SEC standout shouts out Bucs legend at the NFL Combine, but he might not get his wish
A player who could help the Bucs out greatly might not get his chance to play with a star he looks up to.
There’s no doubt that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in dire need of help at linebacker – both inside and outside – as the 2026 NFL offseason begins in earnest this week with the NFL Combine getting underway.
The Bucs need to find multiple impact players this offseason, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, and they have the NFL Draft and free agency to try to fill those holes.
One of those holes could come more quickly than some Bucs fans would hope, with legendary linebacker Lavonte David considering retirement. David has said that it’s either returning to the Bucs or retirement for him.
If it’s the latter, that would be disappointing for Georgia linebacker CJ Allen, who met with the media at the NFL Combine on Wednesday. He said he met with the Buccaneers, and that he hopes to be able to play with David in Tampa.
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen says he would love to learn from Lavonte David in Tampa Bay
“It would definitely mean a lot, knowing Lavonte David. He’s just the blueprint, especially what he means to that organization. So, man, it would definitely mean a lot learning from him.”
It’s unsurprising that the Bucs would have interest in meeting with Allen and giving him a closer look. The former Georgia defender is a solid, all-around three-down middle linebacker who would come in and raise the floor of the insider linebacker room quickly. He’s proven to be a reliable run defender in particular, posting an 88.6 Pro Football Focus run defense grade last year. He can also get after the quarterback, a trait that’s particularly important in a Todd Bowles defense.
Whether he ends up succeeding David or playing alongside him for a year is a question that should be answered by the veteran Tampa Bay statesman relatively soon. After all, the Bucs have to know what they’ll be looking to address roster wise when legal free agency tampering begins on March 9.
But in any event, either as teammates in 2026 or not, Allen could serve as a worthy successor to David in Tampa Bay for years to come.