Lavonte David is betting on a bounce-back in Tampa Bay, and he’s not whispering it. The longtime Buccaneers linebacker, who retired this offseason after 14 seasons with the team, said on Kevin Clark’s This is Football podcast that the 2026 Bucs are going to be a problem.
“They are going to be some animals, man,” David proudly predicted. “I knew Reuben Bain already; I reached out to him after he got drafted.
And he told me, ‘Man, I wish you just waited one more year.” And in my mind I was like, ‘Maybe I should have.’
But, you know, the deal is done already. … I told him.
I’m definitely going to be there to be supporting him and stuff like that."
That confidence comes at a time when plenty of outsiders are still side-eyeing Tampa Bay after last season’s rough finish. The Bucs went 2-7 down the stretch, and that collapse has fueled doubts about whether this roster can actually match its talent.
Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports is among the skeptics, ranking Tampa Bay 22nd in his offseason power rankings.
David isn’t buying the doubt. He believes Reuben Bain is ready to become the new face of the defense, and the early buzz around Bain has been strong. The rookie is expected to lead that side of the ball and give the Bucs the kind of edge that can change how people talk about the unit.
David also pointed to other pieces that could help push Tampa Bay forward. JoeBucsFan reported that he expects a healthy Bucky Irving and a healthy offensive line to make a major difference this season. From David’s perspective, the roster has the ingredients it needs.
“The roster is set up beautifully,” he added.
That’s the kind of belief Tampa Bay needs heading into 2026. The Bucs are carrying the weight of that ugly finish, along with questions about their effort on the field. They’ll have to answer those doubts on the field, but David clearly thinks the talent is there for a big season.
For a franchise that has long been measured against its ferocious defenses of the past, the challenge is simple: put it together and stop the talk. David, one of the best players ever to wear a Buccaneers uniform, believes this group is ready to do exactly that.
In Other News...
Bucs Suddenly Have One Linebacker Facing A Brutal Camp Fight
SirVocea Dennis entered the offseason looking like a player with a chance to settle in as part of Tampa Bays linebacker future, but the room around him has changed quickly. The Buccaneers added Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom, then brought in rookie Josiah Trotter, giving the middle of the defense a much deeper and more competitive feel than it had before.
Dennis did enough last season as a full-time starter to stay in the conversation, especially with his tackle production, but his work in coverage left plenty of questions. Training camp now looms as the real test for him, because he will need to show he can clean up those issues and hold off the new wave of competition if he wants to keep his place in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Tight End Enters Camp With His Future Suddenly At Stake
Payne Durham is heading into his fourth training camp with the Buccaneers, and the timing could hardly be more important. Tampa Bays tight end room is not exactly crowded, which gives the former second-round pick a real shot to stay in the mix, but it also means every rep matters as the team sorts out how much value it is getting from a player whose role has been built around blocking.
The concern is that Durham has not made enough of an impact to feel secure, and the numbers around his usage have trended the wrong way after a stronger second season. Even in the area where he is supposed to help most, the fit has not clearly translated to better results for the run game, leaving him to prove in camp and preseason that he still belongs in Tampa Bays plans. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Suddenly Face One Brutal Post Evans Post David Reality
Losing franchise pillars Mike Evans and Lavonte David in the same offseason would normally send a team into a reset, but Tampa Bay still has enough of a foundation to keep the conversation from turning gloomy. Baker Mayfield remains in place, Tristan Wirfs anchors the line, and Emeka Egbuka gives the offense another young piece to build around, while the defensive side is trying to absorb the blow of Davids departure with new additions and a roster that still has some real backbone.
Bleacher Reports latest outlook suggests the Buccaneers are not headed for the bottom of the NFC South despite all that turnover, with the Falcons projected to land there instead. For Tampa Bay, the bigger issue is not whether the roster has talent, but whether the front office has done enough to keep the post-Evans, post-David transition from becoming a full-on slide. [Read more 🡒]