In-House Respect. And Disrespect?
February 20th, 2024
Lavonte David
Linebacker Lavonte David is well know for being a disrespected superstar with Hall of Fame-worthy stats but only one trip to the Super Bowl in 12 seasons.
Will the Bucs themselves be the next entity to disrespect David?
Joe sure hopes not.
Joe feels comfortable saying David was the Bucs’ second-best defensive player last season, despite Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean, Devin White, Vita Vea and Shaq Barrett earning a lot more than the one-year deal David signed last winter.
Think about that.
David banked about $7.5 million for 2023.
The Bucs’ leading tackler for the second consecutive season had 4 1/2 sacks and was a beast in the postesason with 4 tackles for loss in the win-or-go-home games.
It’s easy to say David is too old to be paid big money, but Saints linebacker Demario Davis is a year older than David and has a $10 million salary for 2024.
Will the Bucs offer David a raise coming off a standout season? Or will they try to squeeze him into a cheaper deal?
Joe is curious to see how much the Bucs value David’s leadership. Everyone at One Buc Palace touts leadership as critical, but Joe isn’t sure if being a great leader translates to cash.
David is “a role model” to Calijah Kancey, per Kancey himself speaking on WDAE radio recently. “He always tells me right from wrong, everyone right from wrong. When he speaks, everyone listens,” Kancey added.
Joe wants David back because he’s an excellent player. David deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being productive at his age. Demario Davis is a prime example of an old warrior who still gets it done at a Pro Bowl level, and David is in fantastic shape.
Hopefully, money isn’t a reason David leaves town. That would be a tragedy, a final show of disrespect of David in a Tampa Bay uniform.
February 20th, 2024 at 12:18 pm
He will resign. Same contract as last year. Even do a 2-year and let him retire after year 2. He’s been a ROH player and I think will have a good chance of HOF when all is said and done.
February 20th, 2024 at 1:03 pm
+1
February 20th, 2024 at 1:22 pm
David is an awesome player and the Buc’s should agree to pay more as needed to re-sign him if he want’s to play next year.
February 20th, 2024 at 1:23 pm
Dear Bucs, do not make the same mistake with David as you did with John Lynch. He remains one of the best players on the defense. Who will replace him, on and off the field?
February 20th, 2024 at 1:26 pm
2 years. 20 million. Fully guaranteed.
The man deserves a raise.
Set a precedent.
Reward our GOAT and Captain.
He deserves it.
February 20th, 2024 at 1:40 pm
Players have to make sacrifices in order to put together a winning culture. Brady is the GOAT yet he always left a lot of money on the table to make room for other players under the salary cap. One thing I love about the Bucs is that they don’t overpay to keep or get free agents. That being said, we will probably wave goodbye to Mike and hopefully, Baker.
February 20th, 2024 at 1:43 pm
teacherman 777 … ‘2 years. 20 million. Fully guaranteed. Reward our GOAT and Captain. He deserves it.’
100% agree teacherman. There is only ONE Lavonte David, and he’s been a Buc since 2012 and deserves to retire as a Buc. He’s still playing at a very high level and with Devin White almost surely about to be cut loose we NEED LVD’s leadership back there. My big hope now is that he’s interested in keeping going for a couple more years, as opposed to retiring.
February 20th, 2024 at 2:10 pm
Guys, I love LVD same as you do…
Sooner or later need to realize that there is no money for everyone…
I read things like pay BM right now, 100mm guarantee, ME13 pat the man 50mm guaranteed,…LVD pat the man now 50mm fully guaranteed….Antoine Winfield best defensive player pay him now…..60mm guaranteed…
So what do we do with Tristan Wirfs???
Their is no money for everyone!!!!!
February 20th, 2024 at 2:26 pm
Defense Rules Says:
teacherman 777 … ‘2 years. 20 million. Fully guaranteed. Reward our GOAT and Captain. He deserves it.’
^^^^^
100% agree teacherman.
^^^^^
I 2nd that contract. I like the number (same as Bobby Wagner). I also like the term. 2 years and LVD stats are undeniably HOF-worthy.
February 20th, 2024 at 2:32 pm
Luke who???
February 20th, 2024 at 4:38 pm
I can’t imagine seeing David in a different uniform. The Bucs need to move heaven and earth and sign him to a “fair” contract befitting a player of his caliber.
February 20th, 2024 at 4:53 pm
I hope we can keep David. Been our best defensive player for many years.
Id like to see him keep getting Glazer paychecks until he retires.
February 20th, 2024 at 5:02 pm
You have to sign Levante David if he does not retire give the man what he deserves and you got to get back Winfield Jr and Evans as far as Baker goes the other players must be signed first
February 20th, 2024 at 5:14 pm
Thus site is starting to read like TMZ. How about some Bucs news.
February 20th, 2024 at 5:50 pm
Daniel Hammond
“As far as Baker Mayfield goes, the other players must be signed first”
Lmfao
You’re new to the NFL, arent you.
Why must the other players come first?
Without Mayfield, they will just be a bunch of losers, on a losing team.
Because that is EXACTLY what Evans and David were before Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield. Years of being on losing teams.
Neither of them made a difference then. They sure wont now that they’re old.
Let me help you.
In the NFL, one position is critical. If you dont have it, you will be a losing team
I dont care who else is on the team.
That position is QB.
Teams tank for a chance to draft one, the draft kids waaaay higher than their talent, on the off chance that they can play QB in the NFL.
We stumbled into a young QB, who won the NFC South, a playoff game, and was voted to the probowl.
Its like winning the lottery.
The Bucs have drafted 26 Qbs in their history. Not one probowler. No Superbowls.
None even signed a second contract.
So, even if we lose ALL the other players- WE SIGN MAYFIELD.
Great FAs will be happy to play for a team with a great QB.
All other positions can be signed as FAs, or drafted.
Not Qb. We got lucky. Will never happen again
February 20th, 2024 at 6:36 pm
David seems like the type of dude to never play for another team, he’d retire first..and I think he should definitely get a raise the same contract as last year, maybe with more incentives should do it! And guys like him play hard when their signed, he never would sully his reputation this far into his career and loaf…we already have one of those guys, playing right beside him
February 20th, 2024 at 7:06 pm
We’ve paid Lavonte well over the years. Made him a multimillionaire.
Sure they will pay him well now
February 20th, 2024 at 7:38 pm
Like Teddy KGB said, “Pay that man his money.”
February 20th, 2024 at 9:38 pm
Lack of money is kicking our butts this year. We were lucky it didn’t kick our butts last year.
Losing FA’s we want to keep really ticks me off!
Go
February 21st, 2024 at 4:20 am
If the Bucs went from having negative $85 mil last year and still found a way to resign players and put a playoff team on the field, what do you think they can do with $37 mil in the green ? Just because it says they only have $37 mil , doesn’t mean they can’t make things happen. Some of you people know nothing about football. And this is one of the only blog by Joe that I don’t like. It’s misleading and trying to stir up things that aren’t reality. David will either return or retire. He will not go play for another team. If David wants to play, then he will play. He’s made a lot of money in his 12 years, so I don’t think he’s worried about getting 2 million less than the AINTS salary cap strapped LB .. Go Bucs
February 21st, 2024 at 12:43 pm
I think it’s a given, we pay David and he signs with us, IF he still wants to play ball in 2024.
February 21st, 2024 at 3:48 pm
If you don’t pay David, this defense will look lost and confused next year, and the young guys will not develop to their full potential.