Bucs Pro Bowl LB says team has more 'togetherness' post-Tom Brady

Whispers continue to emerge suggesting that retired quarterback Tom Brady was both a positive and a negative for the 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Per the JoeBucsFan website, Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David offered an interesting response when asked during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio what's different about the club heading into a second season with Todd Bowles serving as head coach. 

"I just feel like this year I already see a change of just, you know, having a more togetherness, more of a continuity of the football team where everybody is just sticking together and depending on one another to take this thing to another level," David said. 

Brady unexpectedly took an 11-day break away from the Buccaneers last preseason that presumably was related to his eventual divorce announced in late October. It's since been said that Tampa Bay players lacked the proper "mindset and mentality" and also didn't have "the real Tom Brady" during his final campaign with the organization. Some inside the locker room are allegedly "rejuvenated and recharged" now that they're free of certain distractions they dealt with throughout the second half of last year. 

Cornerback Carlton Davis recently declared those who believe the Buccaneers won't compete for much of note this fall without Brady will "be in for a rude awakening." David echoed that rallying cry. 

"And obviously we’re already doubted, especially after losing Tom," David continued. "So we already got a chip on our shoulder, and Bowles is the right guy to lead us to be able to go out there week in and week out and be properly prepared and play our butts off." 

Regardless of what Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. or anybody else thinks, there's no indication either Brady or the franchise is interested in running it back for a fourth straight season. Baker Mayfield is on track to start for Tampa Bay, while Brady likely will only make a comeback with the Las Vegas Raiders if he does decide to end his second retirement at some point this year.