Is It Now About Money For Lavonte David?
March 14th, 2026
Joe is very intrigued by the silence from free agent Lavonte David’s camp.
Joe knows David, 36, told people close to him two or three months ago that he wasn’t planning on playing a 15th NFL season in 2026.
Then something changed.
David had his ailing knee cleaned up through arthroscopic knee surgery after last season and started feeling great. Right after the Super Bowl, David told the world he’s “got a lot of football left in me.” And David said it with confidence.
As of a couple of weeks ago, the Bucs didn’t know David’s plans. Early this week, David’s agent hopped on WDAE radio and said an answer on David is coming soon. The agent, Ron Butler, also said he was very aware of the two-year, $22 million deal signed by David’s friend and 2012 draft classmate Demario Davis.
Joe will add that David, for years, has said he talks regularly to future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner, also from David’s draft class. Wagner is a free agent, too, and does not plan to retire.
As of March 14, the quiet from David screams to Joe that David wants to play or is at least leaning heavily toward playing. And that money will be a factor. Yes, the Bucs want David back, but at what price? Would David be willing to play for, say, only $4 million plus a bunch of incentives? He’s used to earning double that.
The Bucs signing 31-year-old veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone is likely enticing to David, Joe believes. Why wouldn’t David want to play next to a mature veteran linebacker for a change, a high-energy guy, too?
David hasn’t really had that since Daryl Smith started alongside him in 2016. Yeah, Joe could argue Devin White was a veteran in his last Bucs season in 2023, but he also was a locker room problem who was benched late that season.
A lot of Bucs fans think David is washed up and should wave goodbye and have a nice retirement party. But if he’s healthy, training and the surgery was successful, why shouldn’t the Bucs want him?
Draft a linebacker and let David mentor him and Todd Bowles figure out playing time.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:08 am
Derrick Brooks is also feeling good. Sign him!!!!
Pure nonsense to bring back an over the hill LB when it is our weakest position on defense.
This is the line of thinking that gets you stuck with Covacea Dennis at LB.
I’m sure Bowles wants Dennis and David back. What could go wrong????
#SuperBowles
March 14th, 2026 at 9:09 am
Cant lose David too, gotta pay him
he’s still our top instinctual linebacker, practically a coach that can still play, can teach hopefully Sonny Styles here soon
Imagine one last vintage hoorah with LVD back there with a cleaned up knee
March 14th, 2026 at 9:10 am
If a player in year FOURTEEN who is coming off of a year in which his play wasn’t that great, and it was indeed about the money, 2 of the best statements that player’s agent can say publicly are…
1) He’s very aware of what others at the position just got
2) The not up to standard year and Father Time signs were about a knee injury and not a dropoff, loss of step or Father Time doing his thing, it was solely a knee issue and now we’ve cleaned it up
YEA. his agent is looking for more money for LVD. And that directive comes from LVD himself.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:11 am
“Draft a linebacker and let David mentor him and Todd Bowles figure out playing time.”
I agree.
But don’t pay more than $4-$5M plus incentives…
Plus – I’m skeptical of LVD’s “mentoring” abilities. He hasn’t done a very good job “mentoring” SVD.
If LVD is looking for another big payday he should look elsewhere like ME13 did. Go fleece another sucker for your big payday.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:15 am
David Very Much Deserves Money, dude has been the bedrock here for very long time and has played very well consistently through horrible years
If anything its just thank you for everything money
March 14th, 2026 at 9:16 am
Need to know how much of his dropoff owed to his knee. His “passer rating allowed” was 132, which I take as EVERY SINGLE attempt was a complete
March 14th, 2026 at 9:17 am
With Alex Anzalone in the fold now, Bucs need to draft at least 1 (and preferably 2) ILBs high this year. This is a quality draft for ILBs, and we can’t by-pass this opportunity.
Assuming we draft someone in Rnd 1 or 2 like CJ Allen, Jacob Rodriquez or Anthony Hill, we’d have to let them start. Cannot sit a Rnd 1 or Rnd 2 guy on the bench.
Bottom line: there’s no full-time role for LVD. We’re committed.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:23 am
If LVD plays meaningful minutes in 2026, then we know that Bowles isn’t serious about improving the defense. 36 year old LB’s who can’t run are a liability. Time to move on. Doesn’t denigrate his past just an acknowledgement that his time has past.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:29 am
Bye!
