Trading With The Texans (But Not What You Think)

April 20th, 2023

GM Jason Licht

OK, Joe spelled it out in detail yesterday. But here’s a CliffsNotes version and a fresh twist.

The Bucs send their No. 19 pick overall, disgruntled linebacker Devin White and a compost pick from next spring (third round?) to Houston for the No. 2 overall pick.

Again, Joe detailed the rationale yesterday. It seems follicly-challenged Billy Barnwell of BSPN likes Joe’s idea. But not for Houston’s No. 2 overall pick.

Houston also has the No. 12 overall pick. And Barnwell believes it would be a savvy move for the Bucs to trade their No. 19 pick and White to Houston for that slot.

Here’s another way for the Bucs to creatively move up the board for their quarterback or left tackle of the future, albeit at the cost of White. The 2021 Pro Bowler had an uneven season a year ago, and amid a cap crunch, negotiations between the Bucs and their star linebacker haven’t gone well. White requested a trade last week, and while the team might not choose to honor White’s suggestion, his future could lay elsewhere. This trade would value White as being worth the 51st pick in a typical draft by the Johnson chart, roughly where Roquan Smith was valued when he was dealt to the Ravens under similar circumstances last year.

The Texans have essentially punted at linebacker over the past few seasons; their roster includes veterans Denzel Perryman, Cory Littleton and Christian Kirksey. Perryman and Littleton are signed to one-year deals with less than $1 million in guarantees, while Kirksey has no guaranteed money remaining on his contract. Adding White would land new coach DeMeco Ryans a talented playmaker in the middle of the field, something he’ll need as he rebuilds the defense, presumably in the image of his former employers in San Francisco.

See! The Texans need a linebacker and the Bucs happen to have a young, 100-tackles-a-year linebacker available. And Houston has a defensive guru for a head coach who is likely dying for a player like White instead of a quarterback. Houston also has a dizzy front office to take advantage of.

As Kay Adams said yesterday on her “Get Up” FanDuelTV show while citing a possible Bucs-Texans deal, pay attention!

Now if the Bucs got Houston’s No. 12 pick, is Bijan Robinson in the picture? Or maybe Hendon Hooker?

If the Bucs somehow ended up with the Tennessee quarterback, Joe just may go on a weekend-long bender.

80 Responses to “Trading With The Texans (But Not What You Think)”

  1. Tackleblockwin Says:

    Drafting a RB early in first round? Not a fan of that.

  2. Joe in Michigan Says:

    What is White’s trade value? Several reasons make his trade value low (not very good, thinks he is, wants big money, last year of his deal). Let’s say he’s worth a late 3rd, on the trade value chart, that’s about 100.

    Houston’s 12th pick is worth 1,200
    Bucs 19th pick is worth 875
    Difference of 325
    White’s 100 knocks that down to 225

    So no, Houston probably wouldn’t do this without the Bucs throwing in more picks, which they can’t afford to give up.

  3. Brian Says:

    Glad you’re on the Hooker train Joe! Been saying on this site for a while to draft him! Sounds like a good deal to trade White if we only have to give up a real late draft pick! DRAFT HOOKER!

  4. TDTB2022 Says:

    In Licht, we trust!!!

  5. Kalind Says:

    White AND 19? GTFO. The guy is a pro bowl player controllable for 2 more years. To move up 7 spots? Outrageous.

    I’d want their third rounder back in that deal.

  6. ABucAway Says:

    Great! Get a trade for Diva and our first pick for #12. JL then has a decision to make. Use it for a man beast edge, or gamble that one of his previous draft picks (Hall or JTS) will have a breakout year and then trade back down for more picks. The ship has holes this year that even a Hooker can’t get filled and that issue is what JL needs to focus on.
    Diva D may have some value for us on the other side of another team being dumb enough to think he is coachable. Please Texans, be that team

  7. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Kalind Says:
    April 20th, 2023 at 6:23 am
    White AND 19? GTFO. The guy is a pro bowl player controllable for 2 more years. To move up 7 spots? Outrageous.

    I’d want their third rounder back in that deal.
    ^^^^^^^
    Any/all NFL GM’s would hang up on you immediately.

