“We Really Didn’t Talk Ball”
April 26th, 2019
Personal touch with Bucs.
It seems what sold new Bucs linebacker Devin White on the Bucs is the team didn’t seem to focus on football with him.
That’s coming from White himself. Last night in a teleconference call to the Tampa Bay pen and mic club (he arrives in Tampa this afternoon and Joe will be there for the coronation), White confessed the Bucs wanted to know him more personally than learning X’s and O’s.
“You know, when I was on my top-30 visit [to One Buc Palace], when I sat down with “Coach” [Jason] Licht, we had a heart-to-heart conversation,” White explained. “He really got to know me as a person. We really didn’t talk ball. That speaks volumes of a GM, [when] he wants to know about that.
“Then when I got into the meeting with Coach Bruce [Arians], he did the same exact thing and he was telling me how around Tampa Bay, they’re really big on children – they know I’ve got a real soft heart for kids. I was like, ‘Man, it’s just crazy – I just know.’ Then Coach Bruce told me, ‘D, you’re a hell of a player. You’re in play to be taken really, really early. If you’re there at five, then I want you on my team. I want to help develop you.’
“When he said that, he was a man of his word. I was there at five and I knew the call was coming in, I just didn’t know when – how deep into the countdown it was going to come in. But it came in at the perfect time and I’m very thankful and I’m very honored to be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.”
Joe suspects White will be successful with the Bucs. There is no question the dude has an addicting personality. That doesn’t hurt. But White will help the Bucs defense.
Why is Joe confident the Bucs defense will improve with White? How can it not? The defense was a disgrace to the free world it was so bad last year. How Mike Smith can sleep at night without guzzling a bottle of Hennessey is beyond Joe.
Talk about stealing money from Team Glazer!
April 26th, 2019 at 12:16 pm
He looks and acts like a Pro.
Really like the pick.
April 26th, 2019 at 12:18 pm
so we drafted the #5 overall pick because we liked his personality, wow just think of that saying in other situations in life. He cant play but he has a good personality geez Go Bucs
April 26th, 2019 at 12:18 pm
Hope the joe who hated the pick isnt going to be there….he might need some therapy first because he’ll be covered in bad vibes.
April 26th, 2019 at 12:21 pm
“he was a man of his word.”
Unlike Chucky who told White the exact same thing yet (gasp) lied. How unlike Gruden to say one thing to a player yet do another…..
April 26th, 2019 at 12:21 pm
Bucs sold themselves…whatever…he is a Buc now and was a very very good player in college…..however the pick does not address the aging D&O lines
April 26th, 2019 at 12:26 pm
i like to make my predictions based on how the players dress on draft night. had a feeling it would be white or oliver they both looked sharp. last year i thought bucs shouldve drafted derwin based on his attire , he wore a red jacket dude wanted to be a buc more than vea wanted to be
April 26th, 2019 at 12:26 pm
JaCon…Actually a smart move. Don’t wanna be bringing in one of these a-hole wife beaters (see a future in Kyler Murray). This guy’s gonna be a legit LB and person in the community.
April 26th, 2019 at 12:34 pm
This dude is gonna be the catalyst that ignites this defense.
April 26th, 2019 at 12:35 pm
The worst defense over a three year stretch of any NFL team in history. Yeah I would say the Bucs have a chance to be better than the worst of all time.
April 26th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Madmax
I was thinking that too. But I left it alone.
April 26th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Chucky! LOL 🙂
April 26th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Whenever i think about Joe being upset with this pick, i remember that Joe didn’t want the Bucs to pick Derwin James last year and wanted the Bucs to pick Johnie Football in a prior draft. Then I think the Bucs probably made the best pick possible.
April 26th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
In order for there to be at least a successful start to any marriage…..both parties have to want it…….
It is so important that White loves being a Buc…..
We hear so much about players not wanting to play here……BS…..we’ve got BA
So far this defense is missing Vinny Curry, Chris Conte, Kwon & Adarius Taylor….along with Mike Smith.
We now have Barrett, Deone Bucannon…..Devin White & Todd Bowles…
I think it is better…..
April 26th, 2019 at 12:37 pm
Once again welcome aboard Devin White–dude is an awesome first round pick
can you imagine being a Falcon fan about now
April 26th, 2019 at 12:37 pm
Hopefully White doesn’t come to this site to read the comments or he’d realize we have a shtty, negative fan base.
April 26th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
For those who have spent the past 24 hours grinding…is he right…should it have been the guy four other teams passed on..Oliver…yadda yadda yadda.
Let me invite you to use your IMAGINATIONS!!! There is no cost. It’s entertaining.
So imagine this…White has just led the Bucs D to a rout of Tennessee’s offense…destroying MM in the process and letting JW grab his first SB. Great eh. The showdown between pick #1 and pick #2 is finally concluded.
It gets better…then imagine White riding Daisy May down Dale Mabry leading the SB victory parade.
The following season one of the pics on RayJay is White upon a rearing horse ala The Lone Ranger.
Believe it or not…and I realize the majority here like to doubt more than believe…but this is actually a possibility…for those with enough imagination to dare think it!
April 26th, 2019 at 1:05 pm
Welcome to Derrick Brooks redo!
April 26th, 2019 at 1:11 pm
This pick was about the person, personality, whatever you want to call it. The tape don’t lie, the talent is there, as was with others. They wanted White the person. The more Joe sees White, talks to him, he’ll come around. Sounds like White’s tude is rubbing off on Joe already.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:32 pm
Slugglife:
Ain’t that the truth
April 26th, 2019 at 1:49 pm
Sounds about right to me St. Pete. I ain’t even gotta think hard. Matter of fact him on Daisy leading the parade gone be hard as h3ll.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
A long time ago it was Hardy Nickerson that became a leader of the one of the greatest defenses Bucs fans have ever known. Let’s hope White can re-ignite the fire Hardy had and get this Bucs defense back to glory days.
April 26th, 2019 at 3:04 pm
This pick also speaks to BA’s desire to win now. Who knows if its possible or will happen but taking a DE in the first round is a project. Its a high bust position and it takes a couple years for DEs to settle into the NFL game.
White improves the defense NOW. Let’s just hope JPP and Carl are up to the task on the outside.
April 26th, 2019 at 3:33 pm
I remember when Chucky told Aaron Rodgers, he was the pick.
Then Chucky took and big swing and a miss.
I think Chucky wasted his money hiring Mike Mayock and then picking the worst of the 3 Clemson linemen 15 picks too soon. Grade F!!
I’m OK with the D White pick, he’s growing on me. Maybe, I’ll change my moniker to White Priviledge.
April 26th, 2019 at 4:37 pm
“We really didn’t talk ball. That speaks volumes of a GM, [when] he wants to know about that.”
Good move by Jason Licht getting to know him and not talking football…. because if he had, White would have seen what a blithering idiot our GM is.
JL; “Devin, we think you can play in the middle in both the 4-3 and 3-4…”
DW: “You’re the same guy that moved up to draft the kicker in the 3rd round, right?”
April 26th, 2019 at 4:39 pm
BA (when Licht is out of the room): “Look, can one of you get him some coloring books or something when he comes back so he’s occupied when the players get here?”
April 26th, 2019 at 7:08 pm
We have a Josh Allen type already in Spence -we had exactly 1 NFL caliber LB on the roster
Minter is a back up at best, gone on last cut of preseason more than likely if Cinchy is healthy
Oliver is 285 lbs and a 5 tech in Bowles system, not worth #5
White was the correct pick
Cant wait for tonight!!