“YEAR 5 OTW”
July 25th, 2023
Ready for battle?
It seems Bucs disgruntled linebacker Devin White will report to training camp later today.
The Bucs have said White, who demanded a trade earlier this year because contract extension talks with the Bucs were not going his way, was expected to arrive on time for training camp when veteran players report today.
As White is wont to do, he posted cryptic messages on Instagram yesterday including a highlight video in which he vowed to give it his all.
On White’s Instagram stories account he linked the video and included a message, “YEAR 5 OTW.” Joe assumes that means he’s about to fire his cannons in a Bucs uniform. On time.
It’s a contract season for White. And while he hasn’t been close to the same player that wreaked havoc on the world in the 2020 postseason, Joe wonders if White only had to worry about linebacker duties similar to the way he played in January and February of 2021, would he return to that level of play.
Andy Benoit of The33rdTeam.com listed his best off-ball blitzing linebackers. White was No. 2.
Imagine if the Bucs didn’t need White to blitz so much. Last year the Bucs had putrid production from an edge rush. White had to blitz or the Bucs would have had little to no pass rush.
Two years ago, the Bucs had all kinds of injuries to the secondary. It was so bad they had to pull washed Richard Sherman off the street. White’s play began to slip that season, in part, Joe is convinced, because White was asked to do so many things to compensate for lesser players manning the defensive backfield.
So if the Bucs’ secondary stays healthy this year, and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka suddenly has an epiphany, Joe would not be shocked if White raises his game considerably.
Of course, a contract year ought to be motivation enough.
July 25th, 2023 at 3:57 am
Play lights out and earn that fat paycheck young man.
July 25th, 2023 at 4:21 am
OH NOOO!
Another cryptic message Batman!
To the Batcave Robin!
Go Bucs!
July 25th, 2023 at 4:38 am
He should have a career year then tell the Bucs to eff off
July 25th, 2023 at 5:08 am
Second best LB on his own team.
July 25th, 2023 at 5:54 am
OTW = on the way out. If he insists upon this diva attitude, OTW sounds like a good idea.
July 25th, 2023 at 7:11 am
I personally would love that cleanhouse, I hate having to pull for Diva punks like him, don’t care how “good” they are GTFOH! Don’t let it hit you “OTW” out the door! Bye!
July 25th, 2023 at 7:26 am
Always funny how “fans” pick and chose who they call “Divas” or “Punks”
They are okay with celebrities, songwriters or politicians that represent their beliefs acting one way but if an athlete does it he’s a “punk” or some other derogatory term.
Hold everyone to the same standards
July 25th, 2023 at 7:45 am
“He should have a career year then tell the Bucs to eff off.”
WTF…because??? Besides being a hater, what is the @$#%^ point of your post?
Because maybe, just maybe, his last 2 year’s play didn’t support the money he was asking. He should step up to the plate, ball out, and hopefully get paid what the market dictates. Then you hope he continues to ball out after getting the fat check.
July 25th, 2023 at 7:59 am
$11 million is $11 million. Devin can piss and moan all he wants but there is no way he is going to sit out for $11.7 million. After this year he can move on.
Honestly I think we should work a deal with the Rams while he still has value this year and trade him for Stafford.
July 25th, 2023 at 8:10 am
“On The Watch”?
July 25th, 2023 at 8:12 am
Just because White had an unsatisfactory contract negotiation and asked to be traded (not “demanded” – if you “demand” then you quit the team if they don’t pay you) does not make him “disgruntled”.l
There is no indication whatsoever that White is “disgruntled”. Disgruntled would mean he was having a general fight with the team, i.e., his coaches or his teammates. AB was disgruntled. White is not disgruntled.
So quit saying that White is disgruntled. We’ve had other Bucs players move on to other teams because they got a bigger paycheck, which is fine – this is a professional league not a frat house where everyone pledges for forever. But those other players didn’t get labeled “disgruntled” like JBF and the numerous White haters here at JBF.
July 25th, 2023 at 8:49 am
White’s here because no one made a decent offer
July 25th, 2023 at 8:56 am
“a contract year ought to be motivation enough.”
There’s the money line!!! White is totally about the Benjamins! He’s going to rake in 20 million over the life of his contract including the bonuses if he simply decided to quit! IE HE DOES NOT NEED THE $$$!
Does that mean he doesn’t have the right to maximize his income. Of course not. It does mean that he’s not very smart about airing his greed in public.
GREED – intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.
“mercenaries who had allowed greed to overtake their principles”
Some perspective. The top earners in the Tampa St Pete market earn $60,000 per year. That’s the AVERAGE there are obviously those who earn more like Mechanical Engineers who average between 62-84K annually.
Those are the TOP earners. The average salary is actually $43,000 annually.
These are the people who tax dollars subsidized the stadium where White “earned” his 20 million $$$.
My point is not that White doesn’t “deserve” more…given the falloff in his performance that’s certainly debatable, but giving him the benefit of the doubt let’s say he DOES deserve more…he’s handled it in a classless, moronic manner.
It may be a fantasy but many fans like myself enjoy watching players who are totally committed to the TEAM. And fantasy or not at the end of the day the NFL is an entertainment product. Greedy players do not entertain me, especially in the off season. I suspect I’m not alone.