  8. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Devin White is worth a mid to late 1st round pick…..he is a young proven successful ILB……..
    I’d do that move….19-12 but I’d want a 3rd round pick in addition.
    Moving higher in the 1st and getting the extra pick for white would be worth it.

    Keep in mind we have to replace White.

  9. Jack Burton Mercer Says:

    We need pass rush more than QB or RB, but we do need those. And we really need speed. If you trade White then we need DL and LB. Hope Licht knows what he is doing (the jury is still out on his drafting) because we have big holes, we are slow, and we are old.

  10. RGA Says:

    Ridiculous idea

  11. George R Says:

    Why trade up for Hooker or Robinson, one of them or both of them will be sitting at 19 for the Bucs to grab.

  12. Dooley Says:

    So White, whomever we’d pick at 19th w/o a trade, and maybe a top 100 pick(3rd) to move up for 1 player? Nein.

  13. DislocatedBucsFan Says:

    Hooker has a terrible arm. Much of the scoring throws we blown coverages. He’s used to wide open windows that don’t exist in the NFL.

  14. Erick Says:

    Moving up to draft a RB or old, hurt QB? No, thanks

  15. Letsbucinggo Says:

    Thats a good scenario because with White having only one year left on his contract your not going to get more than a 3rd rounder for him anyway. Its a.win for both teams the Texans get a linebacker and the 19th pick also. So they get 2 first round picks plus a former first rounder win win.

  16. Bucs Guy Says:

    I would rather trade White for a 2nd and 3rd round pick from Houston. They have two third round picks, but I would even accept their early 4th rounder.. Allows the Bucs to draft his replacement and another potential starter at S or DT. Add this to trading back a few positions in the 1st and the Bucs could end up with 6 picks in rounds 1-3.

    Bucs should not even be thinking about an early round QB or RB.

  17. Bobby M. Says:

    The only way it makes sense is if the Bucs use the 12th pick to trade back down for more picks….otherwise we are creating another hole to fill with no additional picks. I don’t see us trading up for a QB that would be 3rd on the depth chart, our first pick is going to be expected to contribute/start. If we trade up, then down for more picks, maybe we have the luxury of burning a pick on a QB to groom.

  18. Pewter Power Says:

    I would be all in if the if either the Texans or Bucs traded back a couple spots to either get more picks or lessen the impact of capital needed to send white into irrelevancy

  19. Beej Says:

    I’m not opposed in general for such a trade, but IMO our glaring needs on the trenches override all other needs. We’re SOMEwhat ok at qb, SOMEwhat ok at rb

  20. Stormy Says:

    If White is obly worth a ‘late third’ as some of you think, then the Bucs don’t trade him. Not worth it.

    Not trading him nets them a linebacker who has to play lights out if he wants the contract he thinks he’s worth. If he does, the Bucs can resign him next year, or slap him with a tag. At WORST, they’re getting a third round comp if he walks and gets that kind of contract elsewhere.

    Jason Licht should hang up the phone on any GM proposing a trade that values White as a late third or worse. There’s no upside for him in that. At worst, the value should be mid 2nd and preferably an overpay on top of that.

    Licht should not be desperate to dump him. He has no reason to be.

  21. Mike Says:

    I don’t see the benefit for the Bucs in this scenario. It just opens another hole we have to fill in a position where we have zero depth. He’s going to have to just suck it up and play or sit it out and get fined.

  22. SB~LV Says:

    Not for Hooker ( who I like but not for that price)
    Not for a Running Back
    Intriguing, maybe do that deal and trade down for a slight net gain just to get rid of DW

  23. Goatfarmer Says:

    I’d like the Bucs to fleece Casserole. Maybe Licht can leverage Mr. Maroon for White and something besides the 19th pick. But do the trade for the trenches, please. I do like Hooker, and the references if he were a Buc are already legendary. “Hooker balls out at the stadium on Dale Mandy.”

    Bucs need trench help on both sides of the ball. But do it.

  24. JN Says:

    JL may need to move from 19 to 12 or somewhere btw a
    10 and 14, to land a LT. I don’t see a LT falling to 19 because there will be a run on the few good ones. There always is and they will be long gone by 19. I think completely stupid to make that move unless it’s only fora LT, QB or pass rusher. No way for a RB or anything else. For the record, I think Hooker will be gone by 12.

