How Does PFF Rank Bucs LBs Heading Into 2024?

Ahead of next season, Pro Football Focus has been busy ranking players at each position. It has been a topic of much discussion, including on Thursday’s Pewter Report Podcast where we went over where Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield placed.

While it has been offensive-focused so far, PFF recently ranked both the inside and outside linebacker positions with one Buccaneer in particular receiving some worthy recognition, while others could be up next in line.

Even At 34 Years Old, Bucs ILB Lavonte David Remains One Of “The Best”

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today

Bucs inside linebacker Lavonte David was as good as ever last season, turning back the clock in a major way – or maybe he’s just “timeless.”

“I don’t even look at his age – he plays timeless, he plays timeless football,” Bowles said back in January. “He plays it the right way, he prepares the right way, he’s the ultimate professional.”

In 15 games, David recorded 134 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Fellow linebacker K.J. Britt kept it simple when talking about the veteran linebacker at OTAs this week, calling him “the best.”

That point is reinforced as PFF ranked David as the sixth-best inside linebacker in the NFL, having this to say about him.

David, 34, is coming off his lowest season-long PFF coverage grade since 2015. That being said, his 68.6 mark still ranked inside the top 25 at the position, and we only have to go back to 2022 to find him inside the top five, with his 88.0 PFF coverage grade placing second among linebackers.

Interestingly, they pointed out his coverage grade last season to hold against him, even though he locked up his matchups regularly. That includes Sam LaPorta back in October, who has already established himself as one of the best tight ends in the league.

Ahead of Lavonte David in the rankings are Fred Warner, Roquan Smith, Demario Davis, Matt Milano, and C.J. Mosley. It’s hard to be upset with David being top ten at his position, but there is also a strong argument to have him at No. 3 or at least in the top five.

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum and ILBs K.J. Britt and Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today

Similar to the case one could make for Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans, he has the resume of longstanding production with no signs of slowing down. Statistically, he recorded better overall numbers than each of Davis, Milano (who only played five games in 2023), and Mosley.

Surprisingly, this is one of the few rankings where David places ahead of Bobby Wagner, his longtime contemporary as one of the best linebackers throughout the 2010s. Despite leading the league with 183 total tackles last season, Wagner placed 20th.

As for K.J. Britt, he remains off the list as he only started four games last year. Britt did play well after filling in for Devin White toward the end of the season, and if he claims the other starting inside linebacker spot and plays every down this season, he could find himself ranked in the future.

No Bucs OLBs Place Within The Top 32

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

While Lavonte David represents the Bucs well in the linebacker rankings, it is a different story at outside linebacker. None of Tampa Bay’s pass rushers crack the top 32. To some extent, this is expected as the room lacks established production.

Outside of 2023 third-round pick YaYa Diaby, who led the team with 7.5 sacks, it is a mixed group of rotational players (Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Anthony Nelson, and Randy Gregory) or unproven youth (Chris Braswell, Markees Watts, and Jose Ramirez).

The hope is that one of them emerges next to Diaby next season, but the ceiling of the position is largely dependent on “Agent Zero.” He would likely be one of the first honorable mentions after he came on strong down the stretch in the second half of last season.

For now, Diaby is on the outside looking in, but if he can take down more quarterbacks in 2024 with a full slate of games, he has the best shot of representing the Bucs on the list in 2025.