Lavonte David Is Back
March 15th, 2023
Returns for 2023.
Updated 3:56 p.m. – How did the Bucs pull this off?
Franchise icon Lavonte David will return to the Bucs! That’s the word from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The Buccaneers’ leading tackler last season is coming back on a one-year deal for a guaranteed $7 million.
Joe thought surely David, 33, was gone. The Bucs were terribly crunched under the salary cap. When the Bucs were able to sign Jamel Dean, Joe thought that was the end of David.
This will be Year 12 in Bucs colors for David, which puts him in even more rare territory in franchise history. Derrick Brooks played 14 years in Tampa. Rondé Barber logged 16 years. Ring of Honor left tackle Paul Gruber notched a dozen years.
Maybe the Bucs will contend in the weaksauce NFC South?
Fantastic news.
Veteran LB Lavonte David is returning to the #Bucs on a one-year, $7 million guaranteed deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Back for a 12th season in Tampa at age 33. pic.twitter.com/1BsJuc6fZt
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 15, 2023
March 15th, 2023 at 2:26 pm
Victory!!! Pumped about this news.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:26 pm
Hashtag fricking AWESOME!!!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:26 pm
Glad he’s back. Looks like a good off-season so far.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:28 pm
Best news so far I wonder if someone is going to get traded by 4.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:29 pm
FANTASTIC!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Awesome sauce!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Yes!!!
It’s the right thing to do
March 15th, 2023 at 2:32 pm
Awesome news! Also heard we signed Baker Mayfield! Now draft Hendon Hooker
March 15th, 2023 at 2:32 pm
7mil guaranteed for LVD
March 15th, 2023 at 2:36 pm
News just keeps getting better. I’m sure Joes waiting for official word, but I read the Bucs were signing Mayfield to a one year $8mil contract.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:36 pm
Love it…. LVD is an all time Buc
March 15th, 2023 at 2:36 pm
Awesome! Now trade D. White before 4 pm.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:36 pm
Wow, he should get a tax write off for all the charity he just gave the bucs
March 15th, 2023 at 2:37 pm
awesome news. he is so important to this defense and this organization… so pumped.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:37 pm
Whoo hooo!!!!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:37 pm
Yes!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
This and Nelson in happy about!! Mayfield, yuck!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
I’m*
March 15th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
So glad to have him back! Now ball out again this year and make them resign you again next offseason.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Wonderful move – Lavonte is a Day 1 and deserves to retire a buc – he’s earned it!! Jason Licht you are always invited to the cookout 🙂
March 15th, 2023 at 2:41 pm
Cool!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:41 pm
Welcome Back Bredren
Go Bucs!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:44 pm
Apparently we’ve extended the qualifying offer to Dee Delaney as an ERFA, might be looking to have him at the least as depth and at the most compete for the spot at Nickel. Still waiting to hear if we’re interested in bring Edwards back.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:45 pm
Thanks Lavonte, one of my alltime favorite Bucs, and for all you Baker haters, don’t be surprised if he lights it up, nice job Licht and Greenberg
March 15th, 2023 at 2:45 pm
LVD is back and like Dean and Nelson he signed a very team friendly deal – only $7M…
I like everything the Bucs are doing this off season.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:46 pm
Dang Jason Licht, first Dean with a home team discount then LVD on the cheap? Very nice work!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:46 pm
Nice!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:47 pm
Things are really looking good for the Bucs for the upcoming season. Signing Mayfield wasn’t one of my wishes but, it seems to be a decent move. I worry about Mayfield attitude but if we can deal Antonio Brown we should be good with Mayfield. Mayfield is not have the knuckle head that Brown was Brown did help us win a Superbowl. Hope Mayfield does the same. Now it’s up to Bowles to mesh this into a winning team
March 15th, 2023 at 2:47 pm
Nice message by the bucs. Those who give respect get respect.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:49 pm
i remember when MIKE JOHNSON laughed at me for LVD taking a hometown discount of 2 yrs/$16 million with $10 guaranteed. seems like i was pretty spot on!
MIKE JOHNSON, do you have a comment on this?
March 15th, 2023 at 2:49 pm
How did the Bucs pull this off?
——–
Borrow against next year, using void years. With David, however, he had a $7m void year hit this season if he left – so, if I understand things correctly, they can just pay him $7m and push that void year hit until next year. Not sure that’s exactly what they did, but it’s going to be something like that.
Glad he’s back!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
Great!!! thought we has moving to Buffalo…..
I am not a hater nor a fan of JL, but so far I am very pleased on this offseason so far….
March 15th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
It’s strange thst at this time, everybody knows about Baker Mayfield being a Buc, yet Joe haven’t mentioned anything it.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:52 pm
Dean, Nelson and LVD all sign team friendly deals…
It’s safe to say the “Brady EFFECT” no longer matters.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:55 pm
@ Rod
It will be interesting to see the contract for LVD. But I believe you are correct.
