4 free agents Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to bring back this offseason

2. Lavonte David, LB

For 12 years, Lavonte David has been the heart and soul of this Bucs defense. Between he and Winfield, the two of them are what makes this unit go. And, before the 2023 season I would have told you that Tampa Bay should probably let him go.

But, that was before the Bucs' success of a season unfolded. Tampa Bay acheived far more than many thought they would have, myself included. So at this point, why not run it back with your best players?

He might have just turned 34 years old, but David is still a great player in this league. He is still one of the better linebackers in football, although he hasn't received the recognition in quite some time. Speaking of which, the last time David made a Pro Bowl was back in 2015, which also represents the last time David totaled as many tackles as he just had in 2023 (134).

If anything, 2023 proved David's worth to this team going forward and the fact that they shouldn't try and survive without him. The Bucs have a chance to be special in the near future, and David should continue to be part of it all.