Absent Devin White
December 10th, 2023
Done?
Joe scoured the Bucs sidelines today inside the Falcons’ dome looking for one of the Bucs captains, a familiar face, a cornerstone of the franchise.
No, not center Ryan Jensen. But Jensen was here and engaged with teammates.
So was Vita Vea in street clothes with his bad foot.
Joe was looking for Devin White. Joe wanted to see how White was mingling with the young Bucs linebackers and Joe wanted to talk to White about his foot injury after the game. White played two weeks ago in Indianapolis and struggled.
Afterwards, White said in the locker room that he had been battling just to get on the field each week. Then he sat out last Sunday’s home game against Carolina.
He didn’t practice after that and was ruled out of today’s do-or-die game in Atlanta.
Joe learned from multiple sources that White did not make the trip to see the Bucs, his Bucs, play the Falcons.
That is very, very odd. And nobody with the Bucs told Joe that White had a pressing personal reason that kept him home. Joe presumes White would have wanted to be with the team, but perhaps he didn’t.
Yes, White’s injury is legitimate, and Joe hopes White can get back on the field. But it sure smells like White’s Bucs days could be over. On Friday, Ira Kaufman said on his iconic podcast that he believes it’s likely White has played his final Bucs game.
That was hard for Joe to believe at the time, but it’s not hard this evening. Especially after seeing how Bucs third-year linebacker K.J. Britt stepped up to help suffocate the Falcons’ strong run game.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:36 pm
Looking for something that’s not there
Injured players often skip road games
December 10th, 2023 at 5:38 pm
Shame to see his decline, but no use keeping a guy who doesn’t look like he wants to play even when healthy.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:41 pm
2-0 without D. White. Keep him out
December 10th, 2023 at 5:43 pm
Let’s hope he doesn’t play the rest of the season. He’s trash. When he cried about his horse that was it for me. Knew he had a weak mindset.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:45 pm
put him on IR
December 10th, 2023 at 5:45 pm
So tell Joe to wake up!
Do not know of he is his last game, but for sure he will not be a Buc next Year.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:46 pm
I doubt the Bucs win this game if D. White played. Britt had a good game. White is a liability vs the Run. And Pass? Not good. I wish he really was a 20m ILB. If someone pays him 15 they’re crazy. He had potential. Not sure what happened.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:47 pm
So Jensen is probably going to retire I assume. Wonder if he will stay as an assistant O-Line coach with Bucs next season. That fire inside motivation and attitude in the way he plays is contagious and would make him a coaching asset I believe.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:47 pm
I remember him before the craft saying he was going to be the first 100 million dollar linebacker or something like that. Wrong… He will leave the Bucs and blame the scheme. Then get a one year deal for 7 million or less and blow assignments over run plays and miss tackles like he has done his entire career except brilliant play in the post season when we won it all.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:47 pm
And he wasn’t missed a single bit…
Put DW on injured reserve and be done with him.
HUGE disappointment.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:48 pm
His decline since SB is stunning. Hate to see it. Jeffè…crying about his horse makes him weak? How much you benchin’ Bro? GTFOH.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:50 pm
Britt played well today. And listening to Bowles post game presser it sounds like Britt is injured as well. Glad he was able to step up.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:52 pm
Put him on IR and open up a roster spot for someone who gives a spit about football.
He’s done this front office such a huge favor heading into the offseason. I wouldn’t bring him back at any price.
The problem plaguing this team is guaranteed money on players that don’t help this team win. This roster is full of those guys. Dean, Davis, Jensen, and Godwin at $20 mil per year. With White at least they can just let him walk away fancy free and potentially get a compensatory pick. A house cleaning is needed badly, but the result would be an insane amount of dead cap money hits.
December 10th, 2023 at 5:58 pm
Kwon Alexander 2.0
December 10th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Let’s not be so quick to bench or IR White….we still may need him…..It’s not altogether impossible he steps up to play well for next year’s contract (somewhere else)
December 10th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Bobby
That’s a great idea about keeping Jensen to help coach and fire up the OL!
