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The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed two inside linebackers this offseason. But fans of the team are now calling for the acquisition of a third.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported on April 11 that former No. 5 overall pick Devin White has requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Very shortly after the trade request became public, Steelers fans expressed their desire for general manager Omar Khan to trade for the inside linebacker.
White is entering his fifth NFL season. In 62 career games, he’s recorded 483 combine tackles, including 35 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, 55 quarterback hits, 15 pass defenses, 6 forced fumbles and an interception.
How Devin White Fits With the Steelers
White came into the NFL during the same draft class as former Steelers inside linebacker Devin Bush.
White and Bush were considered the top two inside linebackers in the 2019 class. The Steelers moved up from No. 20 to 10 for the right to draft Bush while White was the third overall defender off the board after defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Quinnen Williams.
Bush showed promise early in his career, but he suffered a season-ending injury during his second season. Upon returning from injury, he was a huge disappointment in his final two years and departed for the Seattle Seahawks in free agency this offseason.
To replace Bush and Myles Jack, who the Steelers released the first week of free agency, Pittsburgh signed inside linebackers Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts.
Although Holcomb and Roberts should be strong additions for the Steelers defense, White possesses a pedigree that neither of those players do.
Neither Holcomb nor Roberts have ever made the Pro Bowl. White made the Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro when he posted 128 combined tackles, including 8 for loss with 3.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits in 2021.
During 2020, White set career bests with 140 combined tackles, including 97 solos and 15 for loss. He also had a career-high 9 sacks.
The Steelers acquiring White would be like adding the inside linebacker that the organization thought it was getting when it drafted Bush.
Reasons for the Steelers Not to Trade for Devin White
Trading for White would be a big splash move, but it wouldn’t come without risk.
Laine reported that a source told her that White’s frustrations with the Buccaneers stem from contract negotiations. White is entering the fifth-year of his rookie deal and is reportedly seeking a new contract.
If a team acquires White through a trade, they would be agreeing to pay him $11.7 million for the 2023 season. There very likely will also be an expectation that he will receive a new contract beyond this season shortly after the trade.
Spotrac reported the Steelers have just under $10 million in salary cap space as of April 11. So trading for White would eat up more than the rest of the team’s remaining cap space for next season.
Considering the Steelers already spent $25 million on Holcomb and Roberts, the team spending the rest of its available funds on White seems unlikely.
Money isn’t the only issue for the Steelers acquiring White. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Buccaneers don’t want to trade White but are cap restricted to offer White a new deal at the current moment.
To convince Tampa Bay to depart with White, it may take a lot in return compensation. While the Steelers have draft capital (four selections in the top 80), the team may not be willing to give up a high draft pick for a player it could have difficulty signing to a long-term deal.
SB Nation’s Michael Beck tweeted that if he were the Steelers, he’d only be interested in acquiring White for 2024 draft compensation.
Adding another inside linebacker through the draft appears to be a more likely option for the Steelers than White. But having an alternative to the draft is never a bad thing.
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