Whereas all eyes are set on the 2023 season, Pewter Report is having a look on the Bucs in 2023 and into the longer term. Going place by place, we’ll present a three-year outlook to get an thought of what the 2024 and 2025 Bucs may appear to be — and the way 2023 might influence these future groups.

Quarterbacks 
Operating Backs 
Huge Receivers 
Tight Ends 
Offensive Line
Defensive Line
Exterior Linebackers

Immediately, we proceed with the within linebackers.

Bucs Inside Linebacker Contracts

Bucs LB Devin White Photograph By: Cliff Welch/PR

You possibly can’t speak about Bucs inside linebacker contracts in 2023 and begin with anybody apart from Devin White. The 25-year-old requested a commerce this offseason amid unhappiness along with his contract scenario. He needs to be a $100 million linebacker and Tampa Bay wasn’t prepared to offer him that type of contract, so he needed out.

It’s unlikely that some other staff would’ve made White a $100 million man anyway, however the Bucs maintained that they might not commerce their 2019 first-round choose all alongside. As a substitute, they need him to play out his fifth-year choice in 2023. He’ll make round $11.7 million this season as he appears to show to the Bucs’ entrance workplace — or a entrance workplace elsewhere within the league — that he deserves a big-money deal subsequent offseason.

White’s scenario has been hanging over Tampa Bay and put a damper on an already-tough offseason, however there was motive to rejoice a improvement with the linebacker place throughout the spring. That, in fact, was the return of staff legend Lavonte David for an additional yr in purple, white and pewter. There was some fear that he might land elsewhere in free company, however he elected to re-sign with the Bucs on a one-year deal. It’ll be yr 12 for David in Tampa, and along with his profession winding down, he’s prone to proceed approaching issues from a year-to-year perspective.

David and White will begin at inside linebacker for the Bucs in 2023, and behind them is a mixture of returning depth and thrilling newcomers. Ok.J. Britt enters yr three of his rookie deal, whereas Ulysses Gilbert and J.J. Russell will look to beat the chances and stick on the roster out of camp.

Gilbert and Russell face lengthy odds due to the Bucs’ additions of SirVocea Dennis — a fifth-round choose — and Jeremy Banks — an intriguing undrafted free agent. Dennis is on a normal four-year rookie deal, whereas Banks is on an undrafted rookie cope with little cash assured. If issues pan out, although, Tampa Bay might have him for the subsequent three years earlier than he turns into a restricted free agent in 2026.

How This 12 months Impacts 2024 & 2025

Bucs ILBs Devin White and Lavonte David – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

The way forward for the Bucs’ linebacker place is murky at greatest. The 2023 season will decide quite a bit, and it begins with Devin White. If White balls out this season, it’ll set him up for the kind of contract he’s been wanting. Now, will he get his subsequent deal in Tampa Bay? Or will the entrance workplace be reluctant to shell out that type of cash, forcing him to look elsewhere? Maybe he even opts to hit the open market subsequent offseason no matter what the Bucs could also be providing.

On the flip aspect, if 2023 brings extra of the identical for White — eye-catching playmaking means paired with inconsistency and lapses in sticking to his assignments — what then? White is prone to be searching for a big-money, multi-year deal subsequent offseason it doesn’t matter what. If he stays the identical participant he has been for the primary 4 years of his profession, the Bucs could be taking a reasonably sizable gamble by providing him that type of contract. However there’s a lot extra to the uncertainty on the linebacker place going ahead.

If White walks subsequent offseason, Tampa Bay might want to change a beginning inside linebacker. There are some in-house choices, which we’ll get to shortly. However earlier than we check out the remainder of the depth chart behind the starters, we have now to speak about Lavonte David — the Bucs’ different beginning inside linebacker.

David re-signed on a one-year deal this offseason. He talked about eager to be a profession Buc, and he took a reasonably team-friendly deal to play his age-33 season within the colours he’s worn since being drafted within the second spherical of the 2012 draft. He mentioned final summer season that he was seeking to take issues year-to-year, so it’s arduous to check what the longer term holds for him past 2023. If he performs on the stage he’s confirmed able to (whilst he’s aged) and needs to play once more in 2024, it will presumably be on one other one-year contract with the Bucs.

However what if David elects to retire after 12 seasons? That would depart a big gap in Tampa Bay’s protection, and if this is identical actuality the place White is out the door, that leaves two high-caliber linebackers for the Bucs to interchange subsequent offseason.

That’s what makes 2023 so essential for the likes of SirVocea Dennis, Ok.J. Britt and probably Jeremy Banks. Dennis has the blitzing means and excessive soccer I.Q. essential to be an intriguing substitute for one of many Bucs’ starters subsequent season, however whether or not he proves that on the sphere in 2023 — and whether or not Britt or Banks makes their very own case — will decide simply how closely Tampa Bay should put money into the place subsequent offseason in free company and/or the draft.

Three-12 months Outlook: Bucs Inside Linebackers

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

The within linebacker room is in for an overhaul. Whether or not that’s subsequent offseason or the offseason after that, this can be a bunch in transition very quickly. Think about the concept of White leaving subsequent offseason and David retiring. That will imply two new starters at linebacker in 2024. David has been a mainstay since 2012, whereas White has been a fixture since 2019. Shedding each in a single offseason could be fairly the shift for the Bucs to cope with.

In one other actuality, perhaps the staff solely loses one in all them. If it’s White and David sticks round for his thirteenth season, preparations will nonetheless must be made for the potential of dropping the Buccaneer legend the next offseason. Now, if it’s a state of affairs the place David retires and the Bucs do give White the large new contract he needs, there’ll not less than be some longer-term stability. David could be an enormous loss, however not less than the protection would nonetheless have a key contributor in his mid-20s patrolling the center of the protection.

The futures of each White and David are hanging over this place group proper now, however there’s not less than some intriguing expertise the staff might be able to develop over the subsequent yr — and one other offseason. Dennis shined throughout his first dose of motion within the NFL, starring at rookie camp, OTAs and mini camp. He might very properly be a successor to one of many Bucs’ present starters, which might be a welcome sight for the group. Dennis can be round for the subsequent 4 years, in any case.

Britt and Banks are a bit totally different than Dennis, and for various causes. Britt has been round and is extra of a identified commodity. He is aware of the protection properly and has expertise in Todd Bowles’ system, however his athleticism and velocity seem to offer him a restricted ceiling. Banks, then again, is the other. He has the instruments essential to be an undrafted gem for Tampa Bay, however he has to place all of it collectively. And that’s with the idea that he even makes the staff out of coaching camp within the first place.

It’s not potential to foretell who the Bucs’ beginning inside linebacker tandem will include in 2025 and past. It’s not even actually potential to undertaking what the place will appear to be subsequent yr. Will or not it’s White and Dennis? David and Dennis? Dennis and Banks? It might even nonetheless be White and David for all we all know now. We simply don’t know.

Three-12 months Outlook Abstract

In three years, the Bucs’ inside linebacker room is sure to look vastly totally different. David will certainly head into retirement by 2025, signaling the top of a unbelievable period in Buccaneer historical past. He’ll see his title up within the Ring of Honor inside the subsequent decade, however precisely when will rely on when he hangs up the cleats. And who’s to say the place White can be, even by 2024? Dennis and Banks blossoming into future starters could be large for Tampa Bay, however regardless, the staff should put money into the place within the subsequent couple of years to actually solidify it going ahead.