The Bucs owed LVD $6.8M in dead cap space.
So signing him for $7M and allowing us to push that $6.8M into 2024 is an excellent deal for the home team.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:55 pm
Welcome back Mr. David #54!
March 15th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
Oh you mean they didn’t clear it with you first Rod Munch?
March 15th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
I think people on this site spend so much time ragging on what Todd Bowles is/is not that they really miss out on the influence he has on his players, especially those that play on his defense. You don’t have to give him the credit for Nelly, Dean, & David staying, but our defenders have been signing Bowles praises since 2019.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
Hopefully, this doesn’t mean that either Evans or Godwin gets traded. I know that there is a lot of wishful thinking and scuttlebutt about Evans online and elsewhere (OTOH, Evans wouldn’t make a dent in the cap this year or next – it is in 2025 that the cap hit for Evans gets troublesome).
March 15th, 2023 at 2:57 pm
Marine Buc – yeah, I have no issues with bringing back David, certainly not at this price, and even at the cost of next years cap. I hope that, like Brooks, he retires as a Buc and then makes it into the HOF on the 1st ballot.
March 15th, 2023 at 2:59 pm
There is no such thing as a salary cap…
There is no such thing as a salary cap…
There is no such thing as a salary cap..
March 15th, 2023 at 3:00 pm
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
Now trade Devin White!
March 15th, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Anybody who says we’re not winning free agency is smoking meth.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:01 pm
Depending on how the new deal is structured, we just might have re-signed David while lowering his dead cap # in 2024
March 15th, 2023 at 3:01 pm
Anyone that wants Devin White traded has a two-watt lightbulb for a brain.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:01 pm
NICE!!!!!!!!!
Welcome back LD54!!
March 15th, 2023 at 3:01 pm
To all the capologists saying the Bucs cant resign anyone. Please STFU i hope you finally realize that they can sign pretty much anyone they want….
March 15th, 2023 at 3:02 pm
Anyone that wants to keep Devin White has a two-watt lightbulb for a brain.
fixed it for ya guy
March 15th, 2023 at 3:02 pm
Color me a mixture of surprised & pleased……Dean & LVD are the two Bucs I didn’t think we’d sign……shows how much I know.
Licht continues to squeeze whatever he needs out to the cap….amazing.
Now, lets get Mayfield…….he will at least make us competitive.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:06 pm
FACT: Lavonte David is the best player on this defense and a good leader. He leads underlings by example and he survived a bear attack.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:07 pm
🙂
March 15th, 2023 at 3:09 pm
@ rrsrq
I’ve been preaching that for over decade on this site.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:09 pm
David is smarter and a much better leader than White. White has more physical skills.
Sometimes White comes off as a me-first ego guy who overruns plays and gets out of position a lot.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
uhmmm Says:
March 15th, 2023 at 3:01 pm
No, they can’t. They are pushing some of these hits into future years, especially Dean. They can’t sign any 20 million dollar players without jacking up the cap in the future. Eventually the piper calls. So far, all these signings have been at or slightly under market.
We will have some cap manipulations to do again next year as well, and more as we add other guys.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
great news.
HIs instincts and coverage skills would be sorely missed.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
@ Dooley
I wouldn’t put anything past Mike Greenberg.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:18 pm
The Buccaneers are in great shape so far nevermind the draft baker Mayfield is going to do great this year with this offense and he’s mobile why so much negativity?
March 15th, 2023 at 3:19 pm
So glad he is back, I figured he would get more than that though.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:19 pm
❤️
March 15th, 2023 at 3:23 pm
Jason Light and Company are building a team to compete for the NFL South. The Defense can keep the Bucs in the game and our new O. C. needs to talk the walk and score POINTS.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:24 pm
Lmmfao cause no one wanted him but us 😂😂😂😂 should’ve let him go smh
March 15th, 2023 at 3:24 pm
Wow!!! Awesome!!!
I am beyond happy. Time to have a celebratory beverage.
So fantastic. Too bad we can’t cut the Bloweszo and get a coach who can teach coverage assignments ahead of the game instead of in the film room on Monday after all the busts.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:25 pm
Yay!!!!!! Great job Jason Licht
March 15th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
“Maybe the Bucs just might contend in the weaksauce NFC South?”
Too much. negativity around here! The Bucs have a very talented roster.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Maybe the “Bucs should tank this season” crowd will finally shut up! Go Bucs!!!
March 15th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
@ Sasq
I agree.
The salary cap is like a credit card. You can borrow against it until it’s maxed out.
When a team is within it’s 3-4 year Super Bowl window it is wise to max out that credit card in order to win a Super Bowl…
That is what the Bucs did from 2019-2022.
Now it’s time to pay down the debt.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:32 pm
@LuvMyBucs
I’m actually counting on it tbh
March 15th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
The south still runs thru TB
March 15th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
Great news!
March 15th, 2023 at 3:36 pm
@ Dooley
No doubt!
