How The Bucs Can Keep Lavonte David And Save Money – JoeBucsFan.com – Tampa Bay Bucs Blog, Buccaneers News

Creative accounting.

Alright, the Bucs have an overdraft checking account and a car payment and the heating bill is due in almost two weeks. What can they do?

A man who types for a popular stats site said one option is to re-sign Lavonte David.

The best Bucs defender since Rondé Barber, David, 33, is a free agent. Rarely is it smart to resign a 33-year old star. Those guys are much closer to the end than the beginning. And it pains Joe to type that because Joe is a huge David guy.

And even though the cell phone of Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is getting jammed by collectors calling, Bryan Knowles of Football Outsiders believes the Bucs can re-sign David and save Team Glazer loot.

Interestingly, they may be able to save money by re-signing Lavonte David. David had three void years on his last contract, so he is slated to count $6.9 million against the 2023 cap even if he leaves in free agency. By signing him to a new deal, that bonus money would shoot back down to $2.3 million, so some creative accounting tricks could keep him on the roster and lower his cap hit for 2023.

Easier said than done. Joe understands that David wants to return to the Bucs and if everything was even, the Bucs would love to have him back. He led the team in tackles last season. You have to believe a good team out there thinks it’s just one linebacker away and would love to have David.

Shoot, imagine David playing for his hometown Dolphins, for example? Don’t think he wouldn’t like to get another ring while back home?

If the Bucs truly can save cash by signing David, then cool. The release of Bobby Wagner should drive David’s market down as well.