With it being recently claimed that Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl linebacker Devin White had grown increasingly frustrated with life at the franchise, and their Raymond James Stadium, it was said that he had now officially requested a trade.
Has Devin White Asked for a Trade From Bucs?
The 5th overall pick in 2019 has already had his fifth year option taken up by the Bucs and that is worth a cool $11.706 million in guaranteed salary at this point, but given their overall financial situation, it seems the main cause underlying White’s problems is that he was hopeful talk on a new and further improved contract would have been more forthcoming.
The Bucs are, however, content with the situation as it stands and appeared to have no intention of granting the player the move he now wishes to make.
For those NFL fans who like a small flutter, situations like this are not new and the NJ betting markets would probably feature some very good odds and offers on what the potential outcome might be. Should White ultimately move on, for those who more regularly take advantage of odds in their Bucs experience, it could well change their predictions as well.
The story has now expectedly grown given the media interest in it, and Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht has now officially confirmed that ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, he personally has ‘no intention’ of moving White – not least because of the hole it would create in their roster as they continue to address other issues.
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“I have all the respect in the world for Devin. He’s done some great things for us as a player, and we look forward to more from him in the future, so he’s on our team. We are looking forward to this season. We are gearing up for this season with the draft right now, free agency, and, you know, looking forward to him being a part of this team. If he has the kind of year that we all think he’s capable of, we can hopefully put this to rest, and everybody’s happy.”
Having already taken steps to ensure they retained veteran colleague Lavonte David, Licht knew it was not as simple as just trying to source a replacement at this stage, because ultimately, they are happy with the role they both fulfil.
He did however confirm that naturally, at this stage of the year cards were on the table and no option had been ruled out, and if the right player, on the right deal, suddenly presented themselves – it could well change current standpoints.
It seems clear though that there is no interest at all in making change for changes sake and purely just to satisfy White’s now apparent desire to play elsewhere. He may not have said it directly, but Licht’s main focus in the Draft will undoubtedly be a longer term solution at quarterback, which itself could prove difficult given their current place in the line standings as they are on the clock at 19, and will probably be looking to move up.
As things stand, White will be hoping that another team makes an undeniable, and in many ways, simply a cannot refuse offer for his services that encourages Licht to take the gamble he says he is open to.
“This year, I wouldn’t say that there’s always some good players at every position at every draft. I wouldn’t say that’s a strength of this draft. But yes, we’re always looking and if it’s the right time, at the right place, the right fit, we wouldn’t be afraid to take one, no.”