Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David is one of the greatest players in franchise history, but the impending free agent may have played his final snap with the team. A second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Nebraska product has been a consistent fixture on the defense, leading the team with 1,602 tackles, 169 tackles-for-loss, 73 quarterback hits, and 39 sacks since entering the league. A First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler, it’s hard to imagine Tampa Bay without their legendary linebacker.
However, all good things must come to an end, and Lavonte David could leave Tampa Bay for greener pastures. The Buccaneers have just $11.7 million in projected 2025 cap space and seeing as David is entering his age-35 season, this could be the last contract of his professional career. Perhaps he takes a discount to stay in Tampa, but if he’s chasing the highest dollar, he could sign with the Los Angeles Chargers or Carolina Panthers.
Panthers, Chargers Could Sign Free Agent Lavonte David
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh believes in winning football games in the trenches. The Michigan champion is an old-school football mind who had the unenviable task of rebuilding a weak Chargers offense in one offseason. While he couldn’t win a playoff game, he brought this team to the postseason and is ahead of schedule in the rebuild. The foundational pieces are in place, and now it’s time for Harbaugh and company to bolster the defense with savvy veterans like Lavonte David.
The Chargers top offseason priority should be wide receiver, as second-round pick Ladd McConkey is the only reliable set of hands on the offense. While they break the bank for Tee Higgins, they have enough money to sign the Bengals free agent and land Lavonte David. Projected to have $73.1 million in cap space, Los Angeles should be able to address multiple needs in the offseason, and pairing David with rising star Daiyan Henley should give the Chargers one of the league’s better linebacker duos.
Division Rivalries Heat Up
After playing so many games against the Carolina Panthers, it would be weird to see Lavonte David wearing their colors. However, money speaks, and the Panthers could be building something special. After a disastrous start to the season, first-overall pick Bryce Young came alive down the stretch, looking like a legitimate franchise quarterback and earning the starting job for 2025. With Young complemented by a great offensive line and a group of young, promising pass-catchers, the Panthers should spend most of their offseason resources on the defense.
Carolina entered the previous offseason with too many holes to address, so first-year General Manager Dan Morgan focused on the offense. Now, it’s time to fix the other side of the ball. The unit never found true replacements for Brian Burns or Frankie Luvu and ranked at or near the bottom of almost every defensive metric. While Derrick Brown’s return will help, somebody must be the heart of this defense. Lavonte David is not a long-term solution, but the Buccaneers star could start for the next year or two while helping to develop the younger talent on the roster.
Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck – USA Today Sports
