Bills Linked to Bucs LB Lavonte David; Tremaine Edmunds Replacement?
Now that ex-Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds has agreed to terms on a contract with the Chicago Bears, there is a hole in the middle of the defense in Orchard Park.
After the Bears made Edmunds the fourth-highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL on Monday, Buffalo must look elsewhere to fill the void left behind by the 24-year-old. This makes Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David an interesting candidate for the Bills.
David was already linked with a move to Buffalo, even prior to the announcement of Edmunds going elsewhere. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said in an article on Sunday that despite there being a "decent chance" the veteran re-signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo could be a landing spot.
"A fit that multiple scouts presented to me, unprompted: Lavonte David and the Buffalo Bills," Fowler said. "Still a decent chance he goes back to Tampa Bay, but joining a contender would make sense."
David, 33, had his contract expire in Tampa Bay after a good year that will surely attract teams. He recorded 124 total tackles, 10 for loss and three sacks.
Similar to what Buffalo is losing in Edmunds, David has made a name for himself as one of the top coverage linebackers. David was the fourth-best graded linebacker in coverage at 88, putting him behind Edmunds, Anthony Walker, and Troy Reeder.
Despite getting up there in age and potentially coming to the end of his career, David stands out among the top inside backers still available on a list that also includes Bobby Wagner and Eric Kendricks.
Spotrac projects that the market value of David will cost around $9.7 million annually. After some more cap-clearing measures, the Bills could make a move.
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