As part of a very successful 2023 offseason, Bucs general manager Jason Licht was able to bring back perennial Pro Bowl snub and future Ring of Honor inductee Lavonte David back for pennies on the dollar.

David’s play was easily worth $9 million-10 million in APY, but the Bucs re-signed David to just a one-year, $4.5 million deal. This was well below his market value. Part of the reason David was willing to re-up with the Bucs was because of his obvious desire to retire with the same team that drafted him in 2012 and with whom he won Super Bowl 55 with. But that’s not the only reason.

Bucs Creatively Set Up Achievable Bonuses For David

Bucs ILB Lavonte David and FS Antoine Winfield Jr. and Lions TE Sam LaPorta – Photo by: USA Today

Per Over The Cap, the Bucs are paying David the league minimum in bases salary in 2023 ($1,165,000) and gave him a prorated bonus of $3,335,000, which they are spreading over five years that includes this year and four void years.

The resulting cap hit for 2023 is a manageable $1,832,000. That deal meant that David would cost the Bucs $2,668,000 against their 2024 salary cap. But with another very good season wrapping for the veteran linebacker, he will now actually count more against the 2024 salary cap for the Bucs.

According to Spotrac, the Bucs agreed to a “Not Likely To Be Earned” bonus for David. A NLTBE bonus is simply defined as an incentive that a player did not reach the year prior. It is important for salary cap accounting because a bonus deemed “Likely to be Earned” has to be accounted for as a part of that year’s salary cap calculation, while a NLTBE bonus isn’t accounted for until the following year (provided the incentive is actually achieved).

For instance, if player A has a bonus in their contract of $1 million if they record five interceptions in 2023 and they only recorded four in 2022, that bonus is referred to as NLTBE and it will not affect the player’s 2023 salary cap charge. If he hits five interceptions in 2023, the $1 million then is applied to the team’s 2024 salary cap.

If he had five interceptions in 2022, the bonus would have been considered “LTBE” and the $1 million would have applied to the 2023 salary cap. If he did not record five interceptions in 2023, the team would then receive a $1 million credit on their 2024 salary cap.

What was the bonus the Bucs offered David as a part of his contract? According to Spotrac, he gets $2.5 million so long as he increased his statistical production in any of the following categories: interceptions, interception return yards, interception touchdowns, fumble recoveries, fumble return yards, fumble recovery touchdowns or sacks.

In 2022, David recorded zero interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and three sacks.

By wording the bonus as an increase in any of those categories, the Bucs were able to place this bonus in the NLTBE category and ensure it did not affect their 2023 salary cap, which was extremely tight. At the same time, by looking for any increase in any of seven categories, they gave David a wide range of ways to earn the bonus.

In essence, the team was turning that $4.5 million contract into a $7 million pact while managing their limited cap dollars. David earned his bonus in Week 15 in Green Bay when he recorded a half-sack. That moved his sack total for the year up to 3.5, eclipsing the three he had in 2022.

David Has More Bonus Opportunities Ahead of Him

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today

While that $2.5 million bonus was the largest incentive David could hit this year, it was not the only one.

The Bucs added in additional opportunities for him to increase his earnings this year. If he can get to five sacks on the season, he will earn another $150,000. David currently has 4.5 sacks. Another $150,000 would have been paid to him if he registered five interceptions, but with no picks heading into the final game of the season, that one seems unlikely.

He can also get $200,000 if he plays 65% of the team’s defensive snaps AND the Bucs finish top-10 in scoring defense. David has played all but two games this year, so he is a lock for the 65% cutoff and the Bucs are currently tied for 9th-fewest points allowed in the NFL, so that incentive is still very much alive and well.

The final bonus David can earn as a part of his current contract is $125,000 for each playoff win. This means that if the Bucs were to beat Carolina and get into the playoffs and then go on to win the Super Bowl, David would cash in for a final $500,000.

All-told, there is still $850,000 worth of bonus opportunities still within sight for the veteran.