The Tampa Bay Buccaneers still have one of the NFL’s best linebackers in Lavonte David, but after five years of inconsistent play from Devin White, they let the former top-five draft pick walk in free agency this offseason.
Replacing him this season will be K.J. Britt, a former fifth-round pick out of Auburn who supplanted White in the starting lineup late last season.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles says that Britt’s continued growth and improvement has him ready to rise to the occasion as a full-time starter this year alongside David.
“Obviously, he can play all three downs,” Bowles said earlier this week. “We have so many packages and guys to move around – it’s a little early to determine who will be on what. In one week, he could be, in one week, he may not be, depending on who we’re playing and what we have available. But, he’s ready to play all three downs. I love his maturity. He’s grasping the mental part of the game and becoming the leader of that defense along with Lavonte [David] and ‘Win’ (Antoine Winfield Jr.) and Vita [Vea]. We’re kind of happy with where he’s progressing right now.”
Bowles says Britt’s mental processing is translating to physical improvements, as well.
“It was never his coverage skills, with him,” Bowles said of Britt’s struggles prior ot this season. “It was always his eyes. His eyes have gotten a lot calmer. He’s settled down, he knows what’s going on, and he understands where he needs to be on the field. I think he’s doing a lot better at that.”
White provided his share of splash plays throughout his five seasons in Tampa Bay, but Bowles and the Bucs will be looking for Britt to bring the down-by-down consistency that always eluded his predecessor.
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