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Retirement was on the table last year for Lavonte David, but he ultimately signed a one-year deal to continue his decorated Buccaneers career. It remains to be seen if he will play in 2025.
A report from last month indicated David is likely to hang up his cleats. No final decision has been made yet, though, and the door is still open for another Tampa Bay campaign in his case. Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports the Bucs met with David’s agent yesterday at the Combine, adding the team is prepared to give him time to weigh his options.
The 13-year veteran has been a mainstay on the Buccaneers’ defense since his arrival, and David remained productive in 2024 (122 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles). He could very well find himself in the team’s plans as a result; Anderson notes the talks were “positive.” Given David’s age (35), though, Tampa Bay will need to find a long-term linebacker successor in the near future, especially since Devin White did not develop as hoped prior to his 2024 free agent departure.
Losing David to retirement would deal a blow to the second level of Tampa Bay’s defense, but the possibility of a departure on the open market exists as well. Per Anderson, other teams are gauging the former Pro Bowler’s interest in playing elsewhere in 2025. Prior to signing his most recent Bucs pact, David gave thought no only to retiring but also to joining a different team for the first time in his career. It will be interesting to see how things play out in the near future.
No timeline is in place for the Super Bowl LV winner to make a call on his 2025 intentions, but the Buccaneers will no doubt want to know his plans before the start of the new league year next month. Tampa Bay is currently projected to have roughly $8.4MM in cap space once free agency begins, and a portion of that figure will be needed to retain David once again or add a veteran tasked with filling a starting role in the event he is no longer with the team next year.
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Packers’ Micah Parsons reveals why he’s not that interested in Aaron Rodgers’ offer
Green Bay Packers superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons has been among the players Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had offered to sell his house in Green Bay to. During last Sunday’s game between the Packers and the Steelers, Rodgers tried to pitch his property to Parsons, but the newly minted NFC Defensive Player of the Month doesn’t see the need for him to have such a big house yet, particularly since he’s just on his own (h/t Rob Demovsky of ESPN). On the season, Parsons has 6.5 sacks, including one against Rodgers in Green Bay’s 35-25 win in Week 8. Micah Parsons thinks another Packers player would be interested in Rodgers’ crib While Parsons is unlikely to acquire Rodgers’ place in Green Bay, he thinks that another player would be interested in it. “Tuck said he might try and look at it,” Parsons said, referring to Green Bay star tight end Tucker Kraft. ”...It’s a nice house, but it’s just me right now. That’s why I’m not in an urge to buy anything.” With the way Kraft is playing this season, he could be closing in on a massive extension, so buying Rodgers’ house could be within his budget as well. Kraft’s current contract will expire after the 2026 NFL season. But if Parsons changes his tune, he also should have the money to purchase the house. After getting traded by the Dallas Cowboys to the NFC North franchise, Parsons inked a four-year, $186M contract extension with Green Bay.
Why McDaniel Sticking Around Isn't Surprising Following GM Change
Among all of the fanfare that came from the Miami Dolphins finally parting ways with general manager Chris Grier, there was another report about one of the team’s key decision-makers. The Dolphins are expected to keep head coach Mike McDaniel through the rest of the season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. McDaniel was asked about whether owner Stephen Ross’ tone has changed in their recent conversations on Friday, and the head coach gave a simple answer: No. His team is off to a rough 2-7 start this season, and he’s just 30-30 in the regular season through four years, while being 0-2 in the postseason with the Dolphins. Head coaches have been fired for less, but despite that, it shouldn’t be surprising that Ross is keeping McDaniel around. Why McDaniel Surviving the Season Isn’t Shocking The product on the field isn’t good, but if you’ve been paying any attention to the reporting around the Dolphins in recent weeks, it’s pretty clear that Ross is desperate for McDaniel to be successful. Every week, national reporters have taken to the airwaves to say that Ross wants to remain patient and that he likes McDaniel. Those reporters have sources inside the building. They’re not just getting those reports from nowhere. It’s also prudent to look at Ross’ history regarding firing head coaches. Ross has fired four head coaches during his time as Dolphins owner, which began in 2009: Tony Sparano, Joe Philbin, Adam Gase, and Brian Flores. Sparano was fired after 13 games into his fourth season, and Philbin was let go just four games into his fourth season. After that, Ross allowed his head coaches to finish out the season — both Gase and Flores were fired quickly after the season ended. Another factor to consider is that Ross gave McDaniel an extension just last season. It runs through the 2028 season, so combining that with Ross’ history and all the reports about how much McDaniel is liked, it’s not shocking he’ll last the season. What’s the Benefit of Moving off McDaniel Now? It’s fair for fans to be upset with McDaniel’s performance. It hasn’t been up to anyone’s expectations, but there really isn’t much of a benefit to firing him right now. The Dolphins’ season is essentially over, regardless of who the head coach is. The team is 2-7 and won’t make the playoffs for the second-straight season. Pivoting to an interim head coach isn’t changing that. If you’re worried about “accountability,” that’s fair. However, the team's parting ways with Grier makes him accountable. That’s pretty meaningful, given how long he’s been with the team (since 2000, given GM title in 2016). Is there really a difference between letting McDaniel finish the season and firing him when the season is over? No, there’s really not. With Grier out in the front office, the team can get a jump on GM candidate research and then let that hire run the entire HC search process. Of course, this leaves the door open for McDaniel to convince Ross to keep him around. The Dolphins sort of climbed their way out of a 2-6 record last season, so it’s not too crazy to imagine that being enough to earn McDaniel another chance. Barring a miracle turnaround, we’d recommend the Dolphins clean house this offseason. McDaniel has some positive traits, but he’s gotten plenty of chances to get the Dolphins over the hump, but hasn’t. We'll have the whole season to discuss that, though. Still, the team keeping him through the season is hardly shocking, considering Ross’ history.
