Patrick Smith/Getty Image
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reportedly seeking more consistency from linebacker Devin White before considering offering him a lucrative long-term contract.
According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the Buccaneers are hesitant to offer White a five-year, $100 million contract similar to the one signed by linebacker Roquan Smith with the Baltimore Ravens last year.
Despite leading the Bucs with an impressive 124 tackles and contributing 16 quarterback hits, 8 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 5 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles in 17 starts during the 2022 season, White received a relatively low grade of 45.5 from Pro Football Focus, a popular statistics website.
White has been absent so far from the team’s voluntary organized team activities, fueling speculation about his future with the Buccaneers. However, the team remains optimistic that he will attend the mandatory minicamp scheduled for June 13-15.
In April, ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported that Devin White had requested a trade due to frustrations in extension talks. White, a former first-round pick with a 2nd-team All-Pro selection to his name, has consistently received unfavorable grades from Pro Football Focus despite playing alongside the esteemed veteran linebacker Lavonte David.
Furthermore, Laine reported in April that White is seeking a contract worth between $18 million and $20 million per year, indicating his desire for a significant pay raise.
Having exercised White’s fifth-year option back in 2022, the Buccaneers ensured that the talented linebacker would earn approximately $11.7 million in the upcoming 2023 season. There was never any doubt about the team picking up his option, as White has proven to be a playmaker since entering the league.
Selected as the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the 6’0″ and 237-pound linebacker has appeared in 68 career games including the playoffs, amassing an impressive total of 539 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 59 quarterback hits, and 41 tackles for loss. He earned 2nd-team All-Pro honors in 2020 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2021.
Notably, with the guidance of legendary quarterback Tom Brady, White played a pivotal role in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. In the Super Bowl, he intercepted Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the endzone, securing a resounding 31-9 victory and preventing the Chiefs from scoring a single touchdown throughout the game.