December 10th, 2023 at 6:00 pm
Why would he make the trip? He’s probably better off rehabbing in Tampa is my guess. Yeah, I see Jensen all of the time but he’s out for the year.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:00 pm
I was impressed with Britt. He was a force stopping a couple of running plays and overall seemed to have a good game. Britt may be the starter the remainder of the season. Heck, White may not even suit up again. We appreciate how he played during the Super Bowl run and will always be a special set of games. However, White thought he didn’t need to work anymore and became satisfied with his play. Goodbye Devin White, wish you all the best.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:00 pm
He’ll end up like Kwon Alexander. Go to division rival and bounce around after that.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:02 pm
Devin White might be the dumbest player in the NFL. Low IQ, no self-awareness, inflated ego, very little ‘football smarts’. Too that off with him also being completely low-character…good riddance to bad rubbish.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:04 pm
Maybe not so much of a team guy, even though he has worn the “C.” There is ZERO chance we resign him. Total regression since the Super Bowl victory.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:06 pm
IR him. Demands a trade, wants an insane contract, plays like crap, not coming back next season, injured, doesn’t support the team. Wash our hands of him. I think bowles will and surely should be fired at the end of the season, but soft firing the guy who he’s coddled his entire career would be a huge step towards the accountability that has been sorely lacking under his “leadership” of the Bucs. I will never forget VH3 getting canned outright for his refusal to tackle (ie do part of his job. Psst CDIII, it’s part of your job too…). That’s how you set the tone for a team, especially one where more than a few guys could be credibility accused of loafing. Honestly I think Devin would be happy with it too. I don’t think he wants to play again and be forced to talk to the media and explain why our fifth? string ILB comes in and has more tackles in his first start than the guy that wants to be the highest paid ILB in the league had in the previous two games combined. Arrogant bum. It’s clear as day the players don’t respect bowles. And idc to hear the Joes talk about how bowles is “behind closed doors” and what the players say at the podium, actions speak louder than words. Our second longest tenured player, our next HOF player who has never been a “me first” diva guy in his 10 years in the league publicly demands a contract the week before the season starts? His first round drafted protégé, the guy he expected to take over for LVD as the nucleus of his precious D, a super bowl champion demands an insane contract or a trade? Our other $20M stud WR that has given his body and soul to this team, went to all the OTAs as a vet, has NEVER been a problem personality gets so frustrated he lets his wife b slap his HC for the world to see? These are not signs of respect, quite the opposite. And these aren’t random low character guys or FAs, these are guys that we drafted.
#FIREbowlesNOW #stillNOconfidence
December 10th, 2023 at 6:06 pm
Good riddance. Just get a comp pick for him. Bucs have at least one more year of dead cap money but they should also get rid of JTS, Dean, vaugh, and Davis.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:08 pm
Devin White….the Jameis Winston of LBs.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:11 pm
Who?
December 10th, 2023 at 6:23 pm
I’d rather see Bowles cut JTS
December 10th, 2023 at 6:29 pm
KJ Britt seemed to play pretty well today from what I saw…..was looking to see Dennis a little bit out there but I don’t think he played. Anybody know?
December 10th, 2023 at 6:50 pm
wow…pretty sad way to go out
December 10th, 2023 at 6:50 pm
If the Bucs don’t extend his contract, is he a bust? By my standards, yes.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:50 pm
He’s gone…and I pushed for us to draft him…is what it is
December 10th, 2023 at 6:55 pm
He’s gone and even more disappointing than Kwon.
D. White was the #5 overall pick.
Dude is lacking in the brains and maturity department.
December 10th, 2023 at 7:00 pm
i’ve seen guys fizzle out quick after reaching the pinnacle early in their careers…
i happen to be a san francisco giants life long fan and when they had that mini dynasty with 3 titles in 5 years, from 2010 to 2014, it was an amazing young group…
but many of them fell off fast as the years wore on…
even the face of the franchise buster posey…….or timmy lincecum…they just didn’t last very long…they peaked quick and fizzled out…
devlin white might have reached it all too quick – and it’s all down hill after that…it certainly seems like it
December 10th, 2023 at 7:19 pm
Kwon Again!!!???
