“This Isn’t Something I’m Holding Against Devin”
April 13th, 2023
Bucs GM Jason Licht
It became even more clear today that Buccaneers savior linebacker Devin White really does want to be traded.
General manager Jason Licht didn’t try to imply that White wants to be a Buccaneer, and Licht did not deny the report that White wants out, during his predraft news conference at One Buc Palace.
And Licht didn’t try to paint a softer picture.
Primarily, Licht just said over and over that he looks forward to White having a strong 2023 Bucs season and the team respects him. And if White has a strong year, Licht said, “we can hopefully put this to rest and everybody’s happy.”
White is in the final year of rookie contract and is scheduled to earn $11.7 million, assuming he plays.
“This isn’t something I’m holding agianst Devin,” Licht said. “I still feel he’s a tremendous person.”
Joe doesn’t have much of a read on how this ends. White has no leverage, but the Bucs may not want a malcontent who is making a me-first play. It’s one thing to say you’re going to hold out of training camp if you don’t get a new contract; it’s quite another to ask to be relocated immediately.
Obviously, the Bucs don’t want to trade White. That won’t make them a better team this season, barring a truly unique deal.
Would Licht pounce on a second-round pick for White on draft night with a sixth-rounder thrown in? Joe is leaning ‘Yes.’
April 13th, 2023 at 2:28 pm
If you can get a 2nd rounder than trade him. There is certainly a chance, he has clearly been a better than average starter and some teams will look at his best play in the Super Bowl run and have a higher opinion of him than us every day Bucs fans.
Problem is a lot of teams don’t value inside linebacker types.
April 13th, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Does Bowles have the guts to tear the “C” of of his jersey, in the decreasing likelihood of White staying? If not, get rid of them both, post haste. White can’t return & I’m happy to hear that Licht seems to understand that.
April 13th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
“off of”
April 13th, 2023 at 2:32 pm
I doubt the bucs trade him if they could get a second which they cant I would ship him but most likely he plays his 5th year as a buc.
April 13th, 2023 at 2:39 pm
giddy up on outta here !!
April 13th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
3-4 middle linebackers are only as good as their defensive line will allow them to be. White isn’t a thumper, so if he gets caught in traffic he’s essentially out of the play.
He’s a physical freak that can make some splash plays, and then on the very next play he makes what should be a routine play look incredibly difficult.
I hoped when they drafted him that the feel for the game would come and that he would settle into the position and figure it out. He loses his lanes on inside runs too easily He gets lost in coverage. He really excells at running down stretch plays, but we get gashed between the tackles because he can’t take on blocks.
If it was me, I’d line him up as a wide 9 end in obvious pass subpackages and bring in a nickel or dime safety to play coverage with LVD.
April 13th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
If you can adequately replace him with a rookie it will save tons of money
April 13th, 2023 at 2:46 pm
I’ve been a fan of Devin and would hate to see him go. That said, he’s put the team in a bad position and if I were Jason – I would be sending him somewhere to avoid the chaos that he could create in the locker room.
I’m still hoping that Devin will find a way to walk this back.
April 13th, 2023 at 2:51 pm
Why would a team give up a 2nd and 6th round pick and then have to pay White what he wants (presumably $18-20 mill /year), when they can bid for White next year without giving up the picks?
Unless White is willing to play for the same $11 million for another team with probably higher taxes involved?
Doesn’t make sense.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:04 pm
Diva has been in the league for 4 years and still doesn’t know how to properly tackle someone.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:12 pm
Unless Devin White is a stupid idiot, he will stay on the Bucs this season and play his ass off and get rewarded by either a Bucs second contract, or he can go free agent and get someone else to pay him more. It’s not as if he’s going to be impoverished with his current $11.7M salary this season
But then, it seemed rather stupid that White would make public his desire to be traded under these circumstances. Did he really think he could force the Bucs to trade him? Does he even have a professional agent?
If he does stay with the Bucs and he doesn’t play his ass off, who is going to pay him those big bucks elsewhere? Everybody gets valued based upon their actual performance, particularly their final year at their former team.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:17 pm
Correct Unbelievable!!!! He’s probably the most overrated player in the league….and remember this, the truth is not hate!!! He will vmbe a real cancer on this team throughout the OTA and training camp into the regular season if he stays and he definitely needs that “C” taken off his jersey.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:17 pm
may not be about money… last year was a contentious year around him
April 13th, 2023 at 3:19 pm
I can damn well tell you the organization WILL hold it against him!
