Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) warms up before the game against the Carolina Panthers Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Buccaneers Make Decision on Lavonte David's Future

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Jan 29, 2026 2:07 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have quite a few holes on defense to fill. The team needs depth badly, and there are a few position groups that need some new talent — and one of them is inside linebacker.

Linebacker SirVocea Dennis disappointed in his first full year as an NFL starter, so the Bucs will likely need another player to step in for him. They'll acquire that player in the NFL Draft or in free agency, but there's also the matter of the other linebacker in the room. Lavonte David is a Buccaneers legend, but he's certainly slowed down in recent years and is currently 36, and he has a big decision to make about whether or not he wants to come back to the Bucs in 2026 or retire.

David is a free agent, and it seems as if the Buccaneers have made up their mind on how they want to handle him this offseason. But what does David want to do?

Buccaneers want Lavonte David back, but he must decide

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

David recently appeared on the Up & Adams show with Kay Adams, and he was asked about his plans for 2026 and whether he's set to hang up his cleats.

David confirmed that the Buccaneers would welcome him back in 2026 if he wanted to play, proving that they wouldn't want to let him walk in free agency regardless. He also said, though, that head coach Todd Bowles being on staff is the only reason he's considering returning in the first place.

"Ultimately, they leave it in my hands," David said. "It's up to me and what I want to do... If Bowles didn't come back, there'd be no shot, to be honest with you."

It's good that Tampa Bay wants David back. He was asked about potentially playing for another team if the Bucs didn't want to re-sign him, and he firmly replied that he'd rather retire than play football for any other team than the Buccaneers.

"It's Bucs or nowhere else," David said. "I played my 14-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and they've been real, they've been loyal to me — the fans have been real loyal to me and my family. I've grown to love the city... me being somewhere else, it wouldn't feel right."

The Buccaneers aren't ready to move on from David, but David may be ready to move on from them. He'll take some time to figure it out, and while he does, the Bucs should take some time to figure out who will be playing alongside him next year.