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Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White is making headlines over some cryptic photos he has posted on social media.
On Monday, March 6, the Buccaneers star sent Tampa Bay fans into a panic over a few photos he shared on Instagram.
One of the pictures sees a caption saying “Thank ya,” which also included a pirate flag.
“Four years went by fast,” White said in another picture.
However, it didn’t take long for the 25-year-old to respond to Auman’s post to squash any speculation that he’s leaving the Buccaneers. The former Pro Bowler explained the meaning behind his Instagram post shortly after.
Buccaneers Have No Plans of Trading LB Devin White: Report
The former Second-team All-Pro selection still has one year left on his rookie contract. White will see a cap hit of $11.7 million for the 2023 season, which ranks 10th among current Buccaneers players.
Considering cutting White would result in a full dead cap hit of $11.7 million, there’s no reason for the Buccaneers to release the four-year linebacker.
However, it would make sense to trade White, where the Buccaneers would absorb no dead cap hit by doing so. Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times quickly put down that notion, reporting that the team has no plans of trading their young star.
“But no sooner had White lit a small fire, creating speculation that maybe the Bucs intended to trade him —they have no plans to do so, the Tampa Bay Times confirmed — than he quickly doused it with a Twitter post indicating he is looking forward to playing with the Bucs in 2023,” said Stroud.
As Stroud also notes, White could be looking at a major payday following the conclusion of the 2023 season.
“The Bucs picked up his fifth-year option that will pay him $11.7 million in 2023, and he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season,” says Stroud. “When that happens, he could be looking at an enormous payday in excess of $100 million over five years.”
Why the Buccaneers Are Retaining Devin White
The Buccaneers are facing major turnover this offseason following the retirement of franchise quarterback Tom Brady. Outside of the loss of Brady, Tampa Bay will move on from running back Leonard Fournette. Furthermore, key veteran free agents such as linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Jamel Dean may sign with other teams.
That makes bringing back White — one of the defensive unit’s top players — even more important entering the 2023 season.
Head coach Todd Bowles made sure to compliment White’s play at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
Via Stroud:
“Devin takes a lot of heat for so many things,” Bowles said. ”Everybody talks about missed tackles, but he makes tackles that I haven’t seen linebackers make in 30 years. He can make plays for us. He’s still one of our best two players on defense.”
White’s 124 tackles during the 2022 season tied for the team lead with David. According to Pro Football Focus, White’s 10 quarterback hits led all linebackers. However, PFF also lists White’s defensive grade (45.5) and run defense grade (42.6) as ranking towards the bottom among all linebackers.
With all of that said, the Buccaneers are looking for some sort of stability as they look to reload for the 2023 season. Bringing back White — one of their top defensive players over the years — will ensure that.
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