Turning The Corner
November 24th, 2019
Best rookie tackler.
Bucs rookie linebacker Devin White didn’t exactly start the season well, and then he injured his knee in Week 2.
Since his return, White seems to be blossoming. For example, White led the Bucs in tackles last week with 13, which was a career-high. White is also the only rookie this season to have two games of 12 or more tackles.
He’s beginning to smell like a guy who was drafted No. 5 overall. So last week Joe talked to White about the arrow pointing up his rookie season.
“I’m just playing football,” White said of improvement. “I study, watch film, practice hard and try to execute on Sundays.”
Of course, the Bucs put a lot on White’s plate as he wears the dot, meaning he is the only defender in headset communication with Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles about what plays to call. Joe asked White if he was initially intimidated since he was telling veteran pros like Lavonte David and Ndamukong Suh where to set up.
“It wasn’t [intimidating],” White said. “I respected everybody and they respected me back. Just have to be a man about it when you are in the locker room. You have to give respect in order to get it.”
White seemed to bristle a bit when Joe asked him about all of his responsibilities and if that maybe stunted his early growth.
“It’s a lot, but it’s not a lot,” White told Joe. “It is what I asked for.”
While it is good to see White turning things around, is it too much to ask to have a rookie cornerback step up? Yeah, Jamel Dean did two weeks ago. His reward? Sit on the damn pine, rook!
November 24th, 2019 at 7:50 am
If by turning it around you mean getting beat in coverage every time and missing a tackle that turns a five yard gain into a twenty yard gain sure he’s turning it around.
November 24th, 2019 at 8:07 am
You and of half the posters on this site are f@cking retarded!!!! Did you eat to many Lead paint chips as a kid dumb @ss
November 24th, 2019 at 8:19 am
Anything that can turn the focus away from JW huh dog?
High expectations for DW, in his first year as a pro. But JW in his fifth year- you got nothing but excuses.
November 24th, 2019 at 8:21 am
I had high hopes for the kid. But so far, I’m not impressed, he can’t cover anyone, his tackles are 5 yards past los, and he gets stoned at the los on blitzes. I’m not calling him a bust or anything but want to see more. A lot more, #5 overall should be a game wrecker.
November 24th, 2019 at 8:22 am
What’s the over /under on interceptions/turnovers by JW today dog?
I’m going with 4. Of course it’ll be a bad route, wrong route, lack of effort, or whichever excuse we can find to justify another loss.
November 24th, 2019 at 8:24 am
say What you will but right now his play reminds me of Barrett Ruud. Except Ruud was better in coverage and was already a seasoned vet. DW45 will be a fine player.
November 24th, 2019 at 8:27 am
We seem to have higher expectations of our rookie #5 pick than we do for our 5th year #1 pick.
I’m assuming if this was a contract year, we wouldn’t be having a discussion on whether to break the bank resigning DW? Based on your assessment NDog?
No apply that standard without bias.
November 24th, 2019 at 8:44 am
He has flashed that speed to get in the backfield or cut down a sweep and looks to me like a bulked up LVD
Give him another year to be great
November 24th, 2019 at 8:54 am
So which is it? Is Devin White actually wearing the green dot?
Because Rick Stroud on his podcast a few weeks back said Lavonte David is. Said it has been Lavonte since D. White got hurt earlier this year and Lavonte kept the green dot even after D. White returned from injury. Stroud also stated the plan is to eventually have White wear the green dot, but as of just a few short weeks ago he stated it is still Lavonte w/ it.
You Joe(s) are starting it’s White wearing the green dot. So what’s the actual truth?
November 24th, 2019 at 8:57 am
Ndog,
Please use this same lens to critique the QB position.
November 24th, 2019 at 9:10 am
On one hand, he is never going to live up to being ‘picked no 5 overall.’
On the other hand, he shouldn’t have to cause he shouldn’t have been selected that high unless he is second coming of Ray Lewis, which he is not.
November 24th, 2019 at 9:17 am
He makes double digit solo tackles today including a sack! GO BUCS GO FAMOUS GO D WHITE!!!
November 24th, 2019 at 9:29 am
Give the kid a chance…..expectations should be high but not out of reach.
As long as he continues to improve, I’m satisfied.
My concern is with players who don’t improve…..I’d put OJ & Winston in that category.
