Nine-year NFL veteran linebacker Lavonte David signed a five-year, contract with three voidable years that essentially functions as a two-year, $25 million extension. David, a one-time Super Bowl champion, spent the entirety of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’ll be a five-year deal with three voidable years for LB Lavonte David that keeps his cap number at a manageable $3.5 million for the #Buccaneers this year. Voidable years are all the rage this year as teams maneuver around the cap decrease.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 9, 2021
Lavonte David, ***TEAM***, Agree to Contract
Lavonte David is one of the best linebackers of his time, and 2020 was yet another fantastic season for the Nebraska product. Starting and appearing in all 16 games, David finished the season with 118 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, one interception, and six passes broken up. These numbers are solid, but they don’t truly convey how well he played in 2020. According to Pro Football Focus, David was the fourth-best linebacker in the NFL, and he played one of the most important roles in slowing down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs offense.
David initially entered the NFL as a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, David immediately won the starting job and made a positive impact for the team. During his rookie season, the Nebraska product recorded 139 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, five quarterback hits, two sacks, one interception, and four passes defended. While this rookie season was impressive, David took his play to the next level in 2013.
Once again starting all 16 games, David recorded 145 tackles, 21 tackles-for-loss, 13 quarterback hits, seven sacks, five interceptions, and 10 passes defended en route to winning First-Team All-Pro honors. Two years later, David earned a Pro Bowl nomination after recording 147 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss, five quarterback hits, 13 passes defended, three interceptions, and 13 defended passes.
David maintained his high level of play throughout the course of his career. However, he never had a chance to play in the postseason prior to the 2020 season. With Tom Brady in town, David helped guide Tampa Bay’s defense all the way to the Super Bowl while slowing down a trio of elite quarterbacks in Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes.
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