The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have re-signed linebacker Lavonte David to a one-year deal worth up to $10 million, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson. David is set to enter his 13th NFL season, all of which have come with the Buccaneers.
The 6-foot-1, 233 pound linebacker is coming off of solid season in which he led the team in tackles (134) and tackles for loss (17) to go along with 4.5 sacks, five passes defended and a forced fumble. He should once again claim his role as a starter as he has every season for the past 12 years.
David was a former second-round pick out of Nebraska in the 2012 NFL Draft. He is currently the franchise leader in career tackles for loss (160) while ranking third in career solo tackles (1,035).
David has earned one Pro Bowl appearance throughout his career and also won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020. He had his best statistical season in 2015 to record 147 tackles (10 for loss), three sacks, three interceptions, 13 passes defended and a pair of forced fumbles.
Tampa Bay is coming off of a 9-8 season that saw it advance to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. With players like David and Antoine Winfield Jr. returning, the defense should once again put out a respectable product after ranking seventh in the NFL in points allowed in 2023.
Lavonte David just turned 34 years old in January and will be a welcome veteran presence as the Buccaneers aim to make another playoff push.
More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency
The NFL 2024 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams can enter into a legal negotiation with players who are set to become unrestricted free agents.
In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline comes the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.
More on restricted, exclusive rights free agents
Players with only three years of accredited NFL experience become restricted free agents. Their original team will have the option to apply first-round, second-round, original-round, and right-of-fight-of-first-refusal tenders on players at escalating price tags.
The higher the round, the more expensive the tender amount; however, if a separate team does offer a contract and the original team does not match, that round’s pick will be conveyed from the new team to the original team. Right of first refusal only gives a team the option to match or not. If they don’t match, they get nothing in return.
An original-round tender would send a draft pick from whatever round the player was drafted back to the original team if they chose not to match. The original team will have five days to match once a player signs an offer sheet from a new team.
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