November 24th, 2019 at 9:44 am
Keep improving young man!
November 24th, 2019 at 9:51 am
“Stump is too short and alligator arms can’t fight off blocks when lineman get a hold of him
3rd round skillset”
Kobe Faker
November 24th, 2019 at 10:03 am
Good for White. Keep it up!!
November 24th, 2019 at 11:22 am
N DOG sounds like a real football expert with his fantastic in depth analysis. 45 is a dude. We don’t have many dudes on this team. We need a guy like Derrick brown from auburn. Another dude. Need management to Stop over analyzing the draft and picking “leaders” instead of ballers. Add guys that wreck plays on defense and guys that can take it to the house on offense. Vea Lavonte Evans Godwin, Devin….need more dudes than these 5 to turn this around. Back during the championship run we had multiple dudes at every level. Draft dudes and other guys on the team will follow. Trying to force pick “leaders” is the dumbest effing thing I’ve ever heard. Makes my skin crawl when I hear licht say “he’s a leader” Can’t force it. Draft talent and leadership will emerge. Period.
November 24th, 2019 at 11:32 am
Dang…bad memory on my part but wasn’t it White who made possible game changing strip tackles two weeks in a row?
One bounced out of bounds but that same tackle ten yards more to the center of the field would have been GAME CHANGING.
He’s made some big plays already!!!
NDOG….Sorry dude used to respect your judgement but this is the last straw. The way you continually apologize for the #1 pick in the entire draft yet grade the #5 pick on a totally different scale is just absurd. You’ve lost any shred of credibility.
And for the other whiners…White is not playing in a vacuum…he’s playing on a TEAM! Is he backed up by four great players behind him? Does he have a great pass rush in front of him?
He’s playing very well and learning a difficult position. He doesn’t have to be freaking Ray Lewis…Dick Butkus..Ray Nitschke or any other great HOF MLB. He simply needs to be Devin White and do his job. Again…already this season he’s made some plays that could be termed impact plays…strip tackles that force fumbles!
November 24th, 2019 at 11:36 am
horrible pick at 5…… you praise improvement with Tee Ball players not professional athletes that are highly paid and drafted with a high IMPACT pick… he has not made an impact… probably a nice kid unlike that bum vh3bust but he’s not a starter… just another wasted first round pick by a franchise who has only gotten it right a handful of times out of 43 with first rounders.
November 24th, 2019 at 11:38 am
He’s looking better but his pass coverage is abysmal. 11 of 11 targets completed against him last week.
November 24th, 2019 at 11:39 am
senile delusional optimists out with the free passes and selective memory this morning i see… white has done nothing. he has embarrassed himself far more the ant 3 or 4 plays the delusional ones hang onto….
so desperate for greatness they lower the bar ever minute of the day… that is a buccaneer optimist in a nut shell…
November 24th, 2019 at 11:45 am
he was a top 1st round pick that should have made an impact immediately. he did NOT!!!! discussion over… just another high bucs pick that should have been a 5th rounder….
November 24th, 2019 at 11:55 am
@Deff, yeah Derrick Brown is also on my list….according to where we are picking in the draft and what we do with Suh and JPP. If we’re picking around 7-10 and not resigning Suh (or he doesnt want to come back) then yep, D. Brown is his replacement. So many variables though between now and the end of season….
November 24th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Hey I love the kid and hope he’s great BUT he should not be getting praised for missing tackles and getting beat like a drum in coverage.
November 24th, 2019 at 12:23 pm
I need to see a lot more before I believe taking him at 5 (!) overall was worth it. I’m glad that he’s playing better now and I hope someday he makes me look like an a$$, but that day looks very far off so far. Another strike against Licht for over drafting a gosh damn middle linebacker instead of taking a pass rusher like Josh Allen. Wake me up when Licht and every single scout on this team are gone…
November 24th, 2019 at 2:37 pm
“Of course, the Bucs put a lot on White’s plate as he wears the dot, meaning he is the only defender in headset communication with Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles about what plays to call.”
Lavonte David has been wearing the green dot in the games I’ve seen and has it in today’s game.
November 24th, 2019 at 2:49 pm
N DOG….how bout that first half for #45. You’re right, he’s terrible. Why is he even on the field? LMAO at your comment
November 24th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
i was a hater when i first watched him play, but he’s much improved since week 1