When Lavonte David announced his retirement after 14 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one of the biggest questions surrounding the defense was who would step up and replace his leadership. David had several names in mind, but one player stood out more than the others. That was Tykee Smith, and through five games of the 2026 season, the third-year safety is showing exactly why David held him in such high regard. During his retirement press conference, David specifically mentioned Smith as someone he believed could become one of Tampa Bay's next defensive leaders. David described Smith as a younger brother and praised his willingness to ask questions, learn, and constantly look for ways to improve. That endorsement carried plenty of weight
coming from someone who spent over a decade setting the standard for Tampa Bay's defense.
Thursday night's 24-16 upset over the Dallas Cowboys was another example of Smith living up to those expectations. With Antoine Winfield Jr. sidelined by a fractured rib, Smith stepped up and delivered one of his most disruptive performances of the season, generating five quarterback pressures on just seven blitz opportunities while recording two quarterback hits. Those five pressures led the entire Buccaneers defense, which finished with 15 pressures against Dak Prescott. For a safety to account for one third of his team's pressure production is impressive, especially considering the responsibilities Smith already carries in coverage and against the run.
Smith also recorded four tackles while playing 59 of Tampa Bay's 60 defensive snaps. His ability to generate pressure from the secondary gave Todd Bowles another weapon to work with, allowing the defense to attack Prescott from multiple angles rather than relying solely on the defensive line. His physicality, versatility, and willingness to take on additional responsibilities have become increasingly valuable, particularly now that David is no longer patrolling the middle of the defense.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Tykee Smith lives up to Lavonte David's high praise
