Among the many things Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are keeping tabs on this offseason is what happens next for Lavonte David. He's a future Hall of Famer who didn't look like a guy who has lost a step last year, but he remains undecided on whether he'll back back for another season.
Bucs' general manager Jason Licht commented on David's future at the NFL Combine, and didn't sound like a guy nervous that he's about to lose a franchise icon.
NFL insider Josina Anderson provided another update on where things stand with David, and it's mostly good news tinged with some potential for bad news. Basically, all signs still point toward David returning for at least one more season in Tampa Bay -- so long as the Bucs play their cards right.
If they don't then there are sharks circling below ready to strike if David somehow gets away.
We've heard this before, but it hasn't really gone anywhere. Two years ago, in the wake of Tom Brady retiring, David had the chance to jump ship and sign with a team experts considered to be more of a contender than Tampa Bay. Despite reported interest from the Buffalo Bills, David ended up trusting the Bucs and returning, a move that paid off both on the field and in the locker room.
That's the extent of the "bad news", which really isn't that terrible. It would take a lot for the Bucs to fumble the bag with David and chase him into the arms of another team, and nothing about the relationship suggests that will happen, specifically when it comes to the good news side of this latest update.
Buccaneers had a 'positive' meeting with Lavonte David, but other NFL teams are interested in stealing him away
Anderson reports that the Bucs met with David's agent and had a "positive meeting," which further indicates that if he returns in 2025, it will be with the Bucs.
Combine News: I’m told that the #Buccaneers met with Lavonte David’s agent yesterday here at the Combine, per source. I’m told “it was a positive conversation.” My understanding is that the #Bucs are still willing to give David ample time if necessary to make a decision on still… pic.twitter.com/r1UbChPIf8
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 27, 2025
That's still a big if, and it's the source of anxiety for Bucs fans.
David is preparing to enter his 14th season in the NFL and will be 35 years old when Week 1 kicks off. The bulk of his career is behind him and nobody would fault him if he decided to call it a career and hang up his cleats. He'd walk away from the game not only one of the most beloved Buccaneers in franchise history but with a pretty solid Hall of Fame case in hand.
What would make it hard, beyond the obvious of saying farewell to a franchise legend, is how good David looked last year. Everything he did suggests there's plenty left in the tank, as David played at a high level all season and turned back the clock on more than one occasion. At every turn, where players his age usually show they've lost a step, David excelled and looked like a vintage version of himself.
Perhaps that's the way the story should end, though. Nobody would have a sour taste in their mouths if David walked away but doing so with that version of him being the last we ever see on the field feels fitting. Then again, so too does watching him ride off into the sunset with another Super Bowl ring on his finger.
No matter what happens, David's future is a significant hinge on which a lot of the Buccaneers' offseason plans swing. Even if he returns, Tampa Bay will need to find a successor either through the draft or in free agency.
Ideally David comes back for one more season, but we'll know for sure one way or the other what he ends up deciding in the coming weeks.
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