As if there weren’t sufficient headlines surrounding the Bucs this week, one of many workforce’s most polarizing former gamers discovered a brand new dwelling on Saturday afternoon. Inside linebacker Devin White has signed a one-year take care of the Lions, in line with NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Breaking: The #Lions are signing former All-Professional LB Devin White to a 1-year deal, per sources.
The Tremendous Bowl champion made 17 begins final season for the Raiders, whereas recording 174 tackles (Third-most within the NFL), 11 TFLs and 1 INT. pic.twitter.com/Krm0jMi9Bd
Devin White Compelled To Settle On One-Yr Deal Regardless of Gaudy 2025 Stats
As famous by Jordan Schultz above, Devin White appeared to have a profession revival with the Raiders in 2025.
White had 174 tackles, which far surpasses his earlier excessive of 140 tackles with the Bucs in 2020. Add in his 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and an interception, one would assume he returned to being a playmaking inside linebacker that ought to have signed earlier than August, proper?
Not so quick.
Former Bucs, Raiders ILB Devin White – Photograph by: IMAGN Photos through Reuters Join
Regardless of White’s gaudy field rating statistics, they’re fairly deceptive. For a Las Vegas workforce that went simply 3-14, they wanted anyone to fill the center of the protection and report what amounted to nothing greater than empty tackles. The problems which have plagued the once-promising linebacker continued to be on show, as he was given only a 40.7 defensive grade by Professional Soccer Focus (PFF), which ranked 82nd amongst 88 linebackers.
His 36.1 protection grade was not a lot better, inserting simply 79th of those self same 88. He put up numbers, however in a extremely inefficient means. His few splash performs have been negated by the massive ones given up on his watch, as he allowed a 92.5 passer score when focused.
It looks like without end in the past he was an All-Professional who appeared destined to take the torch from Lavonte David. As rapidly because the torch was lit, it flamed out in Tampa Bay. After taking part in at such a excessive degree throughout the workforce’s 2020 Tremendous Bowl run and for the big a part of his first three seasons, White’s play started to pattern in a unfavorable path in 2022. By 2023, he was demanding a $100 million contract the entrance workplace balked at giving him. That proved to be a smart selection, as he was benched late within the season and proven the door when he hit free company.
Former Bucs ILB Devin White – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
He has develop into one thing of a journeyman linebacker since, signing with the Eagles in 2024 however getting lower earlier than the season began. He latched on with the Texans for the remainder of that yr earlier than becoming a member of the Raiders in 2025 and beginning all 17 video games. Few alternatives line as much as be as favorable for him because the one he now has with the Lions. On condition that Detroit runs a 4-3 protection, Jack Campbell would be the starter up the center. Nonetheless, White might get possibilities to rotate in as a sub-linebacker and in cases the place they search for extra of a pass-rushing spark.
Whereas White continues to land possibilities based mostly on his pedigree, his finest days are all however behind him.
After being anticipated to be the face of the Bucs’ protection, he’s now simply attempting to battle to stay within the NFL. That can assist his pocketbooks some, however not practically as a lot as he as soon as thought. An attention-grabbing storyline to remember is that if Devin White makes the Lions 53-man roster, he may have the possibility to swimsuit up when Tampa Bay flies as much as Detroit in a Week 11 matchup.
