Let’s talk about Lavonte David, shall we?

The more exciting periods of the Bucs offseason are over with, as pre-draft scouting, free agency, the NFL Draft, OTAs and mini-camps are well in the past. What is exciting, though, is that this Bucs Storylines series began when training camp was still weeks and weeks away, and now we’re under one week from Tampa Bay reporting back to the AdventHealth Training Center to start camp and begin preparations for the 2024 season.

There’s still plenty of time to talk storylines for the upcoming season, though, as the regular season doesn’t kick off for another month-plus. So, with that in mind, this series rolls on as we narrow in on some of the Bucs’ biggest stars and go player-by-player to dive into the big storylines that are in store for the 2024 season.

After taking a look at six players on offense (quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, running back Rachaad White, tight end Cade Otton and left tackle Tristan Wirfs), we flipped over to the defense with nose tackle Vita Vea, defensive lineman Calijah Kancey and outside linebacker Yaya Diaby. Today, we continue with legendary inside linebacker Lavonte David.

Bucs Storylines: Lavonte David

Here are three big storylines surrounding Bucs inside linebacker Lavonte David in 2024:

Does Father Time Have Any Chance Against Lavonte David?

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Year after year, it feels like David is getting the best of Father Time. At age 34, the Buccaneer legend is set to enter his 13th NFL season. And he’s coming off an age-33 season in 2023 that didn’t feature any signs of him slowing down. He played 1,086 snaps and led the Bucs with 134 tackles (86 solo) while posting 4.5 sacks (his most since finishing with five in 2016) and 17 tackles for loss (his most since tallying 17 in 2016).

David graded out exceptionally well last year, too, according to Pro Football Focus. He finished with a 72.3 overall grade, with marks of 75.0 in run defense, 74.8 in tackling, 70.9 in pass rush and 68.6 in coverage. He and All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. were the best and most consistent players on Tampa Bay’s defense all year long.

An utterly ridiculous Lavonte David game on Sunday. Dude is truly ageless. pic.twitter.com/vBZFJnFzjq

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) October 17, 2023

There was always talk about seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady’s battles with Father Time, and the Bucs got to see firsthand how that went. Brady won a Super Bowl and two division titles during his three-year stint in Tampa Bay from ages 43-45. He also threw for 4,500-plus yards in each of those three years and had a low of 25 passing touchdowns during that span (2022).

Now, everyone’s attention should be shifting toward the battle of Lavonte David vs. Father Time. Not to take away from Brady’s longevity — the guy played for 23 seasons and into his mid-40s at a high level, after all — but the fact that David is still playing at such a high level at linebacker is praise-worthy in its own right. It defies logic that he’s still a top-10 (and borderline top-five) off-ball linebacker at the age of 34 (any list that says otherwise is trash).

So, does Father Time have a chance to catch up with the future Bucs Ring of Honor member in 2024? You won’t find many who are willing to bet that such will be the case. David has been the model of consistency over the course of his career and has continued to be a central leader of the defense from 2012 all the way through to now. So as far as Father Time finally getting one over on No. 54? As was the case with Brady, everyone should comfortably sit in “I’ll believe it when I see it” mode.

Can Lavonte David Finally Make His Long-Awaited Return To The Pro Bowl?

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

For all of the phenomenal play that Lavonte David has put out there on a consistent, year-to-year basis throughout the duration of his now 13-year career, the fact that he still has just one Pro Bowl selection (2015) is an absolute travesty.

He’s fallen victim to the Pro Bowl selection system and the way it treats off-ball linebackers, plus it hasn’t helped that he has been relegated to always being “one of the most underrated players” in the league. At some point, the “most underrated” player year after year should just be considered one of the best there is, right?

That’s without even approaching the visibility issue he faced due to playing for a bad Bucs team. Tom Brady’s arrival in 2020 helped change that to an extent, but it clearly didn’t have enough of a lasting impact, as he’s still overlooked by plenty nationally. For him to only be an honorable mention on a recent top-10 list of off-ball linebackers put together by NFL executives, coaches and scouts? Ridiculous.

So yes, David finally making it back to the Pro Bowl in 2024 might be an uphill battle. But his play very well could warrant such an honor. There’s an argument to be made that he was a snub last year, as his numbers stacked up pretty well with the NFC representatives in the Pro Bowl Games:

Fred Warner: 132 tackles (82 solo), 2.5 sacks, 6 TFL, 5 QB hits, 4 INT, 4 FF, 11 PD
Demario Davis: 121 tackles (84 solo), 6.5 sacks, 12 TFL, 11 QB hits, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR, 6 PD
Bobby Wagner: 183 tackles (96 solo), 3.5 sacks, 11 TFL, 6 QB hits, 0 INT, 0 FF, 1 FR, 3 PD
Lavonte David: 134 tackles (86 solo), 4.5 sacks, 17 TFL, 5 QB hits, 0 INT, 1 FF, 0 FR, 5 PD

David only trailed Davis in sacks and led all Pro Bowl linebackers with 17 tackles for loss. Where he falls short is in the splash play categories, and that could be what limits his chances for recognition once again in 2024. However, with Devin White gone, there may be more opportunities for David to be the playmaking linebacker. A few more splash plays and that patented steady play could be just enough to get him a second Pro Bowl nod, albeit nine years after his first and far too late to make up for how overlooked he’s been.

Will 2024 Be Lavonte David’s Final Season?

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today

As ageless as he seems and as much as it might feel like Lavonte David could play forever, reality obviously dictates otherwise. And really, this question has been asked for the last couple of years. As hard as it is to believe, we’re getting closer and closer to Lavonte David’s swan song in the NFL.

The longtime Buccaneer said back in September of 2022 that he was at the point of taking things year to year, and the contracts he’s signed in the last couple of offseasons have confirmed as much. He signed a one-year deal to return for Year 12 in 2023, and this past March, he signed another one-year pact for Year 13. And it wasn’t always clear to everyone that No. 54 would be back this year.

But by the end of February, David made it clear he was still ready to suit up for another season.

“Man, I’m ready to play,” David said at the time. “I still feel like I’ve got a lot left in me. Still going to give it a shot. I’m going to let my body tell me when it’s time to give up and when it’s time to let it go. But right now, I feel pretty good. I’ve got a lot of confidence.”

It really does feel like David could still play a couple more seasons, but there’s always that lingering chance that any one of these seasons could be the last one of his career. His body could tell him by the end of 2024 that it’s time to hang it all up. Or maybe he has yet another fantastic season at the age of 34 and feels like he’s content with going out while he’s still got it. Only time will tell, but Buccaneer fans should make sure to appreciate each and every time they see the longtime Tampa Bay captain on the field in 2024.