Should The Bucs Have Traded Devin White Last Winter?
March 15th, 2024
Joe loves an ice cold Big Storm beer and quality barroom football debate.
So last year, Super Bowl-season hero linebacker Devin White wanted out of Tampa and the Bucs implored him to stick around.
Should Bucs officials have dealt White? It’s fair question.
The potential debate is excellent except Joe and fellow fans are missing one key factoid. It’s unknown by the commoners whether the Bucs tried to trade White when he was barking last winter.
Did the Bucs not like what they were offered or were they not offered anything at all? Or were they not interested in trading White?
If the Bucs tried to deal White a year ago, Joe finds it hard to believe he didn’t have at least one interested team. After a rough 2023 season, White signed with the Eagles this week for up to $7.5 million with incentives for 2024.
At the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, Joe asked defensive guru head coach Todd Bowles about White and Bowles said that in every game White is at least the second best player on the Tampa Bay defense. And then the bottom dropped out last season.
Would the Bucs have been a better team in 2023 without White? Doubtful, but it’s at least possible. If so, perhaps the Bucs are closer now to the Super Bowl than many think. And ringing in Joe’s head is the take by freshly-signed Bucs safety Jordan Whitehead yesterday at his introductory news conference.
“I don’t know what player wouldn’t want to play for Todd Bowles,” Whitehead said.
Joe can think of one name …
It’s not lost on Joe that when the Bucs went 4-7 and White then missed the next three games, Tampa Bay found new life and upped their record to 7-7. White also rode the bench in the playoffs when the Bucs looked their most dangerous.
March 15th, 2024 at 1:34 pm
Compensatory pick next year so it’s all good
March 15th, 2024 at 1:35 pm
Maybe the thinking was we needed him for a playoff run. Who would have traded for him in the last year of his contract?
March 15th, 2024 at 1:35 pm
If they could they probably would have.
His play fell off the season before last. I still have visions of the 2022 season when Baltimore’s rookie Center was man handling Devin White and pushing him 25 yards down the field.
That was a pitiful display and it didn’t get any better from there.
I would have been shocked if the Bucs could have fetched more than a 5th round pick for him – especially with his one year $12M salary in 2023.
March 15th, 2024 at 1:40 pm
He’s gone. Look forward to watching SirVocea step up!
March 15th, 2024 at 1:40 pm
“Compensatory pick next year so it’s all good”
Not sure how the formula works, but I’d guess Whitehead cancels this out.
March 15th, 2024 at 1:41 pm
Duh
March 15th, 2024 at 1:49 pm
Bucs are regretting not taking the offer of some used footballs from the XFL
March 15th, 2024 at 1:49 pm
Rear view mirror…
Toes on the line
Eyes forward
I really don’t care about DW anymore
March 15th, 2024 at 1:54 pm
Guy was blessed with great physical skills and played beside a great HOF mentor. His issues are between his ears.
March 15th, 2024 at 1:58 pm
I’d say no. Britt may not have been ready a year ago to be a starter for an entire year. My guess is he grew into that.
March 15th, 2024 at 1:58 pm
Probably, but we’ll get what? A 3rd rounder next year? Probably wouldn’t have gotten better than that, so meh.
March 15th, 2024 at 1:58 pm
Can’t wait to face the Eagles this year. I hope our OL pancakes him and runs him out of the box into the 2nd and 3rd row bleachers. Let’s go!
Good bye 45!
March 15th, 2024 at 1:59 pm
The bottom fell out so quickly, I was just waiting for the “good Devin” to reappear just as fast. Maybe JL was thinking the same thing, then the trade deadline came and went.
March 15th, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Devin White’s biggest problem was winning a SB early in his career. He thought that once you reached Mt. Rushmore you could just coast on your past and expect people to respect you.
March 15th, 2024 at 2:01 pm
Yes
March 15th, 2024 at 2:02 pm
Aaron Donald retired. Damn.
March 15th, 2024 at 2:03 pm
Is Devin White a draft bust?
March 15th, 2024 at 2:04 pm
Unless we know that there was actually any offer on the table, what proof is there that other teams wanted him?
March 15th, 2024 at 2:08 pm
Rearview mirror trades are worthless. If you could make all your trades, outside of time, you could be a billionaire trading stocks!
March 15th, 2024 at 2:09 pm
Bucs defense sucked versus Lions without him for the most part
March 15th, 2024 at 2:09 pm
AD retiring means we have more of a chance to draft Latu.
