Buccaneers Legend Lavonte David Gives Thoughts on Tampa Bay's 2026 Roster

Here's what Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Lavonte David thinks about how his former team has done this offseason.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) warms up before the game against the Carolina Panthers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2026 will be the first year in many years that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won't have linebacker Lavonte David on their squad. David played for the Bucs for 14 years, but he ended his storied NFL career and retired from football this offseason.

The Bucs immediately set to fill his place on the roster this season, bringing in two new linebackers. They signed former Detroit Lions LB Alex Anzalone and also drafted Missouri Tigers LB Josiah Trotter in the second round of the NFL Draft.

It won't be easy to replace David, but the Bucs are moving forward in 2026. And even though David won't be on the sidelines this year, he'll still be watching the team closely — and he seems to think his former team will make some noise in 2026.

Lavonte David Says Buccaneers Will Be 'Animals' in 2026

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) recovers a fumble by the Carolina Panthers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

David recently appeared on Kevin Clark's This is Football podcast, where he talked about a number of topics from his playing career.

Naturally, Clark asked David what he thought of this 2026 Bucs team, and David had plenty of great things to say about Tampa Bay. He likes the roster so much, in fact, that he joked he wishes he stayed one more year with the team.

“They are going to be some animals, man,“ David said. "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. I definitely have high hopes for those guys, man."

The Bucs drafted Bain with the No. 15 pick in the NFL Draft this year, and he's set to start as the team's premier edge rusher right away. Bain played football in Miami, where David is from, so their rapport has been strong for some time now.

David also still has plenty of rapport with his former teammates and coaches he played with in Tampa Bay, too. And while one of those players in Mike Evans is gone, David is confident that the others will make up what he believes to be a very strong roster for the Bucs in 2026.

"The roster is amazing. Everything is set up offensively, even though we lost Mike [Evans]," David said. "The roster is set up beautifully. I definitely think they're going to do some great things. As far as defense, you know my expectations — I expect them to go out there and be dogs."

The Bucs will begin training camp on July 28. They'll be installing new plays and gearing up for the 2026 season during that time period, and when they do hit the field for the first time in the regular season, David will certainly be watching.

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