The Buccaneers and linebacker Lavonte David are working towards a long-term deal, but there’s still a sizable gap between the two sides, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. David, 25, recorded 145 tackles, one sack, and four forced fumbles in 2014 for the Bucs. In 2013, he had even gaudier tackle numbers to go with 7.0 sacks and a First-Team All-Pro selection. GM Jason Licht, he adds (link), has stated publicly that keeping David in Tampa Bay is a franchise priority. Here’s more out of the NFC..
- If the lawsuit brought against Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston by the woman who says he raped her goes to trial, it won’t be for quite a white. Winston’s reps and the accuser’s attorneys agreed to set a deadline of October 14, 2016, for discovery and a jury trial date of April 3, 2017, according to Brendan Sonnone of The Orlando Sentinel.
- While acknowledging that the team’s current relationship with Jason Pierre-Paul is “complicated,” Giants owner Steve Tisch says that his main focus is seeing the defensive end make a full recovery. “It’s been printed and it’s very sincere: Above anything else I hope he’s healing,” Tisch said, according to Neil Best of Newsday. “I hope he will play great football in the future. I hope he’s getting the best medical care available to him and I really personally and from my position with the Giants wish him all the best and I look forward to seeing him sooner than later. It’s complicated, as you know, but [co-owner] John Mara and I, coach [Tom] Coughlin, [General Manager] Jerry Reese, all the team, his teammates, wish only the best for him.”
- Justin Terranova of the New York Post spoke with former Giants offensive lineman Shaun O’Hara about a number of topics, including how he would play JPP if he lined up against him. “If I was playing against him, the thing I would want to figure out right away is: Is he scared to use the hand? I would be pretty aggressive with him, get my hands on him and see if he’s willing to use his hand or is favoring it. It’s going to take him time to be pain-free, but the biggest thing with him is to get in football shape because it’s going to take awhile. He hasn’t taken a football snap since the last game last year because he wasn’t there this spring,” O’Hara said.
- Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com debated whether Washington kicker Kai Forbath could be pushed in camp by offseason pickup Ty Long, a Alabama-Birmingham product. Forbath is a clutch, accurate field goal kicker but he struggles on kickoffs and doesn’t offer a big leg. Long has shown that he can nail attempts from deep, but both seem to agree that Forbath is probably safe as long as he keeps booting the short field goals..
- The 49ers‘ group of outside linebackers should be considerably stronger than it was a year ago, assuming Aldon Smith is on the field when the season begins and remains there, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. Meanwhile, they’ll be going ahead without Dan Skuta, who signed with the Jaguars in free agency.
It’s not out of the question (and maybe even likely) that David becomes the highest-paid 4-3 OLB on an annual basis. The top deal among that position group is Lance Briggs’ old contract at $7MM per, a figure I wouldn’t be surprised to see David top.