A little under four months after expressing his desire to no longer play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, linebacker Devin White has since had a change of heart and walked back his trade request.
The Pro Bowl linebacker, who was unhappy with the $11.706 million he’s scheduled to make this season on his fifth-year option, demanded a multi-year contract from the team during the offseason. When he didn’t get it, he said he wanted out of Tampa, but he’s admitted he’s since seen the self-serving nature of his behavior.
“I just want to be the long-term guy,” White told reporters Monday morning. “You know, I just want to be a guy like Lavonte (David), who's been here forever. I wanted to be that next guy. And we just didn't make it happen when I wanted it to. And that's where I kind of get a little bit selfish. Even knowing I still had the fifth-year option and that was the thing in play."
White, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 draft, has been one of the top inside linebackers in the NFL over the last three seasons, logging 392 tackles, 55 quarterback hits, 35 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, 15 passes defended, nine fumble recoveries and six forced fumbles over that span.
LB Devin White says he, Todd Bowles and Jason Licht have gotten on the same page about his future and he is now focused on the season ahead.
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) August 7, 2023
The LSU alum also disclosed on Monday that he and the Buccaneers had “a good agreement” going forward.
Although he’s already in the top 10 among ILBs in average salary, White is presumably looking to get paid like one of the top four or five plays at his position—all of whom make at least $17 million a year or more, per Spotrac.
White’s next contract will likely land him in that range somewhere between San Francisco’s Fred Warner ($19.045M) and Chicago’s Tremaine Edmunds ($18M).
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