th, 2023 at 11:27 am
They’ll work it out. 54 will be back.
March 6th, 2023 at 11:29 am
Devin White is outta here!
March 6th, 2023 at 11:33 am
I’ve had my eye on this LB/DE kid from Arkansas – Drew Sanders. Could be 2nd/3rd round pick. Plays with heart and desire, hard hitter. 6’4″, only 235, 4.5 40. 9.5 sacks, 102 tackles. He plays a lot faster than his 40 time.
March 6th, 2023 at 11:36 am
So….other teams are dumping their older LBs & we are going to keep ours…..makes perfect sense.
March 6th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
Would love to see a scenario play out with us resigning david and trading white for a decent draft pick/picks. White is looking to make 20mil a year as a MLB and that just isn’t smart for a team to do. Find a vet to replace white and call it a day.
March 6th, 2023 at 12:07 pm
Did Lloyd get benched in jax?
March 6th, 2023 at 12:17 pm
Passing rushing LB, Bud Dupree, also cut. Don’t know much about him.
March 6th, 2023 at 1:03 pm
Hope is not a strategy. I hope David finishes his career as a Buc.
March 6th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
I’m thinking now that LVD will re-sign with us on a 2-year, team-friendly contract. Don’t know if Devin White will be traded or not, but the odds are that we won’t be replacing his productivity with a later-round draft pick or some inexpensive FA off the street.
White isn’t a $20 mil ILB IMO (none are, but inflation is running rampant) BUT … look at his stats from just last year: 17 games, 124 tackles (73 solo), 5.5 sacks, 16 QB hits, 8 TFL, 3 FR and great availability (1076 def snaps). And that was a down year for Devin. Replacing THAT level of ILB productivity won’t be easy.
March 6th, 2023 at 1:21 pm
I hope it doesn’t. He’s a good guy from what I can tell and I’d like to see him well compensated. It just won’t be here.
March 6th, 2023 at 1:29 pm
Well, I gotta say, as a fan this is great news! Only in that it makes his decision to stay a little easier. It’s a no brainer really.
He’s a ROCK STAR here and loved by All. He’s got at least a couple of good years left in him and let’s be honest, WE NEED HIM!
With that said, I sure hope they don’t try to take too much of an advantage of him and insult him with a ridiculously low ball offer. He’s definitely EARNED respect and reverence from this fan and I’m sure all fans, and certainly from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
I don’t think that he’ll get overly greedy about the money. I don’t think it’s his style. Still, I’m sure his agent is going to test the market as hard and fast as possible (his agent wants his payday to). You know, to keep it real.
It’s weird in a way but I’m pretty excited that he’ll probably wrap it up as a Buccaneer! And that’s the way it should be. I’m tired of my team rarely if ever doing it the right way with the guys WE drafted! To many stories of letting the good ones get away only to be stars elsewhere. We Need OUR Heroes and Legends to stick around for a change! Get paid a respectable amount and retire “in style” and comfort for a change instead of having to scramble around looking for another gig at the end of a career. Unless he wants to chase a ring with a “perceived contender”. I can get that.
But he may just be content with the Jewelry he DID win with his team, and gets another “RARE in Tampa Bay” type of jewelry called a “Gold Watch”, and he retires happy right here.
And who knows. It maybe a long shot but with his help, get another go at another Ring with the Bucs before it’s over.
GO BUCS!
March 6th, 2023 at 1:45 pm
Lavonte is a great player. Great Buc. If it makes financial sense give him a one year deal. Not sure how many 35 year old LBs survive with speed as their differentiator though. After 2023 put him on podcasts and commercials. Let him open a restaurant.
March 6th, 2023 at 3:26 pm
There has got to be some value for David playing for the Bucs his whole career. A lot of local advertisers will pay him for years to come. Also no state income tax. Come on Lavonte. You can be mentioned in the same breath as Derrick Brooks. Stay here bro!
March 6th, 2023 at 4:57 pm
David is an ultimate warrior and team player. He has earned so much respect in Tampa Bay. I hope they work something out with him to let him finish here but the reality is this is a team that has to get younger so signing him is more for the fans and the market than to move this team into the future.
March 7th, 2023 at 9:09 am
I’m thinking we trade Devin White or make him an edge rusher