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Devin White wanted to completely reboot his career and prove he was still an elite NFL linebacker. That was his entire motivation when he signed a 1-year, $4 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles after spending the first 5 years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After just 5 games of the 2024 regular season, White finds himself looking for a job after having never played a snap for his new team.
The Eagles made the stunning move to release White on October 8 while never even putting the former NFL All-Pro and first round pick on the active roster during his time in Philadelphia.
White was vocal about taking less money to play in Philadelphia, where he thought he could eventually be a “dominant” player again.
“Rather taking such and such with another team that don’t have the pieces around to even allow me to become even better,” White told The Pivot podcast on Aug. 6. “For me, I know I have to rebuild myself and show I can be that dominant middle linebacker … to be on a great team that’s going to be great in the future and I want to be around long term.”
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Eagles had soured on White long before the season started.
“(Philadelphia) explored trading (White) in preseason,” Fowler wrote on his official X account on October 8. “It just didn’t work out for the former Pro Bowler in Philly.”
White Might Have Path Back to Tampa Bay
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested a trade for White back to his old team before he was released — getting him back without having to give up assets now might make a move even more attractive.
White was selected No. 5 overall by the Buccaneers in the 2019 NFL draft out of LSU and spent his first 5 seasons with the franchise.
“The unknown here is just how valuable White can be at this point in his career,” Knox wrote. “… after sitting for the first month of his 2024 campaign, the 26-year-old may not be ready to jump right back into a starting role. A trade back to Tampa could make some sense, given his familiarity with the defensive scheme and the Bucs’ struggles against the run.”
Messy Exit From Buccaneers Bad Look for White
White was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2019, won a Super Bowl and was named NFL All-Pro in 2020 and was a Pro Bowler in 2021.
In 2022, White missed a career-high 16 tackles and was targeted heavily in the passing game, where he gave up a whopping 120.5 passer rating.
White went into the offseason looking for a contract extension that would make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid inside linebackers. The Buccaneers opted to pick up the fifth-year option on his contract, which paid him $11.7 million in 2023 and the Buccaneers flatly refused. to trade him
White had his worst season as a pro in 2023. He missed a career-high 3 games and finished with a career-low 83 tackles.
“Maybe it’s about how you respond,” White told Sports Illustrated’s John McMullen on September 18 after he was a healthy scratch by the Buccaneers. “How you handle yourself because that’s the only thing I can control. I can’t put myself in the game but I can control my attitude, my health, every practice, and just my swagger in the building. Still come here every day like a pro and handle my business.”
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