Devin White Took A Big Step Towards A Big Payday

Can you tell that Devin White is in a contract year? After a topsy-turvy offseason where White requested a trade after the Bucs refused to not extend his contract and forced him to play on his fifth-year option, only to admit later on in training camp that he was being selfish, the athletic linebacker proved why he believes he should get paid big money after this season.

White is a passionate player that at times wears his heart on his sleeve, and that passion shined through in the Bucs’ 20-17 win over the Vikings on the road. White was one of the best players on the field in Sunday’s game, leading all defenders on either side with 12 tackles to go with a tackle for loss.

Not all double-digit tackle games are the same. Sometimes, a defender can make the stop eight yards down the field after a big offensive gain. This wasn’t the case with the Bucs linebacker, though. White was aggressive from the start and many of his stops came near the line of scrimmage. Veteran linebacker Lavonte David was also his vintage self once again, recording eight tackles, including two tackles for loss. When these two are at their best, it’s hard to get yards or points on Tampa Bay defensively.

Devin White Gets Live With His Game Speed

“He played fast,” head coach Todd Bowles said on Monday, complimenting Devin White. “Him and Lavonte [David] both played all over the field. If it wasn’t one, it was the other one. They did a good job finding the hider, the bootlegs, and they did a good job cleaning up plays that the D-line set up for them. They did a good job flying around, period. Both of them had double-digit tackles, [and] both of them were all over the place. They really showed their leadership.”

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Devin White’s play in the season opener was similar to what we saw in 2020 and most of the 2021 season. White’s level of consistency on Sunday in Minnesota was what the Bucs were waiting to see from him. Although none of Tampa Bay’s three turnovers in the game came from White, they don’t win without him. White received a 90.7 grade on Pro Football Focus, proving his great performance. PFF is typically stingy when grading inside linebackers and has not been too kind to White over the years.

While Sunday’s performance was a great start in his quest to seek a contract extension of $20 million or more per year, can he play at that level consistently over this season? Which type of performance are the Bucs going to get from him each week? Inconsistency is what derailed White last season.

What White did on Sunday is show why he can be one of the best inside linebackers when he puts it all together and plays with discipline and focus. He got off blocks, he read his keys, he filled his gaps and he wrapped for sure tackles. If White does that on a weekly, he will get his money – from the Bucs or some other team.

White made it clear against the Vikings that he’s highly motivated this year.

Devin White Still Important To The Bucs – Even If It’s For Just This Season

Bucs ILBs Lavonte David and Devin White and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Yet the better Devin White plays in 2023 the chances are he may not stay in Tampa Bay, especially if he has a gargantuan year. The Bucs have to pay a lot of people next season with either re-signings or extensions, and that begins with left tackle Tristan Wirfs and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. as top priorities.

Then Tampa Bay has to factor in what the team wants to to with wide receiver Mike Evans and potentially quarterback Baker Mayfield if he plays well enough this season. Where Devin White fits in that pecking order is up to him and depends on his performance. One thing White has going for him is that he has head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles in his corner, who surely will try to lobby to get his star linebacker under contract again.

Whether or not he winds up staying in Tampa Bay past 2023, he’ll still be crucial to the Bucs’ success this year. They’ve already shown that the NFC South is within reach after winning their first game as a road underdog against a Minnesota Vikings team that was 13-4 last year. If the Bucs want to make the playoffs for a fourth straight season, Devin White is going to be a big reason why they do it.

Bowles said it best after Sunday’s game.

“When he’s out there, we’re a better team,” Bowles said.