Bucs GM Jason Licht breaks silence on NFL trade rumors surrounding Devin White
Devin White shockingly put in a request to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to trade him to a new team during the NFL offseason. He has spent his entire career so far with the franchise, but a dispute over a contract extension is the likely cause for his trade request. His rookie deal expires at the conclusion of the 2023 season, but the team has yet to offer him an acceptable extension.
During a recent news conference, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht was asked about White's trade request and said about his superstar linebacker:
“First of all, we all have all the respect in the world for Devin. He has 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're looking forward to the season. We're looking forward to him being a part of this team.
"If he has the kind of year that we know he's capable of, hopefully we can put this rest and everybody's happy. In this particular case, with Devin, I'm not holding it against him. I would never say that he’s not the type of teammate that we want."
Bucs GM Jason Licht on Devin White’s request for a trade. https://t.co/p3nBFGIUNl
Jason Licht made it clear that he intends to keep Devin White with the Buccaneers for the upcoming season. He said that he understands why his star defender is frustrated, but remains confident that they will find a solution.
While White is scheduled to make $11.7 million for the 2023 NFL season, he is likely seeking more years and guaranteed money on his contract as insurance. It's always a risk to play out any season on a terminating contract. The Buccaneers would be wise to find a way to keep him as the former LSU standout is still just 25 years old and one of their most impactful defensive players.
Devin White needs to be a top priority for Buccaneers in 2023
Since being selected with the fifth pick in the 2019 NFL draft, Devin White has made an immediate impact on the Buccaneers defense. In addition to his contributions on the football field, he also serves as one of the team captains.
White is a versatile linebacker who helps their defensive scheme in many ways. He averages 121 tackles per season in his four years, while also adding 20.5 career sacks. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro team, so it would be a massive loss to Tampa Bay if his contract situation isn't figured out.