7 Buccaneers players who won't be back in 2024
By Josh Hill
Devin White, LB
It seemed that the writing was on the wall for Devin White before the season even started.
He requested a trade back in April after not hearing the sort of numbers he liked during contract extension talks, and it was all downhill from there. White eventually rescinded his request but he hardly lived up to the billing of a guy worth $100 million.
White showed flashes during the season, but he was inconsistent and wound up losing his spot in the starting lineup late in the year. The Bucs made him a surprise inactive before Week 15's game in Green Bay and after that, he was replaced by K.J. Britt, and his role was reduced to being rotational.
To his credit, White did manage to step up and ended up rallying around Britt but the damage was already done. If his attitude wasn't already rubbing folks the wrong way enough, his play on the field was. He was routinely cooked on quarterback scrambles inside of the 10-yard line, allowing touchdowns to Justin Field, Desmond Ridder, and Gardner Minshew. Notably, the winning streak that saved the Bucs season was a stretch of games that didn't feature White, and all of that will come up when White tries to ask for the type of money he wanted earlier.
There's a small chance he could come back, but it's unlikely unless he's willing to take a massive pay reduction. White gambled that he'd be able to put together a season that proved he was worth top dollar and instead he might have to come back to Tampa Bay on a prove-it deal and try all over again.