Raiders to land Lavonte David in PFF free agency predictions
The Las Vegas Raiders should be prepared to land another star this offseason just like they did in the last one, but this guy will instantly make the team better.
It's pretty clear the Las Vegas Raiders need some help this offseason whether it be through the draft or even in free agency. They just so happen to have the third most cap space as of right now, which is $46 million, per Spotrac.com.
So, they have some money to spend, and some areas to fix. But, I think it is safe to say that their biggest area that needs fixing, is their defense.
They struggled all season long trying to stop anyone, whether it was through the air or on the ground, it really didn't matter. So, it is safe to say that defense needs to be prioritized the most. Luckily for them, they are projected to get one of the best linebackers in this upcoming free-agency class.
Pro Football Focus has Las Vegas snagging Lavonte David, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer linebacker. Here is what they had to say about the fit and why it could possibly happen.
"Currently, the only Raiders linebackers under contract for 2023 are Luke Masterson and Darien Butler, both of whom were undrafted rookies in 2022. There is a massive need to get a leader in the middle of this defense, and there might not be a better player to do so than David, who has been the epitome of consistency for the Buccaneers' defense, stringing together six straight years with a 72.0-plus PFF grade. He would help rejuvenate the Raiders' linebacker room, which has struggled to find a top-end guy at that position for years. The Raiders had bottom-five defense when opposing offenses threw over the middle of the field according to EPA per play and success rate allowed."
While, yes, David is getting up there in age, he showed last season that he still has some juice left. Luckily for the Raiders, they want to win now, so they could possibly sign him to a short-term deal so the 33-year-old won't be on the books entering his downside.
The Raiders also likely won't have to worry about the Buccaneers trying to get Davis back either. Sure, it could happen, but Tampa Bay is $54 million over the cap, so it will be hard to do for sure.
When I look at what David could bring to the team, I see a guy that could still help defend the Travis Kelce of the world. He is a big linebacker that is still quick, with some of the best coverage skills in the league.
That is exactly what Las Vegas needs.
You can read the rest of the PFF article here.
Featured Image Via Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
