Not sure there is any more left in the tank for LVD, but this is the way you'd want your coach to describe you:
"He’s a coach on the field, he’s a captain, he’s a leader, he’s a heck of a person off the field.
“He’s our bell cow. When things go wrong, he’ll fix it from a mental standpoint in the locker room. He gets everybody lined up in the right plays, he understands the game – as well as making a ton of plays himself.
“He’s meant everything to me, as well as our coaching staff and the players in this building.”
I said a little earlier. We shouldn’t be so quick to retire LVD off. It’s scary to think of how this defense would look without him on the field. He still makes so many plays in the run game and screen game. Our defense was bad this year, but without him we might have been the worst.
without him we might have been the worst
I agree but also think that is more because of the leadership than actual play.
I only draw that distinction because we were exposed all season in the part of the field that he used to erase from the opposition's stat sheet. We didn't see an athletically dominant LVD as much as we just saw how one can play the position with brains. He was pretty average in coverage, as great as he is.
He might be back next season but if the defense is relying on his play we are not in the best of shape.
@bucsbits - the middle of our defense has gotten torched for a few years now. A lot of that is scheme.
@bucsbits - the middle of our defense has gotten torched for a few years now. A lot of that is scheme.
in 2022 LVD has a 90ish coverage grade, top 5 in the league. Same scheme.
he dropped in 2023 and the further in 2024, all the way to average, because of age and being alone in the field.
you don’t need pff though you can see he’s slower with your eyes. Not a knock on him, still awesome for his age
@bucsbits - he is not the only position that covers the middle of the field. And often he covers curl/flats. He can have a 99% grade and we can still get torched over the middle. With or without LVD’s coverage skill, this scheme has been weak over the middle on pass plays.
David would have to be a rotational player and $7 mil is too much for what he'll do on the field. He'll have to take another pay decrease. Why should he play for $5 mil when he can probably do better with investments?
There's only one reason for David to keep playing and that is if the Bucs have a legitimate chance to play in the Superbowl and get another ring.
I wouldn't be surprised if L. David returns but really the team needs to look for new players because the defensive scheme is like 70% zone now.
