Devin White used to be a name that garnered respect amongst Bucs fans. Picked fifth overall in the 2019 draft, he was an instant impact player that had a Super Bowl under his belt by the end of year two. He made All-Pro in 2020 and followed that up with a Pro Bowl year in 2021, prompting the front office in Tampa to exercise his fifth year option before his 4th season began, which seemed to be the peak of his production on the field.
Rumors of discord between White and the Buccaneers first surfaced during contract negotiations before the start of the 2022 campaign. Sources close to the team reported that White felt undervalued and underappreciated by the organization, leading to tension between him and the front office. Despite his undeniable talent and contributions to the team’s success, it seemed that their relationship had reached a breaking point.
As the season progressed, things only seemed to worsen between White and the Buccaneers. On the field, White continued to perform, albeit not at the level he had thus far. He outclassed offensive linemen with his speed, strength, and football IQ in every game, though behind the scenes, all the makings of a relationship breakdown were there. Off the field, reports of locker room conflicts and clashes with coaching staff began to emerge, painting a picture of a player at odds with the team that drafted him almost four years prior.
BREAKING: #Buccaneers LB Devin White has requested a trade, per @JennaLaineESPN pic.twitter.com/eYF8FFgDke
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) April 11, 2023
The major turning point came after the Buccaneers elimination from the Wildcard Round of the 2022 Playoffs. One month after the Super Bowl, White began cryptic Instagram posts seemingly telegraphing his intent to leave Tampa Bay, even taking shots at “mean” fans. This behavior combined with a demand for $100 million, rightly rubbed GM Jason Licht the wrong way. Ironically, White had given a major hint when he was drafted to how his tenure would end. He made comments that in four years he would want “100 million”, indicating a brash assumption that when his fifth year option arrived in 2023, he would be “owed” a max salary.
Fast forward to this offseason, and most Buccaneers fans are glad to be rid of a player that had all the symptoms of a locker room problem. Devin White signed a one year, $7.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, who the Bucs trounced in the Playoffs earlier in 2024. GM Licht and the Tampa Bay front office did not give in to White’s lofty demands, and he ultimately settled for a “prove it” deal, which may work out for him; but I would hedge my bets. His final two seasons in the Bay, White seemed more focused on the contract dollars than on diagnosing pass blocking schemes.
The ultimate nail in the coffin, from Tampa Bay’s side, was the team website deeply discounting the remaining inventory of Devin White’s jerseys to $22 this weekend. This would be the second least expensive men’s NFL jersey now, behind only QB Carson Wentz’ jersey from his time with the Colts. Petty? Yes. Deserved? Also yes. Devin White, according to all parties, instigated his own downfall in Tampa Bay. Once a beloved local hero; now relegated to the Clearance rack.
Bucs' online shop has put Devin White jerseys on deep discount — $100 jerseys marked down to $22. Only men's NFL jerseys on NFLshop available for less are Carson Wentz Colts jerseys for $21 ….
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) May 24, 2024
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