With free agency approaching, the Buccaneers have key decisions to make with several pending free agents. Linebacker Devin White is set to see his contract expire, but a new Tampa Bay agreement should not be expected.

The former fifth overall pick sought out a massive extension last offseason, and he requested a trade when talks on that front did not yield an agreement. Little interest was shown around the league, and White ultimately played out the 2023 campaign. He found himself splitting time with K.J. Britt down the stretch, however, and he did not start either of the Bucs’ postseason contests. A departure in free agency would come as no surprise at this point.

“No, we’re still trying to make some decisions on some of those other players,” general manager Jason Licht said at the Combine. “But, you know, Devin did some really good things for us throughout his career, but we’re still sorting out some things” (h/t Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

Indeed, the cases of quarterback Baker Mayfield, receiver Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. are more pressing for Licht and Co. at the moment. The latter is likely to receive the franchise tag, while talks with Mayfield are underway. Evans is the likeliest member of the trio to reach the open market, but a new Tampa deal is still very much on the team’s radar. The same is also true of linebacker Lavonte David, who plans to either continue his storied Tampa Bay career or hang up his cleats.

Especially if David were to agree to another one-year deal, the Bucs could move forward with he, Britt and 2023 fifth-rounder SirVocea Dennis at the linebacker spot. Britt racked up 15 tackles in the playoffs while holding a first-team role, something which initially took place after White was cleared to return to the lineup in December but did not immediately suit up. A lingering foot injury was at the heart of the issue, but reports indicated the former Pro Bowler declined to play upon learning he would be relegated to backup duties. Head coach Todd Bowles pushed back on that notion, and a rotation ensued the rest of the way.

White, 26, would still be one of the more intriguing linebackers on the market given his age and production. He has totaled 566 tackles, 23 sacks and six forced fumbles in five years with Tampa Bay, although his play has not reflected well with respect to PFF grades. Looking to earn back a full-time starting gig, White is on track to find himself with a new team in 2024, and the interest he commands as a free agent will be worth monitoring.

DECEMBER 20: The NFL is reviewing the Buccaneers’ injury report regarding White, Stroud tweets. The Bucs did not downgrade White from questionable to out, despite Bowles having doubled down on indicating the linebacker informed him before Sunday he was unable to go in Week 15.

Bowles said (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) White was medically cleared to play but that the fifth-year linebacker “didn’t feel right” and informed the second-year HC he would be unable to suit up. Conversations lasted until Sunday morning, per Bowles, who added White did not find out he was officially inactive until the Bucs arrived at Lambeau Field. White’s foot injury has lingered for a while, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The NFL will determine if the Bucs proceeded within the rules regarding White’s status.

DECEMBER 19: Devin White‘s future in Tampa Bay was a talking point this offseason, and that appears to be the case once again. The Pro Bowl linebacker was inactive in Week 15, and questions have emerged regarding his health status and role with the team to close out the campaign.

White and the Buccaneers did not reach agreement on a long-term deal, which prompted a trade request. The former top-five pick ultimately arrived at minicamp and training camp, though, and committed to playing out the season on his $11.7MM fifth-year option. When speaking about his financial situation, White expressed a desire to remain in Tampa Bay for years to come.

A foot injury has left the 25-year-old out of the lineup since November, but he appeared to be in line to return in time for the team’s Week 15 win against the Packers. White was listed as a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday, but he did not suit up for the game. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times was among those who reported White told the team he was unable to play not due to the injury but rather because he found out K.J. Britt would remain in the starting lineup in his place.

When asked about White’s status, head coach Todd Bowles pushed back on those reports. Bowles said White informed the coaching staff of his status on Saturday morning, which would mean the injury was sufficient to keep him out of the lineup in any capacity. Over the remaining three weeks of the season, the LSU alum’s health and place in the lineup will certainly be worth watching.

“When Devin gets healthy, we’ll rotate the players and see how it goes,” Bowles said of the Bucs’ inside linebacker setup, which includes White, Britt and stalwart Lavonte David (h/t Stroud’s colleague Kristie Ackert). Britt, a fifth-round pick in 2021, has made the only three starts of his career this season. He has set a new personal mark with 24 tackles in 14 games while remaining a core special teamer.

White has filled the statsheet during his tenure, recording at least 124 stops each season between 2020-22. He has amassed 22.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, two interceptions and 18 pass breakups over the course of his career, but those figures have not translated into strong PFF grades. Issues in coverage in particular have hurt White’s PFF evaluation, and Britt’s consistent play in his stead could hurt his leverage during contract talks.

White was reported to be seeking top-five compensation amongst inside linebackers, and the way in which 2023 has played out will make it difficult for him to attain that. Especially if he remains out of the lineup through the rest of the season (or returns as a rotational player, rather than a full-time starter), a departure in free agency would come as little surprise.

After failing to work out an extension this offseason, Devin White requested a trade from the Buccaneers. When addressing the media for the first time since then, the linebacker confirmed he has reversed course on that front and hopes to remain in Tampa Bay for the long haul.

The Buccaneers, to no surprise, made it clear they would not entertain offers for the former fifth overall pick, though not much of a trade market is believed to have emerged. Contract talks were at the heart of White’s impasse with Tampa, with the 25-year-old thought to be seeking an extension which would place him in the top five amongst inside linebackers in terms of annual compensation.

White arrived at Buccaneers minicamp, but did not participate. He is now slated to move forward with training camp practices despite not having in deal in place, however. The LSU alum is slated to earn $11.7MM in 2023 on the fifth-year option, but his future beyond this season is up in the air.

“I just wanted to be the guy here for a long time,” White said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “After really just sitting down with Coach [Todd] Bowles and [GM] Jason Licht and just understanding their plan for me, what they’ve got in play and coming up with something with those guys and seeing how I could be better. And moving forward, I think we all came to a good agreement, and that’s why I’m here, just focusing on the season now.”

