After a promising start to his NFL career where he looked like the next great Buccaneers linebacker, Devin White fizzled out after the team's Super Bowl LV victory, and Tampa Bay let him walk in free agency.
His tenure in Tampa Bay ended tumultuously when he demanded a trade after the front office resisted paying him ahead of his contract year, before he was ultimately benched due to his inconsistent performance and struggles in pass coverage.
Since leaving Tampa Bay after the 2023 season, White signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency but was cut just a few weeks into the season without ever playing a snap for the team.
His next stop was Houston, where he appeared in just seven games for the Texans last season, including one start, before the team opted to let him depart in free agency at the end of the year.
White signed with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason, led by defensive guru Pete Carroll, in hopes he could revitalize his NFL career. After all, despite his struggles in recent years, White is still only 27 years old and boasts an All-Pro nomination and a Pro Bowl nod. His potential is undeniable, and White has proven he has the talent to be one of the league's best linebackers if he can remain consistent.
Devin White kicks off redemption tour with dominant Raiders debut
Since arriving in Las Vegas, White has seemingly taken his play to a new level. He was named a starter early in training camp and made a strong statement with his Week 1 performance.
White finished his Raiders debut with a team-leading 11 combined tackles, including a tackle for loss and played all 71 defensive snaps.
Pro Football Focus gave White an overall grade of 67.3 for Week 1, which was above league-average and ranked No. 36 out of 100 qualifying linebackers. His 74.0 pass rush grade ranked No. 8 at his position, while his 66.2 run defense grade ranked No. 40.
His coverage, which has long been White's Achillies heel, was graded at 60.9, which ranked No. 41, meaning White finished in the top half of the league in all categories in the season opener. On five targets, he allowed just two receptions for 14 yards.
His four defensive stops ranked No. 3 at the inside linebacker position, and right behind Buccaneers linebacker SirVocea Dennis. His 26.7% defensive stop percentage ranked No. 2 at his position.
"He was a hammer. He looked good. I was really excited that his presence was so obvious," Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“For me, it’s a great start,” White said. “It’s just one game, but we can build off this with momentum and energy. Individually, it doesn’t mean much to me. I just have to get back to the drawing board and be consistent with what I put out today because I can be that person all year. I played at a high level for a long time. Had a couple setbacks, but I don’t dwell on the past. I focus on the future and the controllables and that means going in tomorrow and getting ready for the next one.”
Inside linebacker is almost unanimously viewed as the Buccaneers' weakest position group, with little depth behind Lavonte David and Dennis. Tampa Bay was widely expected to address the position early in the draft, commonly linked to players like Jihaad Campbell and Demetrius Knight Jr., but the Buccaneers chose not to add to the position and instead roll with the players they already had.
If White unlocks his full potential in Las Vegas and continues to perform at a high level, and linebacker proves to be a weakness for the Buccaneers' defensive unit throughout the season, the team could come to regret moving on from a player as young and talented as White who was once viewed as a franchise cornerstone in Tampa Bay,
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