3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers who won’t be back thanks to Mike Evans contract
By Lior Lampert
2. Devin White could be too expensive for the Buccaneers to keep
When the Bucs selected Devin White with the fifth-overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, many thought they were getting a linebacker who could lead their defensive unit for the next decade-plus thanks to his unique blend of size, strength, and speed in the middle of the field.
While that looked to be the case early on in his career, White has since fallen out of the circle of trust in Tampa Bay, being listed as a healthy scratch against the Green Bay Packers in Week 15 for ‘quitting’ on the team.
In 2023, White recorded a career-low 83 combined tackles while tying the lowest sack total since his rookie season (2.5) and recording an underwhelming 46.0 PFF grade.
Frustrations mounting on both sides and White’s decline in play this past season combined with the recent contract extension given to Evans makes the former a likely candidate to play elsewhere in 2024, especially considering his $10.7 million average annual salary per Spotrac.
A Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker who played a critical role in Tampa Bay’s march to winning the Super Bowl in 2020, White should have no shortage of suitors on the open market, but the Bucs will likely willingly remove themselves from consideration given the circumstances.