Solomon Wilcots: Devin White Needs To Improve
April 20th, 2023
Inside linebacker Devin White.
So what are the Bucs going to do? Are they going to use Devin White as trade bait to maybe get a quarterback a week from tonight in the draft? Or will the Bucs play hardball with their disgruntled linebacker?
Yes, White is still on the roster despite going to ESPN and whining that he’s “fed up” with the Bucs over his stalled contract extension talks and demanding a trade.
You can demand all you want, but Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht doesn’t have to oblige.
Solomon Wilcots, co-host of “The Opening Drive” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, said this week that while White is a good linebacker, if not very good, he’s not quite at the level to start demanding trades.
“Look, it’s on tape,” said Wilcots, a former six-year NFL defensive back. “Devin is a good linebacker. One of the best off-ball linebackers in our league. But he can get better when it comes to fitting the run and reading that out, coming downhill.
“We’ve seen it on tape. There have been times when they’ve pulled him off the field and Todd Bowles has been irate when trying to get him to read it out and taking it on the right way.”
Yes, White is a good linebacker. But is he an all-world, Lawrence Taylor/Derrick Brooks superstar? No. He’s way too inconsistent. Shoot, he’s not even the best linebacker on the Bucs.
Joe is more inclined to trade the guy. If he doesn’t want to be here, he doesn’t want to be here. Use him as trade bait in the draft. Replace him with someone who wants to be here. There are plenty of good players in the draft who would move heaven and earth for the opportunity to call Tampa their home for the next decade.
Someone that wants to be here who won’t get called out by Warren Sapp on Instagram for dragging ass?
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April 20th, 2023 at 4:07 am
Yup, I’m with you there Joe. That loafing play was inexcusable. He relies on his athleticism a bit too much, and once that’s gone? It’s not going to be pretty. I’m very disappointed, but it is what it is. Let’s get some draft capital and move on. Doubt it will happen, but who knows.
April 20th, 2023 at 4:36 am
Buh Bye
April 20th, 2023 at 5:01 am
So glad I stated sniffing the Diva on this guy and did not get his jersey, punk!
April 20th, 2023 at 5:29 am
I was hoping he’d be the next Ray Lewis turns out he plays more like Jerry Lewis. If the Bucs trade him it won’t be to move up for a QB Joe.
April 20th, 2023 at 6:33 am
Geeze can somebody give this guy a Kleenex..
There’s definitely flaws in Whites game and the fact he actually went on ESPN whining about $ was it for me. He takes terrible angles, has no instincts, arm tackles often, and he’s a (me first) cry baby who’s a total liability in coverage…
These LSU LBs are all the same lately; very athletic with no instincts for the position. Kendall Beckwith was the exception; I wish he never got hurt. In the case of “Tear Jerker” Devin White his numbers are fool’s gold, trade him please; send him to NFL purgatory, Detroit would be perfect…They have the $ to give him what he wants and the draft capital to compensate us…
Bye bye Devin, go cry a river somewhere else.
April 20th, 2023 at 7:04 am
I am on board for trading him
Licht to work on getting the best deal of picks he can.
April 20th, 2023 at 7:05 am
Joe am I on your naughty list…
Not sure why my post was deleted; it’d be nice to get some type of reason when you do that…That way I know where I stepped out of bounds so I doesn’t happen again; you do have access to my email, but whatever man.
No apologies…
April 20th, 2023 at 7:22 am
Gotta replace White if traded though, but I’m all for getting rid of him at this point now.
April 20th, 2023 at 7:39 am
Regarding the play that Sapp is talking about, White deserves all the criticism he has received and more. But you may notice #9 hustling downfield blowing by 45. I know everyone is down on JTS, but I cannot fault his effort. He was on the screen around the ball a lot last year. I think him not “finishing the play” is spot on. If he can get that figured out, he will be a very nice player.
April 20th, 2023 at 7:48 am
Trade him for day 2 picks
April 20th, 2023 at 8:20 am
Make the ILB spot next to LVD an open competition. Instead of just plugging Devin White in at ILB, perhaps draft a rookie while forcing White to see players under him like Britt & Russell get the work he should be getting.
April 20th, 2023 at 8:25 am
We have no one on the team who can replace White (have read Britt is too slow?) Have ALSO read this is a poor draft year for MLB’s. ASLO no money for expensive free agents White CAN’T sit out, CAN’T pout all year, else he won’t get his $20 million from one of the other 31 teams. Dude has no option but to play all year and play well
April 20th, 2023 at 8:41 am
“ Solomon Wilcots: Devin White Needs To Move “
April 20th, 2023 at 8:41 am
Hodad – the “Ray Lewis / Jerry Lewis” reference made me spew coffee. Well played! Now I need to clean up the room.
