Baker Mayfield’s final year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers isn’t the only storyline circling the team. Linebacker Lavonte David made headlines after the front office signed Christian Rozeboom, leading many to wonder about the veteran’s future.
David has been a staple in Tampa Bay’s linebacker corps for the last 14 years. Retirement rumors suddenly surfaced this offseason when the Buccaneers acquired Super Bowl champion, Rozeboom. Now, fans are asking: Will David finally retire at age 36?
Buccaneers Insider Updates Lavonte David Retirement Rumors
The Buccaneers, although not under visible pressure, have an interesting offseason on their hands. Through finer storylines floating under the radar, the latest news coming from David’s camp has the Tampa Bay faithful intrigued.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted an update regarding the linebacker on Tuesday.
“Bucs linebacker Lavonte David will have a news conference today at 2 pm at One Buc Place, the team announced,” he wrote. “Speculation is that he may retire after the team signed a second veteran inside linebacker Monday by reaching an agreement on a one-year deal with Carolina free agent Christian Rozeboom.”
Bucs linebacker Lavonte David will have a news conference today at 2 pm at One Buc Place, the team announced. Speculation is that he may retire after the team signed a second veteran inside linebacker Monday by reaching an agreement on a one year deal with Carolina free agent…
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 24, 2026
David has seen several eras in the Buccaneers, having been drafted under Greg Schiano in 2012. He was a Day 1 starter and watched the franchise go through Lovie Smith, Dirk Koetter, Bruce Arians, and Todd Bowles at head coach.
In his 14 years in Florida, he put together a resume of 1,714 tackles, 177 for a loss, 42.5 sacks, 33 forced fumbles, and 14 interceptions. He is a Super Bowl champion, All-Pro, and Pro Bowler, having started every one of the 225 games he has played in his career (98.3 PFSN LB Impact in 2023).
Rozeboom, on the other hand, is a late bloomer. He went undrafted in 2020 and was signed by the Los Angeles Rams; however, his career only began to pick up in 2023, when he started his first few games during his second stint with the Rams.
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After a solid 2024 campaign, the Carolina Panthers acquired him for the 2025 season, with whom he put up another reliable string of performances. The Buccaneers noticed and signed him this week.
Some believe the signing occurred because David notified the team that he is planning to retire; however, only his press conference will tell.
The situation coincides with speculation about Mayfield’s future with the franchise. The quarterback is entering the final year of his contract, leaving the Buccaneers with plenty of uncertainty as to what the position will look like in 2027.
It will be interesting to see how general manager Jason Licht and the front office handle the various situations on their books this offseason.