March 15th, 2023 at 3:38 pm
LET’S GOOOOOOOOO!
March 15th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
Best signing so far, the rest anticlimactic.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:41 pm
@ Marine Buc
Spot On!
#Repost
LUVMYBUCS Says:
March 13th, 2014 at 6:34 pm
“There’s a lot of flexibility with the cap,”
“It’s really like everyday life, where you have your budget that you have to live with, but you also have your credit cards that give you some room.”
While some view the cap as an elastic budget, others say it comes down to a team’s particular patience
Per: Ed McGuire, Resident Cap Guru and Vice President of Football Operations for the Chargers
March 15th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
Love this!
Where’s the article about signing Baker?
March 15th, 2023 at 3:53 pm
How did they pull it off? Nobody else wanted an old and slow linebacker?
March 15th, 2023 at 3:58 pm
Feel good signing for sure…maybe The Bros. Glazer learned a thing or two after doing Brooks a little dirty at the end of his Hall of Fame career. This will likely be David’s final year…hope he avoids injury and doesn’t fall off a cliff skills wise.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:58 pm
The Negative Nancy’s and Debbie Downers who dominate these comment threads at JBF are going to end up with exploding heads at the rate things are going for Jason Licht and this free agency process.
The Bucs won’t “win free agency” which at best is always a dubious honor bestowed by various media talking heads and writers … we were too salary cap challenged and too talent-laden to do that. Frankly, for fans, you never want your team to “win free agency”.
But at the same time, Jason Licht has shown his mastery of general managing of the Bucs, and he is only about ten thousand times better at it than any of the know it alls and Negative Nancy’s and Debbie Downers here in the JBF comment threads.
March 15th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
Having him back makes D.White a better player! He gets lost with out David…..Him, Evans, and Godwin should never wear another team’s jersey!
March 15th, 2023 at 4:53 pm
Now THIS is great news!
March 15th, 2023 at 4:57 pm
A 33 year old LB, but this signing is for the sentimental Bucs !! Still have no plan
March 15th, 2023 at 5:01 pm
The Bucs defense really needed this signing!!! LD is still one of the best LB to play this game!! He can cover and tackle as well as anyone!!
March 15th, 2023 at 5:08 pm
One of the best to wear our uniform. Deserves this chance to retire a Buc in a couple years. Welcome back Lavonte!
March 15th, 2023 at 5:12 pm
HELL YES!! Love it!!
March 15th, 2023 at 5:18 pm
Best news of the FA period, instant ROH place for LVD in RayJay, he might not get a gold jacket but he is an all time great to us no matter what
March 15th, 2023 at 5:29 pm
Yes!
March 15th, 2023 at 5:30 pm
Buccaneer for Life. Future ROH member. Great community member. Would have understood if he left to make more and chase another ring with the Chiefs.
March 15th, 2023 at 5:42 pm
LVD is a Buc for life! Baker Mayfield not so much… lol
March 15th, 2023 at 5:57 pm
Predicted if he returned it would have to be year-to-year. Good for him. At least if he starts regressing, we won’t have to eat a contract.
March 15th, 2023 at 6:12 pm
Great news!
I’m just curious about where all this new money is coming from.
Dean, David, Mayfield…I thought the cap was tight.
March 15th, 2023 at 6:24 pm
Perfect and solid work so far this offseason for Mr Licht now let’s draft his replacement in the draft that he can groom a little this year, but allows them the room to focus on the edge and lines first and foremost
March 15th, 2023 at 6:39 pm
Good job, Bucs and Lavonte. I would understand if he left but I love that he is back.
March 15th, 2023 at 7:08 pm
Awesome. Glad we’re bringing this class act back.
– Verclept Buc fan
March 15th, 2023 at 10:07 pm
@Cobra, they cleared a lot of room with restructuring….a few more to come im sure. The players are going to have to realize that. We’ll be alright.
Now lets sign a cheap RT since it looks like Wirfs is our new LT….and we need to sign his backup if he goes down.
Then draft Steve Avila…a swiss army of an olineman….he’s played all positions except LT.
March 15th, 2023 at 10:10 pm
D Washington
S Avila
H Hooker
D Achane
J Moody
March 15th, 2023 at 10:30 pm
Great News! Bucs Cap Wizards Mike Greenberg and Jacqueline Davidson and GM Jason Licht are absolutely amazing!!!
March 15th, 2023 at 11:41 pm
At last, I can breathe easy knowing we still have LVD!! YAY! We will still be in a cap bind next year but in no way as bad as this year. I really believe that Licht is doing what he said he would and it is all going to happen. Climb out of “cap Hell” and compile a competitive team this year. YAY LaVonte!!
March 16th, 2023 at 9:34 am
He’s the greatest Buccaneer of the post-Gruden era, followed right behind by Mike Evans. He needs to retire a Buc under any circumstance. And he cannot be playing on other teams if we have absolute dog poop to replace him with on the roster.