April 20th, 2023 at 8:58 am
If JL can make a favorable trade then I’m all in. Please no QB or RB! Prefer OT, Edge, or ILB.
April 20th, 2023 at 9:02 am
Trade White. He’ll blow up next season, to prove us wrong. Then he’ll go back to being a lazy diva. We’re better off without him and his me-first attitude.
April 20th, 2023 at 9:10 am
Trade Up ok,, but Hooker?? Really??? you want to use your 1st round Draft pic on a crapshoot ‘QB to sit and watch Mayfield and Trask while his knee fully rehabilitates and gets another year older. Just bypass the other glaring needs of the team?
WTF.
Draft Trenches.
April 20th, 2023 at 9:26 am
If DW loafs and freelances and “gets bored” this much now, can you imagine how much worse he’ll be once he gets $60M guaranteed?
April 20th, 2023 at 9:43 am
Right Tony. Let’s see what his real market value is then make a move if it’s advantageous to the team.
April 20th, 2023 at 10:07 am
in the words of Rah “I will tolerate you until I can replace you”
April 20th, 2023 at 10:28 am
@rrsq
I think that was Mike Tomlin, but yea pretty much the case for a player with the attitude Devin White has, who is currently on the bird app stating: “Never understood how people could use their platform to tear another person down”
Bucs fans are giving him the business about flirting with other teams, using social media to tear Jameis Winston down, and being unprofessional. White deserves and earned the flames he’s getting.
April 20th, 2023 at 10:38 am
Trade Devins ass to Arizona who will be horrible until Murrag comes back.
April 20th, 2023 at 12:50 pm
Devin White/Micah Parsons stats
Tackles per game: solo White 5.1 Parsons 3.2 assisted White 2.7 Parsons 1.3
Sacks per game: Parsons .8 White .3
Forced fumbles per game: Parsons .2 White .1
Fumbles recovered: White .1 Parsons .1
Neither has a reg season interception, White has 2 playoff interceptions
Those of you who want to get rid of White, be careful what you wish for….
April 20th, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Stats schmats. The next gen type analyses show how bad White actually is. And now his full Diva is on display. Licht knows what to do.
April 20th, 2023 at 1:45 pm
I and Beej are in the minority, but I say Bowles should give him tough love, a chip on his shoulder, and keep him.
April 20th, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Trade this bum then sign Yannick Ngakoue
April 20th, 2023 at 2:04 pm
He is a Me guy and every time he makes a tackle he’s talking trash and you wonder if he is going to get a penalty. He has taken a lot of stupid penalties during his time here. They can not pay everybody. Get a good trade haul for him and make it count. Go BUCS!
April 20th, 2023 at 2:07 pm
trade the mouth…..
April 20th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
No. Just no.
He is a Pro football player under contract. If Mike Ditka were the coach of the Bucs, Mike would tell him to shut his mouth and actually tackle with his pads instead of slinging down the ball-player by his shoulder pads – that’s just lazy tackling. Shut up and play, and play hard, youngster, and we’ll talk about your contract after this year.
White is worth keeping, but only if he gets his mentals right. He has all the physical tools and skills to be elite.
SIGH.
April 20th, 2023 at 3:13 pm
^^^ Sorry I know most here want to get rid of White, but I say, MAKE him play hard (harder?) this year and then make decisions on his future and his contract.
We NEED his talent on D this year. I mean, does anyone really think Britt would be an acceptable replacement for him?
April 20th, 2023 at 6:48 pm
“How do you show up with your defense on Monday morning with this type of effort? I’d ask for the ‘C’ off of your chest. What is that? Are you sh*ttin’ me?”
-Warren Sapp
April 21st, 2023 at 12:30 am
Agreed. Trade him and move up the board. Let’s be cancer free
April 21st, 2023 at 1:51 am
Willcotts is overating D White like all the other talking heads.
But I agree with you Joe. Jason does not have to do anything.
But White may be able to get us enough draft capital to do some things on draft day! So, If the man doesn’t want to be here? Get what you can for him!
Go Bucs!
This will also send a strong message to any other underperforming players who value themselves more than perhaps they should.
April 21st, 2023 at 6:56 pm
Devon White doesn’t have much leverage. Honestly right now his only option is to ball out this year to show other teams he is worth $20million per yr. If he acts like a malecontent and holds out. Other teams will see his attitude and take that into consideration. If he ends up playing terrible because he missed a bunch of practice. Then nobody is going want to pay him.
April 22nd, 2023 at 3:24 am
This dude need to go. Not a good teammate.