DW damn well better hit the door.
It would have been more honest to just say something to the effect. Yeah, I’m a little torn the way this has played out but we have a solid relationship etc etc.
bold faced lies are easy to see through.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:21 pm
If devin is still here when season comes back ill be watching on pirate tv
April 13th, 2023 at 3:26 pm
I hold it against him since he was a dumbass at LSU talking about his $100 million. I’m sick of his charades on the field. Maybe Warren Sapp should rip into him again. Warren has a way with words when someone is a Diva, like Diva is. Eff him and all the horses.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
I’m pretty sure you could get a first out of White if you’re going to move him. Not a top of the round 1st, but a late 1st. Regardless of what the low IQ morons here think, White has a very good rep, he’s a young, extremely athletic ILB, one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL. If he goes to a blitz heavy team, where he’s not asked to play in coverage, he’s going to be an All-Pro again right away.
It’s remarkable how the dolts want to keep worthless, washed up, injured players like Logan Ryan, yet want to run off the teams elite young talent.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
Sorry – unless the Bucs get a deal they can’t ignore, he won’t (and shouldn’t) be going anywhere.
They hold his rights this year.
If balls out, pay him or tag him (2 firsts, right of first refusal).
If stinks or sandbags, he won’t get paid by anyone. He would be stupid to go this route, but then again he doesn’t seem to think, but rather lets his emotions dictate his decision making process.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
That doesn’t look like a face you can trust.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
There’s teams with multiple picks in both rounds 1 & 2….never know what they might let go for an instant starter. White is arguably better than any prospect coming out, maybe a team like Philly thinks he’ll put their defense over the top and let’s go of their pick at 30.
April 13th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
If he gets hurt while on the field for 80% of games when we are down 28-7, he won’t get paid by anyone.
fixed it.
DW knows this team is screwed for at least a couple years. I would want to get paid now as well. I wish him well all the best. Let him go to ATL and pummel our QB while scotty puts up 2 TD’s!
RFLMAO
April 13th, 2023 at 3:45 pm
D Brooks , Luke Kuechly and Patrick Willis were crazy athletic,,, Don’t see that type of game at all out of White and they were all extremely solid examplists ( new word ) and leaders . Not Horses , earrings and Mouth
April 13th, 2023 at 3:45 pm
Devin White = Antonio Brown. Dump the guy, don’t let the door hit him in the backside on the way out.
April 13th, 2023 at 4:02 pm
If you are blaming Devin White for all of this…..you are overlooking the possibility of miss-management…..
Bowles claims that White is the 1st or 2nd best player on the defense….if Vea is #1 then White is # 2….Vea got paid…..White isn’t.
I do blame White for the public display of negativity……I assume his agent is OK with it. All that does is turn the fan base against him…..almost no matter what he does or how he plays it will be tainted.
You can’t sit there an praise a player then not pay him….the problem is no money…..we had no money for Godwin in his 4th year and we had to franchise him.
With the NFL….it’s all about choices…..Bring back LVD & Dean or pay White….the Bucs made their decision and have to live with it.
April 13th, 2023 at 4:08 pm
This is also why dynasty teams are offensive driven with the stud QB. You got the QB and a couple others paid and you can maintain that. Defense everybody wants to get paid and the defense can’t maintain.
April 13th, 2023 at 4:09 pm
Matt Feiler veteran OLmen, now a Buc
April 13th, 2023 at 4:11 pm
Option. Send white to Chicago for a first round pick swap. Bears might do it
April 13th, 2023 at 4:16 pm
This is just like with sacks. He’s chasing after that money but hes so over zealous he’s going to run right past it.
April 13th, 2023 at 4:38 pm
A second + another pick (4th?) — take it.
I would Iove to trade him to Houston for their early 2nd (#33) and one of their two 3rd rounders (#65 and 73) or early 4th (#104). Houston has 12 picks in the draft, a hole at LB and may be willing to trade some picks for an established player. Texans are also $21M under the cap according to Spotrac.
