While it might not be at the top of the laundry list of offseason questions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to answer, the future of Lavonte David is no doubt an important one.
David just finished his 14th season with the Bucs, and all signs seem to point toward it being his last. He’s managed to mostly defeat Father Time, especially with his performance in the 2024 season, but it was clear that age had caught up with him last year. Far too many times he looked like an aged veteran, and for the first time in his career fans were vocal about his dip in production, even if he was still playing at a much higher level than most players at his position this deep into their careers.
Even though he had clearly shown down, David set franchise records last year and continued to show the leadership that has made him so critically important to the franchise and its fans. Time comes for everyone, though, and it’s not just Bucs fans who think that we’ve seen the legend play his final down in Tampa.
Former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians recently dropped by Up and Adams and pretty much said what we’re all thinking about what David’s decision about his future will be this offseason.
Bruce Arians thinks Lavonte David will retire this offseason
“I don’t know about Mike,” Arians said. “But I think Lavonte probably is going to retire. I never count him out. He goes back every year and sees how he’s feeling. The guy is amazing. He just stays in great shape. I’d be shocked if Mike retires.”
Let’s not gloss over that tidbit about Mike Evans, who has a similar decision to make about his future. Unlike David, who entered the league two years before Evans, it seemed the Bucs’ wide receiver still has a little more left in the tank and has proven to be far more impactful.
That’s absolutely not a knock on David, who should be allowed to retire gracefully and will have earned his spot both in retirement and the team’s Ring of Honor one day. He’s also the next Bucs legend in line to be a Hall of Famer — Tom Brady notwithstanding — and will forever be one of the most important players to have ever played for the franchise.
It’s possible he returns for one last rodeo, but the writing seemed to be on the wall last season. David looked slower than we’ve ever seen him, he made more mistakes than he’s been prone to in the past, and was on the wrong side of plays he usually isn’t.
Linebacker was already a giant question mark for the Bucs heading into this offseason, and David retiring will only further emphasize how big of a priority it is for the front office. It’s a position that needs to be addressed twice, in free agency and again in the NFL Draft, but it seems no matter what happens David won’t be in the picture for the first time in 15 years.