White’s trade request was a key talking point during a Bucs offseason in which the team was faced with retaining as many incumbents as possible (especially on defense) despite being in a financial bind. Fellow inside linebacker Lavonte David was re-upped on a one-year deal, and White named the former All-Pro as an example he would like to follow over the course of a lengthy tenure in Tampa Bay.

“I don’t think there’s any regret, and I don’t think it’s just about being paid,” the latter said when asked about his handling of the trade request. “I just want to be a long-term guy, you know? I just want to be a guy like Lavonte. He’s been here forever. I wanted to be that next guy. And, you know, we just didn’t make it happen when I wanted to, and that’s why I kind of got a little selfish, even though I knew I still have the option that was sitting in place.”

White – who has filled the statsheet during his career but drawn underwhelming reviews in terms of advanced metrics – will be counted on as a key member of a Buccaneers team which will likely need to lean heavily on its defense to have success in 2023. With his trade request now in the rearview, team and player will attempt to move forward and find a long-term contract resolution down the road.

Devin White drew headlines when he requested a trade earlier this offseason. As a result, it comes as no surprise that the Pro Bowl linebacker is currently absent from the Buccaneers’ OTAs. His absence may not extend into next month, though.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Tampa Bay expects White to attend mandatory minicamp. Refusing to do so would result in cumulative fines for the 25-year-old, particularly if any hypothetical holdout were to last into training camp. His future with the Buccaneers has been in question since contract talks stalled to the point of White’s trade request going public.

The former No. 5 pick is reportedly seeking a deal which would put him amongst the league’s highest-paid middle linebackers. Establishing White’s value could be difficult for Tampa, considering the disparity in his performance when comparing counting stats with his advanced metrics evaluations. The LSU product has racked up 483 tackles and 20.5 sacks in four seasons, but his PFF ratings have ranged between 36.2 and 51.9 over that span.

White is set to earn $11.7MM in 2023 on the fifth-year option. That figure comes in well short of his asking price on a long-term extension, and the fact that he is only on the books for one more year has discouraged teams from inquiring about his availability. Unsurprisingly, the Buccaneers have remained committed to retaining White through what could be a multi-year transition period.

White remaining absent until mid-June would put him in line with the situation Austin Ekeler found himself in with the Chargers until recently. Shortly after the latter’s team stated their intention of having the running back at minicamp, he agreed to a new deal which put the uncertainty surrounding his immediate future to rest. Whether or not the Bucs can do the same with White this offseason will be a storyline to watch in the next few weeks in particular.

After C.J. Mosley reset the off-ball linebacker market in 2019, it has stabilized a bit in recent years. But Roquan Smith recently moved it to $20MM on average, signing a five-year deal worth $100MM weeks after being traded to the Ravens. This contract looks to be affecting the Buccaneers.

Devin White requested a trade this week, and while the Bucs are not entertaining offers right now, the fifth-year linebacker is believed to be “fed up” with the team’s negotiating efforts, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports. White, whose production and advanced metrics grades create a foggy perception of his value, is aiming high in his second-contract ask. The former No. 5 overall pick is seeking a deal worth between $18-$20MM per year, according to Laine.

That would place White in the top five at the position. Tremaine Edmunds received $18MM per year from the Bears last month, though the former first-rounder had free agency leverage. Smith also possessed unique leverage in Baltimore, being on the cusp of free agency due to the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson situation mandating a franchise tag. Shaquille Leonard and Fred Warner are the other linebackers earning at least $18MM on average, with Mosley’s $17MM-AAV accord in fifth place at the position.

“We all have all the respect in the world for Devin,” Bucs GM Jason Licht said Thursday. “He’s done some great things for us, and we look forward to more from him in the future. … If he has the type of year we think he’s capable of, we can hopefully put this to rest and everybody’s happy.

“[The trade request] isn’t something I’m holding against Devin. I still feel he’s a tremendous person. I would never say he’s not the type of teammate we want because of this.”

The salary cap has climbed to the point White, 25, would not be out of step asking for such a contract, seeing as Mosley signed his market-disrupting Jets deal in 2019 and Warner ($19MM AAV) and Leonard ($19.7MM) signed their extensions in 2021. But White is not coming off an especially strong season, similar production notwithstanding. Pro Football Focus, long a White skeptic, ranked the LSU product near the bottom among off-ball ‘backers in both 2021 and 2022. Todd Bowles also addressed the topic of White loafing on plays last season. The rookie Bucs HC defended the linebacker and did not demote him, but while Smith and Edmunds enjoyed quality contract years, White’s fourth season — a rough Bucs slate on just about every level — left a bit to be desired.

Only one other off-ball linebacker (the Jaguars’ Foye Oluokun) earns at least $15MM on average. It is not known what the Bucs have offered, but a gap may have formed ahead of White’s trade request. White is one of the best pass-rushing ILBs in recent NFL history, accumulating 20.5 sacks as a pro, and is coming off three straight seasons with 120-plus tackles. The longtime Lavonte David apprentice played a central role in the Bucs’ defense backing the Brady-piloted Super Bowl run in 2020. But the Bucs, per Laine, want to see more from White, who has lacked consistency.

The Bucs re-signed David and Jamel Dean, doing so after giving lucrative extensions to Shaq Barrett and Carlton Davis. They also re-upped Vita Vea, making him the league’s highest-paid nose tackle. These deals also stand to complicate Bucs-White talks. Like the Bears last year, the Bucs probably do not have the franchise tag in their back pocket for White. With all linebackers grouped together on the tag, a 2024 tag will come in north of $20MM. That raises the stakes for 2023 negotiations.