In a must-game on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a curious decision ahead of kickoff that is absolutely a thread to follow into the coming weeks.
Devin White hasn't played in two weeks, missing games against the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons with an injury. The Bucs managed to win both of those games without White's help, with the last impression he left being a pretty awful game against the Indianapolis Colts back in Week 12.
He's not going to get a chance to rectify that on Sunday against the Packers, but the plot is much thicker than White simply missing another game with an injury.
Devin White ruled inactive as a healthy scratch for Week 15
In a stunning turn of events, Devin White is inactive for Sunday's game. According to NFL Network's Stacey Dales the decision was not based off an injury, which means the Pro Bowler is a healthy scratch -- which is interesting.
Per our @StaceyDales, #Bucs LB Devin White will not play, but it's not injury related.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 17, 2023
Buccaneers beat writer Rick Stroud confirmed that it was Todd Bowles decision to scratch White from the lineup ahead of kickoff on Sunday:
I’m told it was coach Todd Bowles’ decision to make Devin White inactive today vs Packers and not injury related.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) December 17, 2023
We probably won't know more until after the game, but it's impossible to not want to sip some of the tea regarding this decision. White hasn't been great this year but it seemed like the coaching staff was willing to keep giving him a shot to figure it out.
That's not going to be the case on Sunday.
K.J. Britt is going to step up in pace of White in the lineup, with Lavonte David and SirVocea Dennis also offering support. What's most notable about this decision is that it's happening against the backdrop of all the contract drama surroudning White this season.
White requested a trade back in April after not getting an extension -- or hearing figures that he liked -- which set the tone for the year. He controlled his own destiny, but has hardly played the way a $100 million linebacker does and is not inactive in a massive game the Bucs have to win to stay alive in the playoff race.
We don't want to read too much into this, but it certainly feels like a nail in the coffin for White's time in Tampa Bay.