Getty Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White at Highmark Stadium on December 17, 2022.
Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White could have the chance to land on his feet with a Super Bowl contender after becoming a cap casualty in Buffalo, one insider predicts.
The Bills parted ways with White on March 6, part of a series of roster moves that generated more than $30 million in cap space in total. White had been a cornerstone of Buffalo’s defensive revival after arriving as a first-round pick in 2017, but suffered a pair of major injuries over the last three seasons and faces an uncertain future.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell predicted that White could still land with an NFC contender, calling him a top fit for the conference champion San Francisco 49ers.
Uncertain Market for Tre’Davious White
After earning a reputation as steady and largely injury-free, White has now seen two major injuries. The All-Pro cornerback suffered a torn ACL in a Thanksgiving night win in 2021, undergoing a long rehab that saw him return midway through the 2022 season. After moving back into a starting role last season, White went down again in September with a torn Achilles.
Barnwell noted that teams could be wary about his injury history, comparing him to the depressed trade market for Jalen Ramsey. But he also noted that White continued to play at a high level after his first injury.
“While he allowed sub-60 passer ratings during the 2019 and 2021 campaigns, he held opposing quarterbacks to a 75.6 passer rating on throws in his direction in 2022 and a 70.6 mark in the four-game stint before the Achilles tear last season,” Barnwell wrote. “He will nearly be a full season removed from the injury by the start of the year, so there’s a chance he’ll be able to play something resembling a full season in 2024.”
Barnwell noted that the 49ers have their top two cornerback spots locked with Deommodore Lenoir and Charvarius Ward, but have a question mark behind the pair and could add White for more depth.
“With Lenoir moving into the slot in San Francisco’s sub-packages, White could step in as the outside corner while building up his legs after the Achilles injury,” Barnwell wrote.
While the Bills will lose a locker room leader and steady presence on the field in releasing White, they found a steady pair of cornerbacks in Christian Benford and trade-deadline acquisition Rasul Douglas. The Bills also signed cornerback Taron Johnson to a contract extension, giving their secondary some greater consistency while locking down a player considered one of the league’s top nickel cornerbacks.
All-Pro Cornerback Determined to Return
White has shown determination in returning from injury in the past. While rehabbing the torn ACL suffered in 2021, White said he had the chance to do some introspection and learn more about himself.
“I got more to give to people than knocking a pass down and intercepting a ball,” White said in 2022, via ESPN. “So, it was the first time in my life I sat down and was like: Tre’Davious White, what else can I offer to people? I know I’m bigger than just a football game or just knocking a pass down. I started reading, started to get into a different space. Just learning about myself, learning about what’s my purpose here on earth other than playing a football game.”