  25. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Tampabaybucfan Says:
    April 20th, 2023 at 7:25 am
    Devin White is worth a mid to late 1st round pick….
    ^^^^^^^^
    Not a chance. See reasons stated above.

  26. Stormy Says:

    Some of you are dumber than a sack of hammers.

    White, Evans and 19 for 2? Put the crack pipe down, son.

    And for you people who cannot see the overall body of work that Licht has done, you’re nuts.

    According to some of you, every bad pick he made is the end of the world, every good pick ‘just fell in his lap’? Please.

    He’s only good for ‘running up the salary cap’? If by ‘running up the salary cap’ means loading up for legitimate superbowl runs, one successful, yes please. I’d rather have some salary cap hell with a Lombardi than a well managed cap and a team that just ‘conpetes’. Without that, this team doesn’t have the success it did have. And you people would still be bitching about Licht anyway.

    I think SI grading is fair and a really good way to assess, although I’d put several players above White and Vea in the ‘best’ category.

    We’ve got a good GM, who would be hired immediately if the Bucs ever parted with him. He’s probably the best GM this team has had, and yes that includes McKay.

  27. Geno711 Says:

    Lance Zeirlein and Daniel Jeremiah both rate this NFL linebacker class as very weak.

    In fact, Zerlein rates 11 different position groups and has linebackers as the worst group.

    As Joe has pointed out, if the Texans new defensive head coach values that position, he could very much be in the hunt for White. Don’t know thar much about the coach but this at least in theory would have a reasonable shot.

    For 1, how valuable White is..
    And
    2, how weak the draft class is.

    But just like trying to guess any trade, I would guess this does not happen.

  28. Darin Says:

    White wanting so much money means teams wont be giving up much at all for him. Basically white would just be a throw in if a deal happens. It would cost picks to move up seven slots in round one. Throw in white to free up cap room and get rid of the attitude. Let him join his rah rah buddy jameis

  29. Rand Says:

    to move up 5 slot? I rather we trade back and get some extra value

  30. Rand Says:

    correction: 7 slots

  31. Stormy Says:

    The Bucs don’t need the cap room this year, and using White as a ‘throw in’ would be an idiotic waste of an asset. Thank god a lot of you aren’t in charge.

    Licht has all the leverage here and he’d be an idiot not to maximize every bit of it.

    If White wants to be a cancer, this team has enough high character vets to deal with that nonsense – Lavonte, Evans, Wirfs, Shaq, Godwin, Jensen so as to keep him in check. Besides, acting the fool will do nothing to help him get that payday he thinks he’s due.

  32. Statistically Insignificant Reader Says:

    Said again…
    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.

  33. Marine Buc Says:

    Trading up to @12 sounds fine but only if we get one of the best OTs available in the draft…

    Moving up to #12 just to select a RB makes absolutely zero sense to me and I am not that high on Hooker.

    Move up to #12 and grab our LT for the next decade or so.

  34. Jerseybuc Says:

    Sure. Send his ass to Houston see how he likes playing there

  35. Winny Testaverde Says:

    Joe may have had a belly full of Big Storm ™️ when suggesting Tampa could move up to the 2nd spot only giving up the 19th pick ( yawn ), White ( a net neutral actually ) and a 3rd rounder. That’s a first and a second round pick ( or two ) too light in reality.

    CJ Stroud…who is the best QB prospect in this draft ( in my opinion…watch how he played vs Georgia…then watch how Hooker did ) would be worth a big bounty of pick. Very unlikely to happen, however.

  36. SOEbuc Says:

    Why has Devin become such a d!ck. He’s in his last year and all he has to do is wait for FA or to be cut. Try to get your dollars up this year cus he sounds afraid he will not get paid what he wants at some point.

  37. Beejezus-belt Says:

    White for the 12 pick, but not the first as well. That would be fleece job by the Texans on Licht. Licht is smarter than that. Now, white and a first for the second pick, as Joe has mentioned, all day long.

