The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed 25-year-old linebacker Lavonte David to a five-year, $50.25 million extension on August 9, which includes a guarantee of $25.56 million, as per CBS Sports’s John Breech. The three-year pro is set to receive an annual salary of $10.05 million.
David is entering the final year of his rookie contract which would have earned him $740,000 this season. Because of the contract extension, he is set to earn so much more.
The Bucs were reportedly happy in giving the former Nebraska standout the compensation that he deserves after playing three outstanding seasons at Tampa Bay.
David collected 430 tackles, 10.0 sacks, 19 passes defended, and 6 interceptions in just three short years, giving him the right for the no. 56 spot in this years’ Top 100 Players in the NFL.
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He had led Tampa Bay in tackles in all of his years with the team even as a rookie, and was already a First Team All-Pro player during his sophomore year, as per NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas said that the Bucs are simply paying David “what he’s worth” in response to the question why he was paid like a middle linebacker even though he is staying on the outside.
Yasinkas mentioned that in “the Tampa 2 defense, David is as important as any middle linebacker.” With David and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy in their defense, the Bucs believe that they have the potential to become a Top 10 defensive in the NFL for years to come.
Head coach Lovie Smith, who specialize in defense more than anything else, has also time and again declared his belief that they have the best outside linebacker in the NFL right now, which is