Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David will be one of the most coveted players in free agency, which is why these teams would be lucky to sign him.
If anyone is a pillar of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s Lavonte David.
David has long been underrated and overlooked in a small market, and he’s consistently one of the best linebackers in the NFL. He’s had 100+ tackles and 10+ TFL in nine of his 11 NFL seasons. Last year, David finished the season with 124 tackles, 10 TFL, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
That’s why his projected value is around $9.7 million according to Spotrac, but it’s likely that David will be paid more than that. Teams who want him will have to pay up, and while he’s said he wants to retire a Buccaneer, the team may not be able to make that possible given their current state of affairs.
Here are the five best fits for Lavonte David as he explores his NFL future in free agency.
Lavonte David rumors: 5 landing spots in 2023 free agency
5. Dallas Cowboys
According to recent reports, the Dallas Cowboys are making “no progress” toward finalizing a deal with middle linebacker Leighton Vander Esch.
It’s discouraging news for fans of Vander Esch, but it’s an encouraging development for David if he is interested in signing with the Cowboys.
The 33-year-old David could coach up the Cowboys defense and direct young stars like Micah Parsons, not to mention the flexibility David’s interior coverage would offer to Parsons as an edge rusher.
4. Buffalo Bills
Tremaine Edmunds earned a massive contract with his 2022 performance, but it seems as though that contract may not extend his career with the Buffalo Bills.
“I’m gonna let the process take shape,” Edmunds told FOX Sports in February. “You know what I mean? Like, you know, they’ve been good to me. So I definitely say thank you to the Bills for everything that they’ve done for me these last five years. But like I said, man, I’m just right now — I’m in the backseat.”
If Edmunds is out, David could join fellow veteran linebacker Von Miller, which would unite two of the best linebackers of the past decade on the same team.
The Bills have steadily built up one of the NFL’s most skilled defenses, and adding a Super Bowl champion to the roster could pay dividends in the postseason.
3. New York Giants
The New York Giants enter free agency with a distinguished advantage: they possess enough cap space to entice big-name free agents.
Lavonte David is the best available player at his position, and the Giants are in desperate need of an upgrade at inside linebacker. Right now, the Giants are starting Jaylon Smith at left inside linebacker and Micah McFadden at right inside linebacker, according to ESPN.
New York is expected to address this issue during the NFL Draft, but if they have the means, they can address it ahead of time by signing David in free agency.
Another appealing aspect of the Giants’ defense is the fact that it’s a 3-4 scheme, which is what David already plays down in Tampa. If David can amplify the performance of a rookie linebacker the way he did with Devin White, the Giants could make it much further in the playoffs this season.
The Giants do need to sign Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones, but any leftover funds should go toward signing Lavonte David.
2. Las Vegas Raiders
Much like the Giants, the Las Vegas Raiders are one of the rare NFL teams swimming with salary cap savings. Inside linebacker Denzel Perryman is expected to hit free agency, and if the Raiders move on from Perryman, it could be an effort to make space for David.
After a 6-11 finish in 2022, the Raiders have been determined to shake up their franchise, exemplified by their decision to move on from longtime quarterback Derek Carr. Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels must prove his merit this season, and if the Raiders front office can offer a player like Lavonte David, it can give a struggling defense a much-needed jolt of energy.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Even though a case can be made for several NFL teams, the best NFL fit for Lavonte David is the one he currently has with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Not only is this where David has grown and developed as a player, but it’s where David hopes to hang up his cleats eventually.
“Obviously, I would love to be back in Tampa,” David said via Pewter Report. “I played 11 years there. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. But I’m not naïve to the business side of football. So, I’m definitely grateful for whatever happens after.”
What makes this difficult for all parties involved is that the Buccaneeers currently have negative cap space, and the retirement of Tom Brady hasn’t helped the current fire sale of dedicated Bucs players.
The Bucs are focused on rebuilding for the future knowing full well they can’t offer David much by way of playoff aspirations for the next few years. David may want to retire with the Bucs, but he deserves to be paid well and to play for a highly-competitive contender. It could happen elsewhere, but most likely, David will remain in Tampa Bay.