April 13th, 2023 at 4:51 pm
It is a about choices and if the bucs thought Devin was as good as he thinks he is they would find the money but they don’t and neither do I.
April 13th, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Really, I’d just make him play this year and tag him. Maybe use the nonexclusive tag so he can gauge his true value.
How he plays and acts this year will determine what people will be willing to pay him next year.
April 13th, 2023 at 5:19 pm
TBBF, the thing is they ARE paying him. 11 million this year, and close to 18 million if they tag him next year and don’t work out a deal. Even in the NFL that’s not chumi change. He has a contract.
April 13th, 2023 at 5:30 pm
I vomit every time I see the Diva’s face. I’m waiting for Sapp to weigh in. Always love his brutal candor.
April 13th, 2023 at 5:46 pm
Licht is towing the company line publicly. Rest assured Licht is exploring every trade that could possibly be worked out to dump White. No way he wants that cancer in the locker room now.
April 13th, 2023 at 6:09 pm
Devon White Bucs Highlight Reel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz3bL1KAIzE
April 13th, 2023 at 7:13 pm
EAGLES WANT HIM … AND SHOULD GET HIM
They are contenders. They need a MLB. White is a freak athlete and a proven SB Champion. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Eagles gave up #31 or a 2nd and 5th. I think the trade would be a good move for all involved.
April 13th, 2023 at 7:46 pm
Bucs need to recoup their investment so a late first or 2nd this year and 2nd or 3rd next year might do it. Not sure if anyone is willing to give up what the Bucs would need, so it’s likely going to come down to a training camp stand off.
April 13th, 2023 at 9:13 pm
Has he lived up to the #5 pick?
No.
Lucky to get a 3rd plus a 5th
April 13th, 2023 at 10:37 pm
Bucs should trade White for 2 1st round picks and allow the team to pick up half of the salary.
April 13th, 2023 at 10:59 pm
Highlight reels exist for Ryan Leaf too. Anyone can be made to look good on YouTube. Someone will put together a reel of Diva’s 100 most horrible plays, it’s only a matter of time. Then he’ll look like one of Keith Armstrong’s guys on the short bus.
April 13th, 2023 at 11:00 pm
Jason Licht is playing it right. I suggested this same strategy yesterday.
Off Topic:
There are some here that actually want bad things for the team. You can tell who they are because they are rarely visible during the season.
These people always encourage others to give up, either on the team, on the coaches, on the GM, on the players, or on the owners. Look at their history of posts, and that is ALWAYS the case. Or they encourage making the bad moves so they can see the worst results.
And yes, they are successful at times. Some people buy into what they spew. And they repeat it because they are gullible.
But let me just say this:
It’s okay to be skeptical of some things. We all feel that way at times. And it is natural to want to point fingers at certain players when things go wrong.
But seeing a team lose regularly is absolutely never because of a single player. It might seem that way at times, because their mistakes stand out, but it is never just them.
I bring this up because those people are coming out of the shadows right now. You can even see their name above if you know what to look for.
So I encourage you all to keep that in mind, and form your own opinions based on the complete picture available, not the narrow view.
April 13th, 2023 at 11:37 pm
If Licht had been planning for the future at linebacker say… two years ago. White would have zero leverage. Sad thing is he better start planning for Evans replacement now as hes in the last year of his deal and you have Wirfs and Winfield to pay as well. Licht hasnt enough fingers to plug all the holes going around OBP and im thinking unless the draft doesnt bring 4 solid players that there will be house cleaning come January. 34-62 record minus the Brady magic isnt very impressive
April 14th, 2023 at 3:15 am
Have him play out his final year for $11.7 million and let him hit free agency next season. Let another team pay him $100 million and we can try to replace him in free agency or the draft. We have several other players to sign next season and need the cap space.
April 14th, 2023 at 3:43 am
Kwon Alexander, another LSU LB, wanted more money and left to the 49ers, Saints, then Jets last season and is now a free agent looking for a new home.
Lavonte Davis resigned for a team friendly salary to remain a Buccaneer. Brady did the same his entire career. Let D. White try his luck in free agency next season. Via con Dios.