Lavonte David is a great Linebacker. He has been in the NFL for six years now and he has been to the Pro Bowl, as well. He is arguably one of the most underappreciated players in the NFL, which is often the case for the Buccaneers. Last year, however, David did not record a single sack or interception. This seems somewhat unbelievable considering how active David is on the field and how valuable he is to the Tampa Bay defense. Certainly, barring injuries, David will not finish the 2018 season without a sack or an interception again, just like he will be a key player on this Buccaneers team, again. Yet, does David have what it takes to become the team’s MVP in this upcoming campaign?
Well, Dan Hanzus, an analyst for NFL.com thinks he can, as he calls David “the most anonymous star in the NFL today”– See article here
“He’s been a difference-making presence in Tampa Bay’s defense for six years now, but he has only one Pro Bowl nod to show for it. At least the tape geeks are paying attention: Pro Football Focus ranked David second amongst all linebackers last season, sandwiched between Bobby Wagner and Luke Kuechly. That is pretty solid company. If you believe the Bucs are going to bounce back from last season’s disappointment, expect David to be a primary reason why.”
Hanzus definitely has a point. David has been one of the better Linebackers in the NFL. The new acquisitions on the defensive front will help out and improve the play of Tampa Bay’s Linebackers tremendously this year.
Whether or not he can really be the MVP of the Buccaneers remains to be seen. A solid season by Lavonte David would definitely be a major step in the right direction, namely finally becoming a playoff-contending team.
