Lavonte David contract talks with Buccaneers are "healthy"

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to work on a contract extension for Lavonte David, Jason Licht said yesterday. According to Roy Cummings, the Bucs general manager said that the team's contract talks are "healthy" and that he will do everything necessary to keep David in Tampa. Licht called David "an elite (weakside) linebacker in the NFL," per Rick Stroud.

Since 2012, Lavonte David's 228 defensive stops are the most by any player in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/QHLlVcsK1w

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) July 29, 2015

This is starting to sound a whole lot like last year's contract negotiations with Gerald McCoy, which ran throughout the year until the two parties finally agreed to terms in October -- on a contract that looks absolutely genius in hindsight, given the ludicrous amount of money the Miami Dolphins are paying Ndamukong Suh.

That means there's no need to panic if the Bucs enter the season without having re-signed Lavonte David. They have plenty of time to get a deal at that point, and could even relatively cheaply use the franchise tag to keep him on the team as well. David will be a Buc for the long term when all's said and done.