Analyst Believes 2025 Could Be Final Season for Buccaneers Legend
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Analyst Believes 2025 Could Be Final Season for Buccaneers Legend
Analyst Believes 2025 Could Be Final Season for Buccaneers Legend. Lavonte David is entering his 14th season, and briefly contemplated retirement before re-signing a one-year, $9 million deal for 2025. David posted 122 total tackles with 76 solo, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception last season. His Buccaneers are the betting favorite to once again win the NFC South, which would ensure another playoff berth.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ linebacker Lavonte David is entering his 14th season, and briefly contemplated retirement before re-signing a one-year, $9 million deal for 2025.
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David has been vocal about contemplating retirement after completing a one-year deal with the Bucs in 2024. He remains one of the best defensive players on the team, and at age 34 is still playing at a high level.
That’s something the Bucs desperately need in 2025, but David’s future in the league past next season is uncertain.
CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan thinks that David could hang up his cleats after 2025.
“David re-signed with the Buccaneers on a one-year deal earlier this offseason, so the 35-year-old will be gearing up for his 14th season in the NFL,” Sullivan wrote. “Similar to Wagner, David is still playing at a tremendously high level, totaling at least 122 tackles in each of the last three seasons. His Buccaneers are also among the bigger threats in the NFC and are the betting favorite to once again win the NFC South, which would ensure another playoff berth.
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“All that pointed to him returning for 2025, but beyond that is a serious question. David would be looking at his age-36 season in 2026, so this could very well be the last ride.”
David posted 122 total tackles with 76 solo, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception.
On a team that struggled to get pressure on the quarterback all season, David stood out. Now that he could be entering his final season in the league, he could have more to prove.
Related: Bucs Analyst and Local TV Anchor Says ‘Todd’s Got Something Cooking’ on Defense
Related: Buccaneers Announce ‘Creamsicle’ Game for 2025
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
NFL analyst says Patriots shouldn’t be the only team honoring Tom Brady
Tom Brady will be immortalized with a statue in August outside of Gillette Stadium. NFL.com’s Adam Rank suggests a second team builds him a statue – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There’s no doubt that a Super Bowl win in just three seasons with a team is a magnificent accomplishment, but the precedent it sets may be a bit too much. The Rams were in an excellent position as a team, but there was no belief that Jared Goff could get the team over the hump. Logically, then, he would also deserve a statue at SoFi. Brady’s football legacy should be remembered as a Patriot more than anything else.
Despite Brady’s accomplishments throughout his career, a full status in Tampa seems excessive. There’s no doubt that a Super Bowl win in just three seasons with a team is a magnificent accomplishment, but the precedent it sets may be a bit too much.
The Buccaneers were widely regarded as a desirable destination for TB12. Bruce Arians was just a year into his coaching tenure there, and Mike Evans was a clear-cut one. Chris Godwin had just had a fantastic 2019 season with over 1,300 yards, and despite a 7-9 finish, Jameis Winston led the team to the fourth-most points per game.
After a season of working out the kinks, Todd Bowles’s defense ascended to seventh in the league in 2020.
The stage was mainly set for Brady, and with the addition of Gronk through trade, it further solidified an incredible platform for him to build upon. Now, no one expected him to take the Buccaneers from 7-9 to Super Bowl Champions in a year, but he did just that. Although it’s their second Super Bowl in history, is three seasons worthy of a statue?
Does Matt Stafford deserve a statue, too?
As a huge TB12 fan myself, I have a question. Does Stafford deserve a statue at SoFi? The Rams were in an excellent position as a team, but there was no belief that Jared Goff could get the team over the hump. Stafford did exactly that in his first year, bringing a Super Bowl to L.A. Logically, then, he would also deserve a statue at SoFi.
Now, Rank proposes an interesting intermediate for Brady’s legacy in Tampa. He cites Peyton Manning’s pillar in Denver as a comparison, noting that it is smaller and less impressive than his statue in Indianapolis, but nonetheless serves as a memento to his greatness and the Super Bowl win he achieved in Denver.
A similar pillar or bust for Brady in Tampa seems appropriate. Not to belittle his accomplishments in Tampa, but Brady is a Patriot: two decades, six Super Bowls… his status should belong only to Foxborough, while his time in Tampa should be reminisced upon through a more humble gesture. And for the record, Stafford should logically have a similar memento with the Rams.
There’s no doubt about Brady’s greatness, but his football legacy should be remembered as a Patriot more than anything else.
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‘Things Will Get Ugly…’ If Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield Regresses in 2025
‘Things Will Get Ugly…’ If Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield Regresses in 2025. Mayfield has had, by definition, a complete career resurgence since arriving in town ahead of the 2023 season.Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks Mayfield could suffer a regression in 2025, and that would be bad for the Bucs. If Mayfield can keep trending upward, Tampa Bay will have a great chance for its third franchise Super Bowl.. The Buccaneers might have the best offensive roster they’ve had since he arrived in town. The defensive roster might be the most impressive, too.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has had, by definition, a complete career resurgence since arriving in town ahead of the 2023 season.
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All he’s done is post two straight career seasons under two different offensive coordinators.
Mayfield passed for 4,044 yards in 2023 and 4,500 last season, both career highs, and 28 touchdowns in 2023 before eclipsing that with 41 touchdown passes last season, again, both career highs.