  38. Who Says Says Can't Say Says:

    No. Trade White for a 1st rounder in the 2024 draft and hope that the team he goes to stinks it up so it’s a top 5 pick.

    Anything else is desperation. There is no need (except for Bowles) for this team to “win now”, like there was when Brady was here. Patience grasshopper.

    Use 19th to draft a left tackle and if there’s one you love, trade 2nd and 3rd round picks to move up a few spots, like they did for Wirfs.

  39. SlyPirate Says:

    I don’t hate it but I’d rather have extra picks (2nd & 5th) for White

  40. The Beer Whisperer Says:

    Everyone is a GM today. Couple days ago, we were Defensive Tackle experts.

  41. The Beer Whisperer Says:

    I’m glad the Bucs have their own staff, to make the football decisions.

  42. Lord Cornelius Says:

    I’d be OK with that move

  43. Mike C Says:

    SOEbuc “Why has Devin become such a d!ck.” Always was, just coming to the surface.

  44. SteveK Says:

    Sold!

  45. jimmy Says:

    >>> SOEbuc “Why has Devin become such a d!ck.” Always was, just coming to the surface. <<<

    Yes. Guy thinks he's Ray Lewis.

  46. Obvious Says:

    That’s a lousy deal for us. That’d be Great for the Texans but I personally have NO INTEREST in helping another team out while mine became weaker. Thank God Licht is in charge and WILL MAKE SURE that he gets what OUR Pro Bowler’s worth, your perceived value or not.
    Some of you, well for some it’s CLEAR why you are NOT in charge of Anything on this level. Your WEAK as far as getting value whether you are cleaver enough to wipe your own butt is still in question, you certainly don’t know how to gage the WHOLE FIELD of possible trade partners. You are so wrapped in your own personal hate for the guy (and I get the distain for this joker) BUT THAT’S NOT HOW YOU PLAY THE TRADE GAME! You HAVE TO COME OUT OF YOU LITTLE BOX and try to actually make magic happen. SOMEBODY out there WANTS DEVIN WHITE REAL BAD! And it’s probably more than a few that WILL make a REAL DEAL to get him! Try to keep that in mind going forward in the arm chair GM position with your buddies. Because other wise, you aren’t doing YOUR TEAM any favors and YOU will continue to live in the Den of Depression!

    Licht ALSO got a taste of the good life and he LIKES IT! He also LOVES his job! He’s gotten a heck of a lot better at it to! And if he gave our #5 draft for a bag of beans like some are suggesting, well he won’t have a job for long

  47. Lokog Says:

    I would trade white for a bag of baseballs cut your loses and move on that guy is garbage he will be loafing and complaining all year just like p$$$y cat he is thats whats wrong with this world all they do is complain he aint no dog hes a mutt

  48. sasquatch Says:

    I don’t see a trade up for a Bijan Robinson. I still think they need to acquire more picks with so many needs.

  49. Brandon Says:

    Please stop with the freaking Hendon Hooker in the first round talk. Did you not learn with Johnny Football? Your area of expertise definitely isn’t the QB position. Any team dumb enough to spend a first on a 25 year old rookie QB coming off an ACL injury and played in a gimmick offense. Sure, he played in Va Tech’s less gimmicky offense… and he was just okay… now he’s 25 and a star? People wanna knock Levis for not beating out a decent QB at Penn St… but you want to draft a QB that was far worse than the Penn St QB when he was at VTech? Makes ZERO sense. Six years as a college QB and wasn’t even a good one until his 5th year… great until his sixth. Sounds like the Gaines Adams of QBs.

  50. MadMax Says:

    Too many needs….unless it involves Will Anderson and I can stomach the price….thats a big old nope no thanks!

  51. Lakeland Steve Says:

    I’m good with at, anything to get that overrated malcontent out of our locker room.

  52. Tye Says:

    For a top Left tackle; GO FOR IT!
    QB or Rb; NO…

    Hooker and Robinson are likely still there at 19…. Recent history is evidence teams normally don’t value RB that high and every year QBS are extremely over hyped and then in the reality of the draft fall to 2nd round…

  53. sasquatch Says:

    So here’s what happens if you give up White and the #19 to draft a RB — you’ve basically created an additional need on defense PLUS you’ve used a premium pick on a freaking RB, which means, in terms of draft capital, you’ve essentially taken 2 steps back. I’m for trading White, but only in a trade that yields MORE picks so we can draft a replacement LB and have a hope to address our existing needs on Days 1 & 2.

