Stat Nerds Have Evidence Devin White Is A Valuable Defensive Beast
August 8th, 2023
Still a stud, stat suggests.
It’s been an up-and-down past 10 months or so for Bucs linebacker Devin White.
We all remember what a true beast he was in the 2020 postseason. For reasons not quite clear, White has yet to return to that level of play.
When White was busted by Bucs legend Warren Sapp and subsequently called out on social media by Sapp, it gave Bucs fans a bad taste in their mouths. ThenWhite followed that up with a trade demand this past winter. Many Bucs fans demanded the Bucs grant the wish.
Yesterday, White said he may have overreacted with the trade demand and it was selfish of him. He now wants to stay with the Bucs long-term.
That would be a good thing, types Scott Spratt, writing for Aaron Schatz’s Football Almanac 2023. When Schatz, Spratt and others were at Football Outsiders, they came up with a stat called “stops.” It’s when a defender makes a big play. The stat is defined as follows:
The total number of plays by a defensive player that prevent a successful play by the offense, defined as holding the offense to 45% of needed yards on first down, 60% of needed yards on second down, and 100% of needed yards on third or fourth down. In general, “plays” refers to tackles, passes defensed, fumbles forced, or interceptions.
White has been among the best.
The veteran linebacker has 212 total stops the last three seasons, fifth most at the position.
Joe can see why the Bucs aren’t in a hurry to unload White.
Joe would have loved to see a year-by-year breakdown of this stat for White. Joe is just going to guess he’s declined in this stat the past two seasons.
What is frustrating fans so much about White, Joe believes, is they’ve seen what he can do when he is at the top of his game. The past two seasons, he hasn’t been.
August 8th, 2023 at 4:40 am
Yup, for whatever reason; scheme, or injuries to make up for, it just hasn’t been the same. Understandable to a degree, but equally, if not moreso disappointing. Hope he returns to 2020 form soon.
August 8th, 2023 at 6:48 am
I remember Derrick Brooks saying something to the effect that he approaches every season as if he were still a rookie, having to earn a position on the team anew each time. I was impressed because it’s so easy in today’s world to become ‘successful’ (by the world’s standards at least), yet forget what got you there & start taking things for granted.
Kinda wonder if Devin might’ve let the success of his 2020 season go to his head a little bit & started taking things for granted somewhat. After all, that was just his sophomore year & it did end up with a decisive Super Bowl victory & he did play a key role. The team surrounding him changed somewhat in 2021, but more-so in 2022, and so did his role in it to a degree it appears.
August 8th, 2023 at 6:49 am
I remember Derrick Brooks saying something to the effect that he approaches every season as if he were still a rookie, having to earn a position on the team anew each time. I was impressed because it’s so easy in today’s world to become ‘successful’ (by the world’s standards at least), yet forget what got you there & start taking things for granted.
Kinda wonder if Devin might’ve let the success of his 2020 season go to his head a little bit & started taking things for granted somewhat.
August 8th, 2023 at 6:50 am
Impossible for any of us to say what REALLY went on with White during those years, but it’s good to see that he’s apparently ‘readjusted’ his approach. Doesn’t mean he’ll accept 1 penny less than $20 mil to stay with us, but it seems like he now appreciates more the opportunities that lie in staying a Buc.
August 8th, 2023 at 7:06 am
WHICH, puts his pay from $20 mil per year down to a reasonable $15 mil per year
August 8th, 2023 at 7:24 am
White is a liability in pass coverage.
He also either gets blocked out of, or runs himself out of way too many plays to be considered elite.
No way do you pay this player $15M+ per with big guarantees.
Get what you can out of him this year and then let him walk and collect the 3rd round compensatory pick…..
August 8th, 2023 at 7:33 am
It used to be so much easier to determine if a player was great. The player would hustle on every town, be a supportive teammate, not disappear during plays, not slack off during games, not become “bored”, he would pass every “eye” test, he would always make plays, he would always be near the ball, he kept off of the TV etc…
If we have to “cook up” some abstract metrics to say that a player is great when, the eyes see it differently, is that player really great? If we can “cook up” metrics and make one guy great, couldn’t we do it for many others?
August 8th, 2023 at 8:06 am
He could still be a the top of his game but he clearly takes plays off. Some guys can get away with that. MLBs cannot.
August 8th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Yea devin white is not a pass defenses type of guy. Seems we come up with all kinds of stats now but you can spin it anyway you want to look a player lol good or bad. Lavonte was clearly the best linebacker we had last year and it was close
August 8th, 2023 at 10:12 am
REGRESSION DEPRESSION
We all want/expect White to improve because it’s his contract year. But what if he doesn’t? What if he gets worse? His fragile ego will disintegrate.
August 8th, 2023 at 10:45 am
Another website covering the Bucs has reported that White is having the second best camp of any player on the team (Evans) is at the top. This is encouraging. Joe has focussed more on offense for good reasons.
August 8th, 2023 at 10:57 am
Stat geeks rejoice we now have definative stat for…stops.
Geez do they subtract points for whiff tackles while being totaly out of position?
Not getting off blocks and trucked into the next time zone?
Being bored?
Go Bucs!