March 15th, 2024 at 2:11 pm
Hard to play this speculation game when the answer is so obvious in hindsight. Yes!
March 15th, 2024 at 2:11 pm
The Lions offense flat out ground the Bucs defense into the ground!
Better team won .. get over it
March 15th, 2024 at 2:13 pm
No one wanted him and his $100 million attitude. But it is known that Bowles the defensive masturmind likes complicated schemes, so a fast and not real bright player like Diva is gonna struggle in anything other than man. So Todd played 90% zone.
Genus.
March 15th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
Goodluck D.W. in Philly! Come on Bucs let’s draft the 2024 Barrett Rudd, Payton Wilson for competition and debt! He’s fast and he can BALL! Go Bucs!
March 15th, 2024 at 2:25 pm
@ D-Rome
Good question.
His first three years were pretty solid when he was healthy. His last two years were pretty lackluster.
For a linebacker picked #5 over-all in the NFL draft I would say he served his purpose but I would probably consider him a bit of a disappointment…
March 15th, 2024 at 2:25 pm
NFL Network showing Bucs just picked up guard Ben Bredeson , free agent from the Giants…..
1 year 3.5 million…
Haven’t seen anything about this??
March 15th, 2024 at 2:32 pm
It’s obvious that many here on JBF never really watched game reruns, tape , whatever. 45 just sucked after the super bowl season. I’ve watched pretty much all the games twice, sometimes 3X and I can attest that White was a way below average LB for the last 3 seasons!!! I believe they should’ve traded him but I also suspect that when the teams watched the tape they saw a poor excuse of a player. Someone mentioned the Baltimore game and the center dominating White, well there were 2-3 times in that game that a running back also made him look silly. The man never fought off a block from any player big or small , was constantly out of position, couldn’t cover anyone and had virtually no football instincts….all of which are a kiss of death for any defensive player and especially for a LB…maybe that’s why he was so lowly rated among available free agents…hmmmmmm
March 15th, 2024 at 2:39 pm
Bowles and Licht were holding on hoping DW would mature. When Bowles came out and made the comment about his, “champagne tastes”, you knew there was a problem. None of us know what was said behind closed doors, but I suspect Bowles told him to grab both of his ears and pull his head out of his ass really hard. At least that’s the impression I got from all the drama that transpired. I know that is what I would have told him, not to just get him to be a better player, but to be a better man. Its obvious DW is being influenced by the wrong people and not capable of managing his life as an adult.
March 15th, 2024 at 2:42 pm
RIGHT MOVE TO KEEP HIM …
1. COULD HAVE BEEN A STAR. It was a contract year. He should have blown the doors off and be a DPOY candidate.
2. LOYALTY. Other players watch how organizations treat players. Giving him his shot is a good show of loyalty to other players. For instance, how the Bucs treated Godwin after the franchise tag has paved the way for Winfield accepting the tag gracefully.
3. COMP PICK. We’re not getting nothing for White leaving.
March 15th, 2024 at 2:51 pm
But, but, but…The team physician with inside knowledge of the situation (Oneilbuc) has said that he was hurt, otherwise the Bucs could’ve gotten several first rounders for him.
March 15th, 2024 at 2:55 pm
Trade him for what a bag of socks? It played out how it was supposed to given the situation. I have a feeling no one was blowing down the doors to trade for a limited inside linebacker with attitude issues who was asking for a 100 million dollar contract he didn’t earn.
March 15th, 2024 at 3:19 pm
Joe in Michigan . Whatever you’re smoking you need to share it with the rest of us!!!! Are you kidding me? Several 1st rounders for that POS is way, way, way out there…
March 15th, 2024 at 3:22 pm
Yes.
But in Hind site, all of us would have rethought many decisions we’ve made.
At least we made the right decision this year, and ended our ties with him.
Sad.
Superstar talent.
Brains? Well, lets not speak badly of dead(to us anyway).
March 15th, 2024 at 3:24 pm
Not if they were still in the playoff hunt. Depth if nothing else.
Would’ve liked to see him up front as a rush/ OLB but it would’ve taken too many snaps from the guys they were trying to develop.
Nope, he’s a bust considering he was #5 overall pick. Was not happy they took him over Josh Allen.
Reminded me too much of the Barron over Kuechly mistake.
