The Devin White era in Tampa Bay is unlikely to be remembered fondly.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers appeared to prioritize keeping the band together this offseason, going to considerable efforts to retain key players in free agency.
Baker Mayfield was given a contract worth more than $100 million, Mike Evans was signed for two more seasons, and Antoine Winfield Jr. was named the highest-paid safety in the NFL. Not only were top-tier players retained, but also Lavonte David, Chase Edmonds, and Chas McLaughlin, as well as Jordan Whitehead, who was signed after two seasons in New York.
Not everyone is returning.
While the Bucs went to great lengths to protect key players, the front office conspicuously neglected one who fell out of favor. Devin White’s time in Tampa Bay came to an end this offseason when he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent. It wasn’t an unexpected move, but it put the final nail in the coffin of a voyage that should have gone otherwise.
White took some jabs at the Bucs during his first press conference with the Eagles, but the team threw a final parting shot to remind everyone how bad things turned out.
Buccaneers deliver final insult to Devin White after tumultuous end to his time in Tampa Bay
The Buccaneers reduced the price of White’s jersey in the team store to $22, a 78% decrease. That is deep discount pricing, and to make matters worse, Carson Wentz’s jersey is the only one less expensive than White’s.
Bucs' online shop has put Devin White jerseys on deep discount — $100 jerseys marked down to $22. Only men's NFL jerseys on NFLshop available for less are Carson Wentz Colts jerseys for $21 ….
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) May 24, 2024
Former players’ jerseys are usually always on sale, but there’s something to be said about the size of the reduction on White’s uniform. This appears to imply that there is no legacy being left in Tampa Bay — which is not entirely false, even if it serves as a heartbreaking reminder of what could have been.
White was drafted to succeed Lavonte David as the defensive leader, but he called in his final few seasons and wanted a salary he did not deserve. He had everything set up right from the start, receiving All-Pro honors and a trip to the Pro Bowl while assisting the Bucs in their Super Bowl victory.
All of this established a promise that was never fulfilled. Rather than continue to develop into a superstar, White has taken steps back in recent years, reaching a point of no return when he demanded a trade when the Bucs did not extend his contract by $100 million.
He turned that into one of his worst seasons and had to settle for $93 million less than he requested last summer. Philadelphia is getting about as much of a discount on the former No. 5 overall pick as anyone seeking to buy his jersey can.
White is a tremendously strong player someplace, but he hasn’t been at the top in years. Perhaps that will change in Philadelphia, but for now, his legacy in Tampa Bay will be a conflicted mix of knowing he helped win a Super Bowl and having a jersey worth less than a takeout order.
