The Buffalo Bills have reportedly shown interest in a potential replacement for Tremaine Edmunds.
According to NYup.com/NFL Draft Diamonds, the team has shown interest in Tampa Bay Buccaneers free agent linebacker Lavonte David:
Can confirm that the #Bills have reached out in regards to Lavonte David. https://t.co/LACVeoE704
— Ryan Talbot (@RyanTalbotBills) March 13, 2023
David, 33, could be a plug-and-play replacement for Edmunds. Considering his age, it would not be a long-term one, but it could provide a strong stop gap.
Just last season, David was graded by Pro Football Focus as the third-best linebacker in the NFL. Edmunds, who signed with the Chicago Bears on Monday, was at fifth.
David has played his entire career with the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay selected him in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft.
Not only is David a Super Bowl champion, he’s a former All-Pro.
According to Bucs Wire, David had been expected to test free agency. However, a return to Tampa was still on the table as of last week.
A big reason for David likely testing the market has something to do with both his age and the Bucs.
With quarterback Tom Brady retiring, the Buccaneers appear to be trending toward a rebuild, something a 33-year-old might not want to be part of.
Tampa Bay also isn’t sitting pretty in terms of salary cap space. According to Spotrac, the Buccaneers are the only team in the NFL over the 2023 salary cap as of Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Bills have approximately $10.8M in space after the team restructured the contracts of of quarterback Josh Allen and defensive end Von Miller.
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