I'm going to put my fan cap on for a second here, potentially breaking the fourth wall. When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in the NFC Wild Card game last year, I watched the game wearing a Lavonte David jersey, specifically because it seemed like it might be the last time we got to see him play for the only franchise he's ever known.
Thankfully that wasn't the case, but now that he's entering his 14th season it's painfully clear that he has fewer years ahead of him than behind. Whether or not this is his last season is already a talking point and it's not even training camp yet, which means it's a narrative that will carry through all season long.
David is a franchise icon, full stop. He's spent his entire career in Tampa Bay, has made it known he wants to join guys like Rondé Barber and Derrick Brooks in having spent their entire Hall of Fame career with the Bucs, and we're in good shape to see that happen.
Whether this is his last dance is something that will be tethered to his season no matter what, and it already sounds like most pundits think that might be the case.
Lavonte David's season is already being seen as a Last Dance with the Buccaneers
Predicting this to be David's final season in the NFL isn't a novel concept, as it's already been mused about in a variety of places. Bucs GameDay's River Wells pondered the possibility, as did CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan, and the line will only get longer from there.
Here's what Wells had to say:
"He still managed 122 tackles last year with three fumbles and 5.5 sacks, which proves that he can still move sideline to sideline and make plays on the ballcarrier when the team needs it," Wells wrote. "That being said, he's slowing down in other areas — his coverage grade with Pro Football Focus was a 56.9, the lowest of his career, and his tackling grade dropped sharply to a 47.6. David's instincts and ball knowledge remain unrivaled among current NFL linebackers, but he's certainly slowed down a step physically."
That's less about outright speculation and more about why David is important to the Bucs. His PFF grade might not be lighting the world on fire, but that first bit that River mentions is why Tampa Bay keeps giving David one-year contracts to extend his career.
Bringing David back isn't a courtesy, it's a big part of the defensive strategy. He might not be the player he once was, but David showed us last year that he's more than capable of turning back the clock and giving us vintage performances even after 13 seasons in the league.
Tampa Bay shouldn't be relying on him to be the centerpiece he once was. David is 35 years old and while he's still producing at a high level, the torch is going to need to be passed at some point. We all thought that might be Devin White, but that didn't pan out at all. SirVocea Dennis now seems like the most likely successor, with Yaya Diaby pairing nicely as a pass rush threat alongside him.
The bottom line, though, is that David is back for one more season. Whether it's the last one shouldn't be something we think about until that bridge needs to be crossed. Like Wells pointed out, there's still serious upside to having a legend like David in the mix, and everything we know about him suggests he's going to go out on top -- whether that's with one final iconic season or a Super Bowl is yet to be seen.
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