December 10th, 2023 at 7:20 pm
Good riddance to bad rubbish
December 10th, 2023 at 7:52 pm
Alanbucsfan Says:
December 10th, 2023 at 6:23 pm
I’d rather see Bowles cut JTS
————————
Really? He was called for grabbing a FM at a very convenient time for the Falcons. He almost had a sack. He sure does more than White, and is $$cheaper. I don’t watch the games; I’m a Bucs Radio fan. I’m also a horse fan, but that doesn’t excuse White and his el sucko play. LVD has been covering for him for too long.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:04 pm
Devin White is overly sensitive and done here. To quote the Big Dog (RIP)
AMF 45
December 10th, 2023 at 8:06 pm
* to paraphrase Big Dog
December 10th, 2023 at 8:15 pm
Once he came back and had a couple outstanding games early on, I thought we would finally see his potential but in hindsight, they completely screwed up. They should have traded him. They could’ve easily got a 3rd rounder, maybe a 2nd, because the potential is there and a lot teams think he can be that guy again.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:18 pm
Give a man a break Joe.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:24 pm
AGREED he’s the Winston of the LBs dudes for a boat load of talent but isn’t there mentally. Just doesn’t football IQ to be great. Maybe he needs covid again to be great like the 2020 post season when he played like ray Lewis but better. Check the stats cause he did compared to ray Lewis’s 1st post season. Let him go he’s not worth the money unless it’s as cheap as a rookies contract. Even I don’t even know if it’s worth it
December 10th, 2023 at 8:44 pm
Think D-White will be good again with another team. He could become a pass rushing specialist linebacker with another team. I bet he will be really good with someone else. He just needs a fresh start and new team. I believe he is playing really hurt all this season and I believe he played hurt most of last season as well. He is probably rehabbing and wants to make sure he is healthy and can pass a physical for his next team and wants to show the entire league next season that the Bucs made a mistake. I wish Devon well. Thanks for helping us win a Super Bowl!!
December 10th, 2023 at 8:50 pm
Us fans will regret it when we see Devin become a great player on another team. But unfortunately that cannot happen here. Too much stuff has happened and these things cannot be undone here. Watch Mike Tomlin pick him up and bring him back to what he was. Can you imagine if Devin went to Dallas and played next to Micah Parsons? Devin White to the Saints would be interesting too. Carolina could use him with there new coach. Washington, so many places he could go.
December 10th, 2023 at 9:11 pm
Devin White was misused here in Tampa imo. But the defense didn’t look any better or worse without him.
December 10th, 2023 at 9:16 pm
Bye boy bye……
December 10th, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Britt was a beast. No one missed White but you Joe
December 10th, 2023 at 9:20 pm
DW54 is posting as “Bobby”.
On second thought… not a chance.
December 10th, 2023 at 9:36 pm
i don’t know how much anyone on defense was beasting today…
desmond riddler threw for 347 yards…and the guy is not really an nfl quarterback…
weird game…glad we won – but there were as many negatives as positives…strange nail biter of a game
December 10th, 2023 at 10:07 pm
Didn’t need White today. JTS took his place by letting Ridder skate into the end zone.
December 10th, 2023 at 10:14 pm
So, I got to watch very, very little…but I had an earbud in listening to it on the spectrum app.
The defense was horrible…and frankly, the only good player on defense in my book was Winfield.
K.J. Britt was not as good as you are all making out. The desire to run White out of town is creating a bias.
So let me offer an unbiased take:
I like Devin White…but…we are in the midst of cap issues. I would prefer to keep him on the roster, but if K.J. Britt can perform in his place without a dropoff, the the smart play is to replace White with K.J. Britt.
Britt is under contract through 2024. If he does well enough to earn a big contract, that could hurt us later…but…Jason Licht could work out a 2 year extension before next season starts…and we’ll have him cheap for 3 years.
If he deserves it.
December 10th, 2023 at 10:34 pm
Britt looked pretty good — physically and mentally.
I’m over the Devin White drama — first it was his contract, and then it was him whining about how his injury has forced him to get tons of treatment but yet still overrun plays.
Devin White is not worth big money, especially cause it would mean we would probably have to let Mike Evans walk. Not saying give Mike a super long term deal either, but he probably has 3 pretty good years left.
December 10th, 2023 at 11:06 pm
Is there a reason u didn’t ask toilet Bowles after the game?
December 11th, 2023 at 9:25 am
I have been possibly his biggest critic on here. But I don’t like being right about him because after all is said and done I am a Buc fan first and foremost. It is sad to me because the man has talent and has shown it early in his time here.
I have been around long emough to have seen other examples of Bucs players with great talent who seemingly wasted it.
Go Bucs!
December 11th, 2023 at 10:16 pm
White is a good player with skills. He has produced whole on the field with mistakes. He is no different than any other player on our team. If the team decides to keep him or move on from him, just thank him for his services. The team will do what’s best for the player and the team. No need to bash anyone. Let’s be fans and stop bashing players. Go Bucs!!!