In each of the past three offseasons, Buccaneers great Lavonte David has weighed his NFL future before eventually returning to Tampa Bay on a one-year deal.
Will the 36-year-old follow a similar path to Year 15 in the league? The jury is still out.
"I'm just still thinking about it," David said last week on The Jim Rome Show. "It was a long season. A long season, for me, personally. Just dealt with a lot of things and the way everything went. Just got to have a great, right mentality for me. ... The great thing about it is the Bucs and me, we have great communication, so everything is open. We just talk to each other whenever each other is ready to make a deal, do something about it, but right now I'm just kind of calming down, relaxing, getting my body right and getting myself in a mental place to be able to make a decision."
As for what mentality David requires to return, it's a common mindset for anyone at the top of their sport.
"If I'm not thinking I'm the best out there on the field, there's no point in me going out there to play," he said. "But so far, so good. The trajectory is climbing, I'm feeling pretty good, you know, physically, always, but mentally I just have to get there. And when I'm there, I have to make sure I stay there to be able to take one whatever the season comes."
While it's been some time since David garnered accolades the best at his position typically receives, he's remained one of the Buccaneers' most vital defensive leaders.
David started all 17 games for Tampa Bay last season, bringing his career start total to 215. He eclipsed 100 tackles for the fourth straight season and 12th overall, with 3.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, three passes defensed, an interception and two fumble recoveries to go with two forced fumbles.
If David decides to return, there's certainly a place for someone of his mettle on the Bucs as they look to pick up the pieces after shockingly snapping a five-year streak of postseason play. Tampa Bay stood at 6-2 going into its Week 9 bye, only to lose seven of nine down the stretch to miss the playoffs.
"We can't do nothing but blame ourselves, the way that season went, the way it ended and everything like that," David said. "I'm sure a lot of guys were left with a bad taste in their mouth and I know things will be different."
If the sour taste of a late-season collapse isn't enough to compel David to run it back once more, the history books could presumably provide some allure -- even for some one as team-focused as David.
The Buccaneers count David tied atop the all-time franchise leaderboard in tackles with Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.
"It's an incredible feat," David said. "I'm extremely humbled by it. To be able to be tied with Derrick Brooks is incredible. The accolades that he has, the type of player and type of person that he is, I don't take that for granted."
Though it would be fitting for two team legends to share the record should David ultimately hang up the cleats, he'd only need one more tackle to stand alone.
Redemption from 2025 and passing a franchise giant -- such hypotheticals must wait for now.
Only one week beyond Super Bowl LX, David has plenty of time still to consider his options.
