5 active Tampa Bay Buccaneers destined for the Hall of Fame
By Rob Leeds
Lavonte David has effectively been cursed by the Buccaneers. As the longest-tenured player on the roster, David has been neglected as one of the best linebackers in the NFL for most of his career due to Tampa Bay’s weak performances year after year.
Despite having stats on par with the likes of Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner, David has often been omitted from the All-Pro rosters and the Pro Bowl alike. Given that they have both played for the same amount of time, Kuechly is an excellent comparison for David, especially considering that some believe Kuchely deserves a spot in the HOF.
Kuechly has seven more interceptions (18), 84 more tackles (1092), but ten fewer sacks (12.5) and 41 fewer tackles for loss (75) than David. Clearly, there are some differences in play style, but their overall impact on the NFL is similar. David will have longevity on his side now as well.
Due to his unmatched versatility, David should easily be in contention as the best linebacker in the NFL, and that versatility holds up well against other current members of the Hall of Fame.
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Like Evans, David still has some proving to do, but he is undoubtedly on the right track. If David can continue at his current pace and reaps the benefits of the new status of the Buccaneers, his odds of making it into the HOF down the road improve significantly.