Lavonte

David

The long-time Buccaneers stalwart linebacker finishes his career with 215 games started, 42.5 sacks, 177 tackles for loss, 33 forced fumbles, and 14 interceptions. He underwent offseason knee surgery and notably struggled in his final season, posting the worst PFF grades of his career. David has a case for the Hall of Fame, but has a surprisingly low number of awards: just one first-team All-Pro, two second-team All-Pros, and one Pro Bowl nod. We wish the 36-year-old the best in his post-playing career exploits.

David reportedly underwent arthroscopic surgery on a knee that he had drained weekly during the 2025 season. The veteran linebacker who turned 36 last month is set to be a free agent next week, but has been undecided on whether or not he wants to retire or return for a 15th season with the Bucs. David totaled 114 tackles, eight TFLs, and 3.5 sacks for the Bucs last season and is only expected to play for the Buccaneers if he does opt to play another year.

David, 36, is set to become a free agent this offseason, but is reportedly only interested in playing for the Bucs if he were to continue playing. The veteran linebacker said he feels good and believes he has plenty of football left in him, but also noted that he’d like to spend more time with his daughter. David tallied 61 tackles and one interception in 17 games for the Buccaneers last season while started all 17 games he appeared in. The team will presumably give him plenty of time to make his decision, but the Bucs could be looking at a major hole to fill on the defensive side of the ball in 2026 should David opt to call it quits.

It seems like, with Wednesday’s practice being a walkthrough, the Buccaneers opted to go easy on some of their veterans. Lavonte David (knee/rib) and Winfield both upgraded from DNPs to limited sessions on Thursday, putting them in line to play. The same can’t be said for EDGE Haason Reddick (ankle/knee), who remained a DNP and could be in line to miss more weeks. We’re a little surprised Todd Bowles didn’t rule out Reddick when he said that Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin weren’t going to play this week, but he did say they were still waiting for the results of his MRI when asked about it on Wednesday.

Several Tampa Bay defenders did not practice on Wednesday. Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield are among the most notable names on the list. David is dealing with knee and rib issues while Winfield has a toe injury. Coming off a Monday night game, the Bucs might be giving their veterans some maintenance days because of the short week. Still, it’s notable just how many big names they have on the injury report. A banged-up Bucs defense could help Spencer Rattler get back on track after throwing three interceptions in Week 7.

ESPN’s Jenna Laine reports that the deal contains $9 million in guaranteed money. David, 35, is coming off a season where he procured 122 tackles and 5.5 sacks while helping the Buccaneers win the NFC South. The 13-year veteran should again be a strong option up the middle for the Tampa Bay defense, even if he isn’t quite the same player he was a few years ago.

David, 35, has spent his entire 13-year career with the Buccaneers and is still producing at a high level. The veteran linebacker racked up 122 total tackles and 5.5 sacks while also forcing three fumbles and one interception. While the Bucs are willing to give David time to decide on his playing future, Anderson reports other teams have also checked in on the possibility of David’s willingness to play elsewhere in 2025.

LB Lavonte David (ankle, chest) is also expected to play despite missing practice on Thursday and Friday. Winfield Jr. practiced in a limited fashion on Friday and was added to the injury report, but he’s set to play. Bowles also said that DB Tykee Smith has cleared the concussion protocol. WR Mike Evans (hamstring), DL Greg Gaines (calf), and LS Evan Deckers (hamstring) are out for Week 9.

Winfield was sidelined by a foot injury in Weeks 2-5. His reappearance on Friday’s report could indicate he re-injured it. The Buccaneers’ defense has dealt with significant injuries all year. This is one to watch ahead of the Buccaneers’ Monday Night Football Showdown against the Chiefs. LB Lavonte David (chest/ankle) has been unable to practice through two days this week.

Campbell’s words are reassuring but fantasy managers should closely monitor the situation. Buccaneers LB Lavonte David delivered a lateral hit to St. Brown’s lower left leg, akin to the classic roll-up mechanism that sometimes results knee and ankle injuries. He appeared to be in a considerable amount of pain at the end of the game. St. Brown has a long history of playing through injury so panic over his Week 3 availability is unwarranted at this time.