Yes, Bucs got David, but imagine drafting BOTH.
Most talk centers around building either the front half or the back half of your D but at the time, that D would’ve dominated the league with them in the middle.
^^mtnbucman^^
Since ’76
March 15th, 2024 at 3:27 pm
Wish DW well. PHL fans will go haywire when 45 is in his ‘poor play’ mode. Drama coming out of 1BP locker room has been pretty low with Bowles. No way we can know the full story but if the attitude off field went down as much as the play on field it makes sense. Team saw something they didn’t want around. Devin ‘juicy fruit White. Was THE bomb for a while but fell off quick.
March 15th, 2024 at 3:58 pm
@Joe…
Not sure how the process works but does losing a top 5 pick trigger any kind of compensatory process?
March 15th, 2024 at 3:59 pm
At his age, to let him just walk, says a lot.
He didn’t sign for much. Bucs saw enough to know.
Best to White. We all keep growin’
March 15th, 2024 at 4:22 pm
DW could have been a hall of famer but his own attitude and ego pancaked himself!! Dum A!!!
March 15th, 2024 at 4:31 pm
Rich Says:
March 15th, 2024 at 3:19 pm
Joe in Michigan . Whatever you’re smoking you need to share it with the rest of us!!!! Are you kidding me? Several 1st rounders for that POS is way, way, way out there…
^^^^^^
I was being sarcastic, there are people out there (Oneilbuc, who says he was injured, and Rod Munch, who says he was totally misused by asking him to do what football players get paid to do) who I’m making fun of.
March 15th, 2024 at 4:35 pm
DW was a Head Case.
March 15th, 2024 at 4:37 pm
Sure seems they could have gotten a 3rd out of him.
It is a shame, so fast and dynamic just can’t seem to understand coverages and playing under control
I wish him well but I hope he does not pull a Talib and flourish for the Eagles
March 15th, 2024 at 4:38 pm
The Bucs have high hopes for SVD8. We’ll see if he can out play KJB52, and JJR51 for that starting job.
March 15th, 2024 at 5:33 pm
My prediction is he balls out next year for the Eagles and then falls off a cliff…but Buc fans will be up and arms at least for one year
March 15th, 2024 at 5:38 pm
How can someone be fast and athletic and not cover? How can someone not know how to tackle when it’s literally his job? How could he not be cut after the Indy game? He damn near cost Bowles his job.
March 15th, 2024 at 5:51 pm
The cards are aligning to draft another edge rusher imo.
March 15th, 2024 at 5:54 pm
White should have stuck to his guns and held out for that trade he wanted. Bowles has basically ruined this guys career by making him stand around in zone. Meanwhile the low-IQ idiots here see him stand around in zone, which Bowles demands, and these dopes then yell and scream about him being lazy. They’re just very low IQ individuals.
March 15th, 2024 at 6:28 pm
When you can’t or refuse to learn good tackling technique as a professional football player, then your head is too big or you’re just not bright enough.
March 15th, 2024 at 7:16 pm
Devin White thanks for your contributions. It’s unfortunate you were on IR because your feelings got hurt. Being close to LSU (in Tampa) had to be a major bonus for most of your career. Good luck in performing in the wretched cold of Philadelphia and those brutal fans. Stay out of that Wellington area!
But, seriously all the best to you and your family. You’ve been a blessing to watch over the years. You are a “winner” and have significant value. You’ll be missed.
March 15th, 2024 at 7:34 pm
Are there high IQ idiots?
🤔
March 15th, 2024 at 8:47 pm
Yes, Rod
Seriously tho, that is, if you consider 92 to be high IQ (around here it is) 😀
^^mtn^^
March 15th, 2024 at 10:23 pm
Regarding a comp pick….
If the Bucs are eligible to receive a comp pick for Diva White (by signing less outside free agents than we lose to other teams) it would probably only be a 6th rd pick – based on his salary of only about $5M. (Reported $7.5M but thats with incentives.)
Shaq signed with Miami for “up to $9M” so a comp pick for Shaq (if Bucs are eligible for 1) would likely be a 5th.
March 16th, 2024 at 2:18 am
Uh yeah. I said they should’ve traded him during the draft & got at least a pick or two & addressed more needs.
March 16th, 2024 at 9:08 am
Addition by subtraction.
March 17th, 2024 at 12:55 am
Re:compensatory pick
This place lists devin white as a non-UFA.
Not worth anything.