TAMPA, Fla. — After Tom Brady and a few other older players departed Tampa Bay for different reasons in the offseason, linebacker Lavonte David became the oldest player on the Buccaneers' roster.
David is already one of the captains for the Bucs, and so far in the two days of mandatory minicamp, he has participated in practice drills.
The 33-year-old said he likes what he’s seeing from both sides of the ball.
“The younger guys are talented and are playing more fast, more hard, but that’s expected,” David said. “I like the young player we have. I’ve been watching from afar and watching them put in the work, so it’s been really promising.”
Head coach Todd Bowles said David has been leading the Bucs' defense since he’s been a part of the franchise, but this time around it feels different with fresh faces in the building.
“[Lavonte] calms the defense down and he’s our mental leader on the defensive side of the ball, he gots playmaking ability,” Bowles said. “He understands the scheme a lot to build on some guys around him. It’s good for the young guys to watch how he trains and be professional. They can learn a lot from him.”
One of the defensive players who may be young in age, but certainly has a lot of experience with the franchise is fellow linebacker Devin White.
White and David are one the best linebacker duos in the NFL, but back in April, White reportedly requested a trade.
The two are best buddies on-and-off the field. White also referred to David as his mentor on many occasions. But after receiving the news of White’s situation, David flexed his leadership characteristics.
“Emotions got the best of him and sometimes that can backfire against you,” David said of the advice he gave him. “I talked to him about the whole process and whatever that stuff was going on with him. I know Devin [White] wants to be here and play football and help us win.”
David said he expects White to prove to the club and fans that he’s all in for the upcoming season by showing his passion and love for the game and wanting to be in Tampa Bay.
White – a 2019 first-round pick – is also a team captain. On his Instagram story, he posted a video of himself working out at the team facility. Bowles already confirmed White will sit out throughout minicamp, but until fans see him train with the team, there will still be some concerns about his future.
If what David said of White is true, then people in the NFL should not be surprised of Tampa Bay boasting one of the top defenses in the league.
“Our mindset is always to take over the game and win football games on that [defensive] side of the ball no matter what the offense does,” David said. “Defense wins championships, defense wins those close football games and that’s the type of mentality we have. Going into this season, it’s even more [of that mindset].”
The Bucs will have its last day of mandatory minicamp on Thursday, July 15. Although Bowles said he plans to have everyone out on the field for the third day, a lot of teams in the league have canceled their practices. So it would not be a surprise if they take it a bit easier.
Tampa Bay will play its first preseason game on Friday, Aug. 11, at Raymond James Stadium against Pittsburgh, while the season opener is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 10 against the Minnesota Vikings. That game can be seen on 10 Tampa Bay. To see the team’s full schedule, click here.