His upward trend is unquestionable right now, but at least one analyst thinks that could change this season.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks Mayfield could suffer a regression in 2025, and that would be bad for the Bucs.
“Mayfield has been on an upward trajectory since joining the Bucs in 2023, but it’s worth noting that year-to-year consistency has been an issue for him. His Browns career was marred by his inability to be the best version of himself every year,” Ballentine wrote. “Unfortunately, a lot of that could be tied to turbulent coaching situations. The Browns didn’t give him a lot of stability, and he hasn’t enjoyed much of it since then. On one hand, that means he’s used to working with a new coach just about every year.
“On the other, there seems to be a pattern of Mayfield only performing well when he has a good coach orchestrating the offense. That’s going to put even more pressure on Grizzard to pick up where Coen left off. Things will get ugly if Mayfield regresses with this much talent around him.”
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Mayfield and the Buccaneers might have the best offensive roster they’ve had since he arrived in town, and what’s more, the defensive roster might be the most impressive, too.
If Mayfield can keep trending upward, Tampa Bay will have a great chance for its third franchise Super Bowl.
Related: Buccaneers Legend Offers Biggest Impact Draft Pick
Related: Buccaneers’ Receivers Room Ranks Tops in NFL
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Buccaneers Legend Offers Biggest Impact Draft Pick
Buccaneers Legend Offers Biggest Impact Draft Pick. David Walker led the FCS with 23 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks last year. Ronde Barber believes Walker reminds him of one of his former teammates. Walker was drafted even after general manager Jason Licht signed free agent pass rusher Haason Reddick to a one-year, “prove-it” deal. The Bucs still employ Chris Braswell, the team’s 2024 second-round pick, but his future is still uncertain after he had trouble finding playing time last season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had yet another draft haul this offseason, and several players selected could have an immediate impact on the team.
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While the defense was the main focus this year – and rightfully so – the offense also added a couple of pieces that could help, too.
While second- and third-round picks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish are expected to be impact players in the secondary, it’s fourth-round edge rusher David Walker that one Bucs legend thinks might have the most immediate effect.
“Our No. 1 impact rookie, you might not believe this — it is David Walker,” Buccaneers Hall of Famer Ronde Barber said. “I didn’t know anything about him until we picked him, and then you go and look at what he did… when you put the film on, you’re like, ‘Holy cow, this dude has the mentality.’ It’s kinda like this underdog mentality that makes people respect him.”
Barber played with some impressive pass rushers back in the day, and believes Walker reminds him of one of his former teammates.
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“I’m not making [this] comparison, certainly, to David Walker. But when the Bucs got really good when I was playing, it’s because we went out and got Simeon Rice,” Barber said. “And we dominated teams after that because of the pressure generated from the edge of our d-line. We need someone to do that, and I’m not putting a lot of pressure on him, but David Walker looks like a guy who could do that.”
Barber made the comparison even after he said he wouldn’t. So here we are.
Walker was drafted even after general manager Jason Licht signed free agent pass rusher Haason Reddick to a one-year, “prove-it” deal.
The Bucs still employ Chris Braswell, the team’s 2024 second-round pick, but his future in Tampa Bay is still uncertain after he had trouble finding playing time last season.
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Walker led the FCS with 23 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks last year, and that’s the type of pass rush that head coach and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is looking for along the front line of the defense.
Related: Buccaneers’ Receivers Room Ranks Tops in NFL
Related: Glaring Weakness of Buccaneers’ 2023 First-Round Pick Revealed
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Analyst Believes Baker Mayfield Is ‘Underpaid’ For Buccaneers
Analyst Believes Baker Mayfield Is ‘Underpaid’ For Buccaneers. Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million extension with the Buccaneers last offseason. He has more playoff wins as a starter in Tampa than Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, and Kirk Cousins have combined. The fact that Tampa Bay has him under this contract for another two years is a steal for the team, but that isn’t what the former Browns star is thinking about.
Is Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield underpaid? That’s the argument NFL.com writer Tom Blair is making.
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After bouncing around the league for a couple of seasons, the former top overall pick in 2018 found a home with the Buccaneers in 2023. After that first year, Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million extension with the Buccaneers last offseason.
His response? A 4,500-yard, 41-touchdown season that set career-highs in almost every single statistical category for a quarterback.
That $100 million looks like a bargain now.
And it’s exactly why Blair believes Mayfield is one of the most underpaid players in the league.
“He undoubtedly should make more than $33.33 million per year, which puts him below Sam Darnold, Geno Smith and Kirk Cousins on the contracts table. And, yes, that APY is roughly $20 million per year less than what Tua Tagovailoa, Jared Goff and Brock Purdy are receiving. ” Blair wrote.
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It’s easy to see where Blair is coming from. Baker has more playoff wins as a starter in Tampa than Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, and Kirk Cousins have combined. The fact that Tampa Bay has him under this contract for another two years is a steal for the team.
That isn’t what the former Browns star is thinking about, though.
Following two division titles, Mayfield has established himself as the top quarterback in his division, and one of the best in the conference. Anything less than a Super Bowl title should satisfy him.
The money, in this case, is just an added bonus.
Related: Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield Has Glowing Scouting Report On Emeka Egbuka
Related: Buccaneers Boast Crowded Wideout Room Ahead of Training Camp
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.