Storms were brewing between the Buccaneers’ former linebacker Devin White and the organization long before he packed his bags for Philadelphia last week. Heading into the final year of his deal in 2023, he all but demanded to be paid at the top of the market, stating he felt he deserved to be paid in the $100 million dollar range. Tampa GM Jason Licht, shrewdly, decided to let White play out his final year without a new deal. Another masterful piece of intuition by a General Manager that seems to be consistently batting .1000 in decision making.
It wasn’t just White’s declining play that garnered himself a trip to the bench for the Buccaneers in 2023. During Tampa’s own losing streak mid-season, multiple coaches butted heads with Devin due to his alleged poor attitude and overall negative approach to a diminished role. They felt a veteran that was supposed to be the heir apparent to Lavonte David as defensive Captain should conduct himself more professionally. This combined with the pre-season demands and in-season poor performance made the decision for the front office.
Devin White Takes A Parting Shot At The Bucs
Although White's comments about his former team were fairly positive in his initial press conference with the #Eagles, he did take a subtle shot at the #Bucs.
Matt Matera has the story.https://t.co/WtBKUf60Z0
— PewterReport ????☠️ (@PewterReport) March 21, 2024
Heading into the new League year, the writing was on the wall. Devin White would be moving on to a new team. Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles saw something they liked after vetting White, so he will enter a linebacker room that could use his help after Philadelphia lost 6 of their last 7 games in 2023.
Leave if to Devin White to set fire to any bridge back to Florida he possibly had remaining. During his welcome press conference in Philadelphia, he took multiple subliminal shots, it seemed, saying it was nice to be in Philly and that the Eagles were “A better all around team built right here, right now to do great things…” NOTE: The Buccaneers handily beat this same Eagles team 32-9 less than two months ago in the Wildcard Round of the Playoffs. That fact left many Bucs’ fans with a bad taste in their mouths after his comments.
Regardless of bad blood or the appearance of it, White did help the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl, so most fans would likely just want to see a return to the Devin White of days long ago. Maybe he will find that spark in Philadelphia, but for the Buccaneers, greener pastures lie ahead without White.
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