  54. Rod Munch Says:

    Giving up White for a late 3rd is about as stupid of deal as you can possibly make. The guy is young, super athletic, and one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL, it’s not his fault our head coach is a complete idiot and insists on having him drop into coverage on 90% of his plays.

    If you do trade him, you want, at least, a late 1st.
    If you can’t get that, you don’t trade him.

  55. Jeff’s grandpa Says:

    Bucs would be lucky to get a 4th for him every gm knows Bucs can’t do much

  56. bucsfan951 Says:

    would like this trade but i would hope the bucs can fleece the texans out of another pick or trade picks.

    texans get: 19th pick, white, 82th pick
    bucs get: 12th pick, 73 pick

    i would love to see the bucs exchange the 82th pick for their 65th pick but being the 65th pick is top of round 3, perhaps it has a little more value.

  57. Alanbucsfan Says:

    If Joe was GM, Bucs would have a top 10 pick every year.

  58. JBBUCS_06 Says:

    If we give up White, we BETTER have a game-changer in mind at #2 or #12. He’s a consistent 100 tackles with speed that can’t be taught.

  59. Juan Says:

    I like the idea. Deal White but only for a QB you really like

  60. Stormy Says:

    If some of the overly emo ‘Devin White Hurt my feelings, trade him for a bag of jockstraps’ posters were in charge, the Bucs would be picking top 5. Consistently.

  61. HC Grover Says:

    White wants to go to a SB contender….send him to Houston.

  62. Redeemer Says:

    Rod, he won’t take coaching. Yes all the skills are there, but he relies way too much on said skills. How many times did you see the back of his uniform lasr year. He won’t stay in his gap, overruns plays and allows 300 pound lineman to block him out of the way. He is supremly athletic, but nobody is dealing anything more than a third, and paying him. I’m not a fan of Bowles. I think he’s a terrible HC, but this is one thing I agree with him on. Bowles knows how talented he is, and has implored him to play within the defense. White reminds me of a young Jamie Collins. Super talented and not that bright

  63. gofortheface30 Says:

    I really don’t give a fuk what some of you don’t like. If Bijan Robinson really is a once in a generation prospect – and by some of accounts the best RB prospect to come out in 10 yrs, THEN I THINK WE CAN GET CREATIVE WITH HIM. To not draft him because you’re abiding by some unofficial fan bylaws is so f’ing ghey and stupid.

  64. Marques Says:

    Get over it. Trask will be our guy of the future. In Trask I Trust. Will there be growing pains? Absolutely!!! That’s part of the process so accept it. WTFU.

  65. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Rod Munch Says:
    April 20th, 2023 at 12:20 pm
    Giving up White for a late 3rd is about as stupid of deal as you can possibly make. The guy is young, super athletic, and one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL, it’s not his fault our head coach is a complete idiot and insists on having him drop into coverage on 90% of his plays.
    ^^^^^
    Yes, none of this is on Devin White, it’s 100% on Bowles…Do you remember White’s post the other day, saying how great his is? He’s not.

  66. Marine Buc Says:

    What if the Bucs could trade back with the Bengals and trade for OT – J. Willaims and a 4th round pick?

    If the Bucs plan to trade D. White this trade would work as the two salaries are very close and would almost cancel each other out.

    Then we have our starting LT and could also pick BPA at pick #28…

  67. Pickgrin Says:

    If the Bucs DO trade up in the 1st round – it better be for a stud LT or a stud pass rusher that Licht has targeted and decided is “his guy” from this year’s crop of high end prospects…

    I’d say there’s a better than 50/50 chance that either Hooker or Bijan will be available at 19. Perhaps both. No way you trade up for either.

  68. D-Rok Says:

    Redeemer Says:
    April 20th, 2023 at 1:33 pm
    “White reminds me of a young Jamie Collins. Super talented and not that bright”

    Great comp, and agree completely. White is faster and doesn’t have those octopus arms that Collins has, but still.

