The Buccaneers are going to look different in 2023 largely because of the retirement of Tom Brady, but they won't be as different as they could have been. One of the more underrated stories of the offseason resided in Tampa Bay with star linebacker Devin White, who requested a trade in April after previously posting cryptic messages to social media that seemed to indicate his departure from the Bucs. That request was never granted and White is now with the Buccaneers and taking part in training camp.
The linebacker spoke to reporters for the first time since that trade request on Monday and said he is more comfortable with his situation with the team following a meeting with GM Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles.
"I just wanted to be the guy here for a long time," White told reporters after practice. "After just sitting down with Coach Bowles and Jason Licht and just understanding their plans for me and what they got in play. You know, just coming up with something with those guys to see how I can do better. Moving forward, I think we all came to a good agreement, and that's why I'm here now, just focusing on the season now."
White was then asked if he had any regrets about how his request went down.
"I don't think it's no regrets," White said. "I don't think it's just about being paid. It's just about being a guy who was drafted here and doing a lot for this program. I just want to be the long-term guy. You know, I just want to be a guy like Lavonte [David]. He'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 selfish. Even knowing I still had the fifth-year option and that was the thing in play."
White has spent his entire career with the Buccaneers after the club selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of LSU. He was a key part of the team's Super Bowl win in 2020 and made second-team All-Pro that season, following that up with a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. Last year, White posted 124 tackles, 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 17 games played.
He's now entering the fifth year of his rookie contract and is set to make $11.7 million in base salary before looking at unrestricted free agency next spring. White could be looking for a contract similar to the one Roquan Smith inked with the Baltimore Ravens that will pay him $20 million in AAV (most among off-ball linebackers). According to Spotrac's market value calculator, White could rival that deal with a projected contract that pays him $20.1 million in AAV.
