Eagles Brazil roster includes a surprising omission that'll fuel trade rumors

The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing to face the Green Bay Packers in Brazil on Friday night -- the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in South America. However, the Birds will be without one-time Pro Bowl linebacker and offseason acquisition Devin White.

Per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane, White won't travel with the Eagles to São Paulo because of an ankle injury.

While White missing Philly's regular-season opener is news in and of itself, the potential implications of his absence are fascinating.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes previous "murmurs" that the Eagles "could trade" White ahead of the league's roster cutdown deadline on August 27th. Ultimately, the former first-round pick made the initial 53-man roster, though his ankle issue keeping him sidelined for Week 1 could reignite the topic.

Devin White not traveling with the Eagles to Brazil may rekindle trade rumors

As Breer points out, "White missing the opener won't help his case for a big role in the [Eagles] defense." Moreover, the insider highlights how fellow Philadelphia linebackers Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun reportedly stood out during training camp. Connecting the dots and combining the two factors spells trouble for the ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

After five seasons with the Bucs, White joined the Eagles in March as a free agent on a one-year contract worth "up to" $7.5 million. Suddenly, his status in Philly is ostensibly in jeopardy.

White struggled in 2023, particularly against the run (a recurring theme throughout his career). He amassed 83 tackles (five for loss), six pass deflections, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions, yielding a subpar 46.1 overall Pro Football Focus player grade. The end of his Bucs tenure was ominously foreshadowed by him getting ruled inactive as a healthy scratch for Week 15. 

Despite the change of scenery, White is getting off on the wrong foot with his new team. His unavailability against the Packers gives him one less chance to make an impression on the Eagles brass, spearheaded by lead executive Howie Roseman.

Whether or not it's impartial to base White's future with the Eagles on his fitness, it's a conceivable reality. Unfortunately, it's part of the business.