2021 NFL Draft: Buccaneers mock draft with Chris Godwin replacement
By Rob Leeds
An attempt for the Buccaneers to replace Lavonte David with draft pick #2
Jabril Cox, LB, LSU
Lavonte David is not the type of player that the Buccaneers can replace in year one. David is a likely Hall of Fame option and has been invaluable to Tampa for the better part of a decade.
Unfortunately, the Buccaneers will have to pay David like one of the best linebackers in the NFL if they want to keep him, and this number could easily get above 10 million per season. While David is hard to replace, the Bucs could see Devin White as their next defensive star for the next decade and hold on to their money to bring him back down the road.
It isn’t easy to move on from a generational talent like David, but the Bucs need to weigh their need and other options. Linebackers are almost always over-valued in free agency, and a draft pick would cost a tenth of what David would in 2021.
Jabril Cox only had one season at LSU, but that one season showed a player that is extremely underrated at what the Buccaneers need; coverage. With three interceptions and five passes defended, Cox could be the perfect option to pair with Devin White for the future.
With Cox in coverage and Devin White rushing the passer and blowing up plays in the backfield, Tampa Bay would ensure that the defense would stay intact after losing one of its best players ever, and Cox could grow into an excellent linebacker for Todd Bowles to use down the road.