As with several other positions on the roster, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ inside linebacker group is entering a transitional period this offseason. Moreso likely than any other unit on the team, the inside linebackers in Tampa Bay could look completely different in 2024 from last season.
Since 2019, the presumed starters have been veteran Lavonte David and 2019 fifth-overall pick Devin White. Together, they formed a potent duo at the center of Tampa Bay’s defense, helping lead the team to their Super Bowl LV victory.
However, over the last few seasons, the shine has come off White. While he has been consistent as a blitzer, his tackling, coverage and run fits have been more down than up. Since the Bucs drafted him, White has missed 12.8% of his tackles and allowed a passer rating of 104.6 according to Pro Football Focus.
White’s inconsistency is likely why the Bucs opted to let him play on his fifth-year option in 2023 rather than sign him to a multi-year, ten-digit contract extension. After an aborted demand for a trade, White had about as bad a season as a player could have in a contract year.
A foot injury hobbled him early and made him look slower than any point in his career. He was replaced for three games late in the season by 2021 fifth-round pick K.J. Britt. Though he is not nearly the athlete White is, Britt was the better linebacker, helping lock down the rushing attacks of Atlanta and Green Bay.
Britt’s emergence and White’s contract demands made the former top-five pick expendable. With the recent re-signing of Mike Evans and expected extensions of Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr., White appears to be the odd man out in Tampa Bay.
Lavonte David may also have played his last snaps in Tampa Bay, though they would also likely be his last snaps as an NFL player. He has made no secret of his desire to “retire a Buc,” and at 34 years old, his options in free agency will be limited.
The Bucs could very well bring David back. Though he is not quite as fast as he used to be, David is still one of the best linebackers in the NFL, finishing with the 10th-most tackles for a loss (17) among all defenders. He also recorded the second most defensive snaps in Tampa Bay, attesting to his durability in spite of his age.
Signing David to another one-year deal under $10 million would be a safe and easy move for the Bucs to make. David has been the bedrock of Tampa Bay’s defense for over a decade and as long as he has the desire and health to continue playing, the Bucs are likely to oblige.
In any case, the Bucs have at least one starting job to fill at inside linebacker and plenty of options to consider. The most likely is the Bucs staying in-house and fully promoting K.J. Britt to the starting lineup. Britt is not the splashy playmaker Devin White could be, but he is far more reliable down to down in addition to being a leader on special teams.
Tampa Bay also has linebackers SirVocea Dennis and J.J. Russell waiting in the wings. Dennis excels in coverage though his tackling certainly needs work after missing 30.8% of his attempts in 2023 per PFF. Russell saw limited playtime last year, but he was PFF’s highest rated linebacker in the preseason and could shine in a larger role.
If David were to depart, the Bucs would face greater pressure to add outside talent to the linebacking corps. The current paradigm in the NFL has devalued rookie linebackers, who tend to struggle adapting to the sophistication and speed of NFL offenses. A free agent addition should be Tampa Bay’s initial move.
Carolina LB Frankie Luvu should be near the top the Bucs’ free agent list. He excels as a pass rusher, recording 12.5 sacks and 43 total pressures over the past two seasons. Kansas City LB Drue Tranquill would also be a solid addition after he resuscitated his NFL career in 2023.
If the Bucs do look to address the long-term prospects of the decision in the draft, they will likely wait until the middle rounds to take a prospect. Clemson LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has the obvious pedigree to be an NFL linebacker, though like most of his contemporaries he is undersized.
A sleeper linebacker pick for the Bucs is Washington LB Edefuan Ulofoshio. Although he too is undersized at 6’1″ and 236 pounds, Ulofoshio was excellent in coverage, allowing an opposing passer rating of 60.5 in the pass-happy Pac-12 last season.
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