March 14th, 2026 at 9:29 am
George Allen method of roster construction. How’d that work out? Bubblegum and duct tape patching all the holes. Money all poorly allocated leading to this patchwork quilt of aging vets. If you’re going to build through the draft you have to commit to it and trade away the vets while you can still get value for them. JL chooses to overpay them and have a top heavy team with no cap room. Trapped in his own box of Mismanagement. The bad drafts of defensive players leave no other options. Now gambling on rookies or washed up aged vets. So much for guru ROH status.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:29 am
Time is not on his side.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:34 am
“The Bucs signing 31-year-old veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone is likely enticing to David, Joe believes. Why wouldn’t David want to play next to a mature veteran linebacker for a change, a high-energy guy, too?“
Bingo, and I’d be curious to know if David has tapped in with Anzalone, Robinson, or AQM since they’ve been signed. Could’ve sworn it was reported David would make a decision sometime next week, but could be mistaken.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:41 am
LVD doesn’t need the money and he doesn’t NEED to play. I trust he makes the right decision based on his body.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:42 am
Get Akeem Meesidor Round 1. Grown man strength at 25.
The get Jacob Rodriguez even if you have to trade up to get him. Let Anzalone mentor him.
Save some money unless Lavonte will take $ 4million plus incentives.
I see CBS has Bobby Wagner rated as one of top 10 free agents still available. And his knees aren’t injured.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:50 am
Prepare to get hosed for millions fellow Yuccaneer fans.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:51 am
Would love the Bucs to bring him back as Coach LVD. Beef up the staff and mentor the next generation.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:06 am
The only now
Is to retire!
March 14th, 2026 at 10:07 am
Good rotational player at this age
March 14th, 2026 at 10:13 am
I hope people are aware that the main reason Mesidor is so old is he has had multiple serious foot surgeries and missed the entire 2023 season,if I’m not mistaken, but I like the idea of double dipping with 2 Edge Rushers & 2 ILBers with the 1st 4picks! EDGE RUSHER at #15 for sure thou and probably gonna need to climb back up in the 3rd round as well to get that last quality player the Bucs need🚩🏴☠️🚩‼️
March 14th, 2026 at 10:19 am
I 100% want David back. I didn’t think he would play another year, but if he does, I want him!
March 14th, 2026 at 10:20 am
I don’t really care about the money. Not my job!
March 14th, 2026 at 10:26 am
LVD says he will retire or play for the Bucs. Give him a deal with a base salary with incentives. If he does not want the deal because he wants Demario Davis, then he gets to retire as a Buc. I do not think LVD has anything to prove without a change of scenery like Evans did.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:33 am
Joe should be intrigued by the incompetence of our head coach and why was he extended. Not because of common sense that good players dont want to play in tanking teams.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:36 am
So the Bucs are supposed to pay good money for a “mentor”, despite having LB coaches.?! Let’s bring back Batman Wood while we’re at it. SMH
March 14th, 2026 at 10:36 am
I wouldn’t bring him back for more than 5. Esp if the Bucs end up drafting a high round LB in the draft anything more than 5 is an emotional signing. If David wants to play, they cant just hand him the job. He has to show last year was about his knee and not father time, although I am skeptical.
Amazing player, one of my all time favs but with M1k3 gone might as well move on from LvD too.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:51 am
He’ll sign with the 49ers. All his professed Bowles love is hogwash.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:54 am
JL loves to overpay. 9mil last year. Expect the same.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:59 am
Well said, Bonzai.
March 14th, 2026 at 11:51 am
Love LVD but I don’t think mentoring, much like using proper grammar, is a skill set that he possesses.
March 14th, 2026 at 12:48 pm
Stop implying that LVD can mentor anyone. Just because you are good at a job does NOT mean you are good at teaching others the job. LVD has had 14 yrs to mentor someone, ANYONE, and nothing. No heir apparent, no mentee rising above their grade, no ability to snap his defense out of a funk as the unit’s Captian, no on field general to get guys in position to make a play, NOTHING. He is a great player, but has proven NOTHING as a mentor
March 14th, 2026 at 12:49 pm
Lewi Says:
March 14th, 2026 at 9:15 am
If anything its just thank you for everything money
Man am I glad you’re not the GM. Bucs have made David generationally wealthy. And last year he swindled the Bucs into giving him $9M for bottom-of-the-league LB play. If anything, he should be returning some of last year’s money.
This is the NFL, not the Hallmark Channel
March 14th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Please put David out to pasture. Seems like over half the plays last year, he was either running there after the play or nowhere to be seen. His time has come and gone. I fear if he does return, Bowles will start him. We need to get younger and quicker at his position.
March 14th, 2026 at 1:55 pm
I saw WRs blowing right past him last year when he was in coverage near the red zone, one was TD and LVD was torched. Can’t remember the game, maybe Carolina? Bottom line is that he has lost speed and agility. Would like him back, but not with a crazy contract. Bucs had like $35M in dead cap in 2023, not sure what it is now, but Bucs don’t need to get in another bind when LVD retires.