Key Matchups in Green Bay vs Carolina
Week 9 kicks off with the (4-4) Carolina Panthers traveling to the (5-1-1) Green Bay Packers. Jordan Love and the Packers will be looking to continue their 3 game winning streak facing off against a returning Bryce Young and the Panthers. Today we will dive into this game and look at the key matchups in Green Bay vs Carolina. Packers Rush Defense vs Dowdle/Hubbard The first of our key matchups in Green Bay vs Carolina is the Packers rush defense going against the Panthers rushing attack of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard. It sounds as if the Carolina Panthers will give the heavy load to Dowdle with Hubbard rotating in. It will not be an easy task going against the 3rd best run defense in the NFL for the Panthers. However the same could be said for this Green Bay defense as they are facing the 5th best rushing attack in the NFL at 136 yards per game. Dowdle ranks 7th in the NFL with 605 yards, an average of 5.7 yards per carry without the full workload this season. The Packers will need to slow down this rushing duo and force a returning Bryce Young to pass the ball. If Green Bay can succeed at stopping the run, Carolina could be in for a tough offensive day. Packers Pass Rush vs Panthers Offensive Line Second of our key matchups in Green Bay vs Carolina is the Packers pass rush vs the Panthers offensive line. The Packers have the best pass rushing duo in the NFL when it comes to bringing down the quarterback. Rashan Gary is fifth in the NFL with 7.5 sacks and Micah Parsons is right on his back with 6.5. On the Carolina side, their offensive line has been average this season but has also been dealing with some injuries. They rank 15th in the NFL with 19 sacks allowed. Bryce Young has been sacked 11 times, and last week Andy Dalton was sacked seven times. This stout Green Bay defensive pass rush could have another big day sacking the quarterback. Hopefully Jeff Hafley fairs much better than his predecessor did when facing Bryce Young a couple of seasons ago. Green Bay Rushing Attack vs Carolina Defense Last of our key matchups in Green Bay vs Carolina is the Packers rushing attack vs the Carolina Panthers Defense. Last week the Packers rushing attack struggled against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It wasn’t working until Emanuel Wilson came in and gave that change of pace style that sparked the Packers 2nd half offense. Green Bay will need more from a banged up Josh Jacobs, while some have suggested letting Jacobs rest this game and start Wilson. With Jacobs being the team leader he is I don’t see that happening. If the Packers were smart they would continue the rotation of Wilson and Jacobs until the latter is fully healthy. This duo will need to keep the Panthers defense on their tails to allow Quarterback Jordan Love to keep up his strong start to 2025. Don’t forget to check out last weeks article: Key matchups in Green Bay @ Pittsburgh-https://packerstalk.com/2025/10/24/key-matchups-in-green-bay-pittsburgh/ Joseph is an avid Packers fan since the age of five who enjoys giving his opinions on his favorite team! The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary - Vince Lombardi. Go Pack Go!
Latest news prove Minnesota Vikings aren't content with the status quo, and it could elevate the team to the playoffs
This Sunday against the Detroit Lions is going to be huge when it comes to setting the expectations for the rest of the season. A loss will make a run toward the playoffs significantly less likely for the Vikings, and it could impact how they approach the trade deadline. The conventional wisdom would be that the Vikings wouldn't make a move to add at the trade deadline due to their record, especially when you look at the majority of players being acquired are on expiring contracts. Three years ago, the Vikings and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made a big splash to acquire T.J. Hockenson at the deadline, and it was a big addition both for the 2022 season and beyond. Even if the Vikings lose, they could make an addition with the long-term in mind. Vikings trade history with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah The Vikings traded second and third round picks for T.J. Hockenson and two fourth-round picks at the trade deadline in 2022 Ahead of the 2022 season, the Vikings made low-risk trades for both Jalen Reagor and Ross Blacklock At the 2024 trade deadline, the Vikings acquired LT Cam Robinson for a 2026 fourth-round pick Minnesota Vikings eyeing a cornerback at the trade deadline One of the positions the Vikings need to find a long-term solution for is cornerback. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported on Friday that the Vikings are looking for a cornerback. "As for buyers, the Vikings and Colts are among a list of teams looking for corners. That market isn’t rich with options, which could make the Rams (McCreary), Browns (Tyson Campbell) and Eagles (Michael Carter II) look smart for striking a little earlier." It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the Vikings are looking for a cornerback to help them out, especially with Jeff Okudah being both ineffective and injured. They haven't shown a willingness to trust Dwight McGlothern as of yet, and finding a player at the position to fortify with Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy Jr. should make a difference, especially when it comes to playing man coverage. The key here is finding a cornerback whom the Vikings can trade for. There aren't a lot of options, especially with four cornerbacks having already been traded. Two that come to mind are Riq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks and Alontae Taylor of the New Orleans Saints. Woolen has fallen out of favor with the Seahawks over the last couple of seasons with Mike Macdonald at the helm. He is currently starting for the Seahawks, but he doesn't seem to be in their long-term plans. He would provide the necessary size and speed the Vikings need at the cornerback position. Taylor is more of a slot cornerback, which the Vikings have been hesitant to add with wanting to slide Murphy on the inside. Even so, he's a versatile piece that could end up being a huge benefit for the Vikings. The deadline is going to be huge for the Vikings, and it could give them a necessary piece to help the defense both short-term and long-term. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-383').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-383').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
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