    I think White has ALL the physical tools to be a truly elite LB, but only after he shuts up and plays hard.

  69. Redeemer Says:

    Face, Barry Sanders didn’t change the fate of the lions, and he was the best back I ever witnessed. That was in the late 90s. The game is totally different today. Name me the last Superbowl winner who had a top 10 drafted running back. You’d be hard pressed. The line is where the focus should be. Running the ball is still important, but you get there with a great line, not a great back. No way I would spend a top 100 pick on one. Barkley was supposed to turn the giants around too. Daniel Jones ran the ball more effective in their playoff win

  70. Redeemer Says:

    Brother D-Rok, sad thing is, white is probably more talented. If someone could harness thad ability, he’d be scary good. Nothing worse than wasted talent. Can you imagine what Belichick would have him doing? Someone will either pay him, or give up a pick. Both aren’t happening. Be well.

  71. Bigz Says:

    Guarantee the MLB who replaces Devin will be worse.

    Again, if we trade him it’s another sorry pick and now trade by JL. The fifth pick, who is young, productive and now we need to replace him. This guy can’t keep wasting early picks.

    On another note..
    Never sure why we didn’t explore a move for Trey Lance. I think has serious ability. SF can’t keep him as they have serious cap problems and Brock played well and is cheap.

    But please no HH, what did he do before becoming a vol?? He was average. Next year is the qb draft.

  72. CrackerBall Says:

    Houston’s Pick 12 for our Pick 19 and Devin White – done and done.

    We either end up with a top OT or a generational RB. Me likey.

  73. unbelievable Says:

    I’m not against trading White, but not drafting a fricking running back!

    That’s insane, sorry Joe / Billy.

  74. Beej Says:

    Read an article ‘elsewhere’ which quoted Cam Smith, a good corner prospect –he’s played against Hooker, AR15 and Levis, and thought Hooker was by far the best of the lot.

    That being said, I don’t see how we get a good tackle in the second or third round

  75. Redeemer Says:

    Bigz, but they actually might listen, and play the defense how its supposed to be played. The scheme bowles runs is predicated on big guys tying up blocks, so the linebackers can flow to the football. White gets himself pinned beyond the los, and half the time he’s a liability more than an asset. Go do some film study. It’s all there. The bad and good. Maybe it is a Bowles problem. A smart coach would force him to maintain integrity in his lane, bench him or trade him.

  76. ScottyMack Says:

    There is absolutely no way the Bucs should take a QB or RB in the first round. They have far more pressing needs. Sure, move up to 12 if you can use that pick to get the BEST player on the O or D line or trade White for an extra 2nd and 3rd round pick. Otherwise, it makes no sense at all.

  77. Captain Vic Says:

    I must be the only one, but I would keep him.. I believe he’s under contract for this one last season,right? I just don’t think you get enough guaranteed value , and he’s a pro-Bowl caliber LB, when he’s motivated. And speaking of motivation, on a practical level and a $$ level, I believe he has to ball out this year for either a fat contract with the Bucs,…or any other team. Kind of built-in motivation. Plus I’m not sold that Devin would be as big a locker room problem, as people assume., He & Lavonte form a pretty solid middle of the D! We have 2 legit Pro Bowl WR’s, and a bunch of young fast studs, and the tight ends should be better. Our QB’s I think can be adequate game managers especially with mobility & a moving pocket that the new OC brought from Seattle – see Russell Wilson. No matter what, I do agree with Goatfarmer we need help and a big focus on the trenches.. that’s a problem area – soft and no push! Need some “nasty”!!

  78. optimisticbucsfan Says:

    @ stormy – Licht has a losing record this year…SEVEN losing seasons out of 10…yes 10. How do you keep that?

  79. Woodenman Says:

    Redeemer the bucs just won their superbowl with a top ten drafted RB in Lenard Forenett think he was #4 pick in draft

  80. garro Says:

    Joe
    Make that trade if you can but not for Hooker…bad knee 25 years old from a gimmick offense.

    Then trade back for more picks …maybe a fourth round pick or two etc