Buccaneers: Devin White (knee) out Sunday vs. Giants

After leaving in the first quarter during week two action for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, linebacker Devin White will miss Sunday’s game against the Giants.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received some expected, but bad news nonetheless today that rookie linebacker Devin White has been ruled out against the New York Giants on Sunday. White hurt his knee in the opening quarter against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night, and while it was ruled to be not as serious as it looked, he will still need longer than a long week to recover.

It has not been an ideal start for the fifth overall pick of the Buccaneers in the 2019 NFL Draft, as he has been listed on the injury report in all three weeks of his rookie season thus far. Fans of the Buccaneers have not had a real chance to see White at his best thus far through his rookie season as he sat out most of the preseason, then played through a bug in his first career game before getting injured in week two.

Entering the season, White had the fourth best odds to win Defensive Rookie of the Year according to Bovada, but those odds are bound to take a hit after he has only played one game through three weeks, and even then he was not 100 percent. We are all eager to see White healthy, and in action; unfortunately in order to get healthy, the best cure for White right now is to rest.

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In his absence, the Buccaneers will start veteran linebacker Kevin Minter at inside linebacker next to Lavonte David. Filling in for White last Thursday night in a dominating defensive win against the Panthers, Minter played well, recording nine total tackles for the pewter and red defense.

While losing White will be a blow to the Buccaneers’ defense, coordinator Todd Bowles will undoubtedly find a way to compensate defensively. Through the first two weeks of the season, the Buccaneers’ defense has only allowed just one offensive touchdown at the hands of San Francisco wide receiver Richie James.

Other players ruled out by the Bucs for Sunday’s game against the Giants include linebacker Devante Bond, quarterback Blaine Gabbert, and cornerback Jamel Dean.

The Buccaneers will look to continue the streak of stifling opposing offensive units, playing a bend-but-don’t-break style of defense. As they look to contain rookie quarterback Daniel Jones in his first career start when the Giants travel to Raymond James Stadium, the pewter and red will have to overcome the absence of White.