White’s last leverage is to regain his lost form this season. IF he can play like the SB season he’ll be golden for either the Bucs or someone else…if not his greed could be his downfall. And by downfall I mean he’ll ONLY get to earn say a paltry 15 million a year instead of the 20 million the best LB commands.
July 25th, 2023 at 8:56 am
Some of you guys are talking like Devin White personally asked you to pay him his money out of your pocket. Could be worse, Josh Jacobs probably won’t show up to camp today, and Saquon arguably the Giants’ best football player just had to bet on himself in order to get what he feel is fair compensation for his services with the ability to continue negotiation.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:01 am
BTW when I say value the team more than self let’s look at the GOAT!
Brady, widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, consistently took less money throughout his career in order to provide his teams with additional cap space to build a competitive roster.
Do we think that had nothing to do with Brady’s ability to become the GOAT…elevating team above personal wealth? I don’t really care about his motivation but he was SMART enough to realize that getting better players let him be part of a TEAM that had the best chance for success!
July 25th, 2023 at 9:11 am
Dooley I’m probably at the top of your list of “Some of you guys”.
I’m sorry but the old “it could be worse” argument never persuades me of anything.
You could be peoed if your wife went out and blew a giant chunk of change on a new useless fur coat. It could be worse. She could have gone to a bar gotten drunk and pulled a train with all the guys at the bar.
I realize that many people applaud greed in our society and respect the people with the Benjamins the very most. Some of us have not sold our souls for the almighty dollar and find it difficult to “admire” those who have. Given the HUGE amounts of money we’re discussing it’s hard for those of us who still have a little perspective left to enjoy rooting for that!
And oh…in fact many of us DID at minimum subsidize White’s salary using OUR tax money to pay for the facility that enables his huge earnings. The Glazers of course came out on top but they have spent their “earnings” above even the max “permitted” by the NFL salary cap.
I’m not even suggesting that White is an outlier. My point is simple. He could have handled it in a far better manner. And yeah I concede your point. It could have been worse.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:26 am
@StPete
“My point is simple. He could have handled it in a far better manner.”
Dooley Says:
April 11th, 2023 at 4:19 pm
@Josh Porter
Exactly, Whites looking to cash out while the rest of the league is trying to carry as much cap overage into 2024 as possible. Bad timing for the Bucs front office, but even worse negotiating and application of patience on Whites’(and his reps) part. No team is looking to take in his $11.7M cap hit and most teams are looking to carry their respective cap overage into 2024.
Preaching to the choir fam, but it’s time for football and Devin White is still a Buc. Still feel the timing and tact was terrible, but nothing me, you, or any fan is going to change how White feels or how the organization feels about White. So as a member of this team still, time to see if Devin White can make the money his mouth says he deserves. That’s the bottomline
July 25th, 2023 at 9:32 am
Imagine if the Bucs didn’t need White to blitz so much? Besides the few sacks he pulled a JTS, whiffed and ran right past the quarterback he’s good at it. Better than him getting roasted in coverage which is sad considering his 40 time.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:46 am
Dooley glad to see we’re in agreement. Although I always feel it’s perfectly fine to disagree. Opinions are like arseholes and mine is no different. lol
July 25th, 2023 at 10:17 am
He’s got maximum motivation and a good team around him. Everything is lined up for him to have a great season. Whatever happens from there, we will just have to wait and see.
July 25th, 2023 at 10:41 am
Punk, Diva .
July 25th, 2023 at 10:51 am
out the window… w/o LVD our linebackers are trash… only our secondary and O line are above avg… can’t include our WRs only because the drop off after godwin is so large and we haven’t developed anyone
July 25th, 2023 at 2:15 pm
I don’t care if White does have a “career year”. That will just mean he tried harder to be his best in a contract year – because he was FORCED TO….
You’ve got to be some type of combination of Ray Lewis and Derrick Brooks to be worth $20M per year as an ILB. And those players were great EVERY YEAR – which White has already shown is not within him….
Diva is not even the best ILB on this team. And while age and loyalty played big parts in the deal, LD54 is playing for about 35% of the almost $12M that White is guaranteed this year.
White is not GREAT at anything – except blitzing. And really – that was just the 1 year when he got 9 sacks. The other 3 years, he got pressures but his sack #s did not really justify sending him on a blitz as many times as Todd did….
Get what you can out of him this year and then let Diva walk in Free Agency and collect your 3rd round comp pick the following draft. THAT is the play.
You know who is also a good off ball blitzer? Sirvocea Dennis. And Sir Dennis – who is a good athlete but obviously not as “fast” as White – is probably already more “instinctual”, better at shedding blocks and especially better in coverage as a rookie than Devin White in his 5th year…. He’s probably a better tackler too – LOL – but I guess we’ll see about all that….
Dennis is under contract the next 4 years for just over $1M per. – 5% of the money White is demanding….
July 25th, 2023 at 4:34 pm
White should just shut up and play.
July 25th, 2023 at 6:06 pm
Some of you are talking like you didn’t watch Buccaneers football last season. White is a me, me, me loafer. WTF, you could see it in real speed. No replays or film study needed. I would hate to have him as a teammate or next to me in a foxhole.