March 14th, 2026 at 2:02 pm
The guy is 36 years old. Time to move on.
March 14th, 2026 at 2:14 pm
buc4evr – “Bucs had like $35M in dead cap in 2023, not sure what it is now”
Well, it was less than a million dollars before Evans left but his dead cap hit, alone, is going to be $13 million. According to Over The Cap, the Bucs total dead cap money for 2026, post-Evans departure, now sits at $13,329,591. Spotrac still show the Bucs at $253,922, but they must be out of date numbers.
March 14th, 2026 at 2:17 pm
Commit to a 4-man front and have LVD play when three backers are on the field. Probably first downs mostly.
March 14th, 2026 at 2:25 pm
I’d pay David whatever it takes within reason – hopefully an incentive-laden contract.
Last year, David was #2 on the team in solo tackles, #1 in assisted tackles, #1 in total tackles (by far), #3 in sacks, #3 in tackles for loss, tied for #1 in forced fumbles, tied for #1 in fumbles recovered and one of only nine players with an interception.
Sure seems to me that a guy playing on a bum leg did pretty well – especially for an old washed up player.
March 14th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
Scotty Mack — especially for an old washed up player
It was not only PFF (52.6 grade) that gave him a low grade or Pro Football Reference (missed tackles over 10% and passer rating over 120) — but it was also all us Bucs fans that watched him every game.
Unfortunately, he is washed up.
March 14th, 2026 at 2:50 pm
HC Grover Says:
March 14th, 2026 at 9:50 am
“Prepare to get hosed for millions fellow Yuccaneer fans.”
Wait, how much salary are you paying ? Anybody else here paying LVDs salary ?
It ain’t your money bro. Or anybody else’s here that complains about how the team money is spent.
March 14th, 2026 at 3:04 pm
David looked washed last year. Not every play, though. It’s like he picked his spots to conserve energy. He’s a year older. Does anyone really think he’ll be better this year. Retire with your dignity, David.
March 14th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Dtownva – “Does anyone really think he’ll be better this year”
I do. David described the knee injury he had last season as one of the worst injuries he’s had in his career. It required weekly draining of up to 50 ccs of fluid to bring the swelling down enough for him to bend it.
I’m thinking the arthroscopic surgey he just had during the offseason might improve his mobility greatly.
I remember having a bad knee that blew up every single game when I played baseball. I could hardly run by the end of each game but a few days later, the swelling went down (until the next game).
Yeah, I think it will make a big difference!
March 14th, 2026 at 4:08 pm
Players don’t care about money – they’ll take minimum wage to play with a winner like Baker Mayfield!
March 14th, 2026 at 4:24 pm
We need David Back
March 14th, 2026 at 4:27 pm
He was hurt just chill
March 14th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
“I AM that man” – Lavonte David
March 14th, 2026 at 6:46 pm
A healthy 36 year old just ain’t as good as a 26 year old. Feeling good at 36 isn’t the same as Feeling good at 26. It’s over for David. Someone tell him, and Joe.
March 14th, 2026 at 6:47 pm
we could have eleven new starters on defense and still do better than last year, that defense was so bad and he was the leader…. who cares!
March 14th, 2026 at 10:54 pm
LVD is still better than SVD.
$4M base, another $2M in 1/17th fractions for each game he plays in; another $2M in 1/17th fractions for games in which he plays more than 50% of snaps on D, and $1M pre pop for team lead in tackles, sacks, interceptions, FF, FR, Pro Bowl selection, and $4M All Pro (something to dream about and soothe the ego).
Worst case and best case, spend $4M and he rides the bench because the new guys are that good and he is that bad. Very good value case, he is a superior rotational player and earns $6M. And, if he actually earns any other bonus, the Bucs got a bargain.
March 15th, 2026 at 1:19 am
Hardy Nickerson himself would look like Hardy HarHar in this defense. So it doesn’t matter. LVD, SVD, KJB, Abalone, whoever. Same result regardless.
March 15th, 2026 at 2:54 am
Dewey Selmon just said he feels like he has a lot of football left in him. Sign him up.
March 15th, 2026 at 11:33 am
He is not better than SVD now. He hampered SVD imo by taking away from SVD blitz opportunities and not allowing him to assert himself as leader in shadow of buccaneers great
March 15th, 2026 at 2:04 pm
Still wearing his jersey till he comes back
March 16th, 2026 at 11:13 am
WTF is this Daryl Smith that David played next to in 2016?
And for all the numbnuts that believe other players regularly and successfully “mentor” others…. what happened to Dennis… How about Devin White? Who mentored David? Some of y’all believe the biggest fairytales.