The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of those teams in the NFL that just finds a way to be a threat every week, but they are looking to have more playoff success than they’ve had recently. During this free agency period and leading up to the draft, the Bucs have prioritized bringing back their own players, and one of them has been their longest-tenured player in linebacker Lavonte David.
Tampa Bay and David agree on a one-year deal worth $10 million, but he gets $9 million guaranteed. The Bucs are rewarding him with this contract after a steller 2024 performance (122 total tackles, 5.5 sacks 6 pass deflections, and 3 forced fumbles).
However, at 35 years old, time is running out on David’s career overall, not just with Tampa Bay. This is where the Bucs are going to need to address the future at linebacker in this year’s NFL Draft sooner than later. The Bucs have a great setup for a rookie linebacker to come in, learn from David and then eventually take over as a full-time starter starting next season.
In an NFL mock draft written by Sayre Bedinger of NFL Spin Zone, the Buccaneers manage to find their successor to Lavonte David with Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell.
"NFL teams don’t always love “tweener” types of players but Jihaad Campbell is a rare blend of athleticism and heat-seeking missile. Buried on the Alabama depth chart off the edge, Campbell was moved to the off-ball linebacker position just to get playing time on the Crimson Tide defense."Sayre Bedinger, NFL Spin Zone
Being an off-ball type of player, Campbell brings versatility and can immediately provide flexibility for Tampa Bay’s defense. After having a tough time getting some playing time for his first two years, Campbell finally broke out and showed the damage he can cause on the field. He was a tackling machine last eyar with the Crimson Tide, recording 119 total tackles and 5 sacks.
Having a defensive-minded head coach in Todd Bowles would be a great setup for success for Campbell as he starts out his career. Not a lot of prospects that get drafted have someone great to learn from and eventually take over. Campbell would have that advantage with David being a mentor, and he would be joining a winning culture in Tampa Bay that has won the NFC South the last four consecutives seasons.