Lavonte David, Buccaneers Reportedly Agree to 2-Year, $25M Contract Extension

Lavonte David is sticking with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a bit longer. 

The linebacker agreed to a two-year, $25 million extension with the Bucs on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport added the deal contains $20 million in guaranteed money.

According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, David's contract will technically be a five-year deal, though the final three years are voidable: 

The new deal follows a five-year, $50 million contract he signed in 2016. 

Tuesday also marked the deadline for teams to apply the franchise tag to players. Tampa Bay opted to use the franchise tag on receiver Chris Godwin, which means David would have been able to test free agency had the two sides not reached a deal before the start of the new year.

Rapoport reported in late August 2020 the Bucs were negotiating with David on an extension before the season started, but the deal never came together. Following Tampa Bay's Super Bowl win, the front office made David a priority. 

The veteran racked up 117 combined tackles, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 1.5 sacks and an interception in 16 games last year. 

A second-round draft pick out of Nebraska in 2012 by Tampa Bay, David, 31, helped the team's defense become one of the more fearsome units in the league by 2020, helping set up a Super Bowl run once it acquired quarterback Tom Brady.

He's played all 16 games in six of his nine seasons in the league, missing just seven total games during that span. 

In retaining David, the team keeps a 2015 Pro Bowler, 2013 first-team All-Pro and veteran presence on defense.

The Bucs remain fully in "win-now" mode. They weren't going to risk David leaving the team altering that plan.