Buccaneers Move on From Two Defensive Stars in Proposed Trades

In a series of Bleacher Report mock trades, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be moving on from two star linebackers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' season took a turn for the worse after an impressive 3-1 start to the season. After putting together an impressive run, the offense is struggling. Now, the Buccaneers have lost three straight games.

Ahead of the season, before the Buccaneers -- led by Baker Mayfield -- were able to get off to a quick start, there was a question as to whether the team should trade its star players in return for young talent and draft capital to kick off a rebuild. This has been a question since Tom Brady retired, really. 

Well, the Buccaneers opted to keep their core together and led it ride out with Mayfield under center, but the trade deadline offers another opportunity for the Buccaneers to reset the roster and begin the rebuild.

With the trade deadline just days away, Bleacher Report broke down one trade each team should make. If each trade came to fruition, the Buccaneers would be trading Devin White and Lavonte David away.

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In the mock trades, White makes his way to the Seattle Seahawks. He'd be joining an already impressive defensive unit in Seattle. This also allows the Buccaneers to cash in on White, who will be a free agent in the upcoming offseason. 

"White is a tremendous coverage linebacker who can chase down ball-carriers and pressure the quarterback. He'd be a terrific addition to a linebacker rotation that already includes Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks," Bleacher Report writes.

As mentioned, Bleacher Report would have two Buccaneers linebackers on the move, as David would be finding his way to Pittsburgh and playing with the Steelers, who need the help in the run defense aspect.

"David remains a fantastic do-it-all defender. He topped 100 tackles in nine of the past 11 seasons, and he's on pace to hit that mark again in 2023. He'd be a great addition to a Steelers defense that has struggled against the run since parting with linebackers coach Brian Flores in the offseason," Bleacher Report writes.

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Both of these players would return value to the Buccaneers, but they'd likely be shooting their hopes of winning the NFC South. They'll likely end up in an arm's race at the end of the season, and relying on a Mayfield-led offense just won't cut it.

The division, however, isn't good. If the Buccaneers are willing to trust their defense, they could potentially make a run for a playoff berth by winning the division. In this case, they'll likely stand pat during the trade deadline and work with what they've got. In this scenario, they don't receive any assets if White decides to depart this offseason, though. 

It's a tricky situation for the Buccaneers, and, ultimately, it could expedite the rebuilding process, which almost feels inevitable at this point. Could a potential fire sale be on the table? It'll be interesting to see how they approach this week.

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