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Tre’Davious White

This Date In Transactions History: Bills Sign Tre’Davious White

May 18th, 2021 at 10:28am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2017, the Bills inked cornerback Tre’Davious White to his first NFL contract. Per the terms of his slot, his four-year deal was worth $10.1MM, including a $5.48MM signing bonus.

Of course, the Bills were not initially set to for the backend of the first round. They originally held the No. 10 overall selection, but moved down after the Chiefs agreed to send the No. 27 pick, a third-round pick, and their 2018 first-round selection. With that No. 27 pick, the Bills selected White. And, at No. 10, the Chiefs took a quarterback named Patrick Mahomes.

That’s a factoid that will forever be attached to White. However, that’s not exactly fair to the LSU product. White immediately stepped into a primetime role after Stephon Gilmore‘s departure. The Bills had also moved on from slot specialist Nickell Robey-Coleman that year — White showed his skills and promise right off the bat.

After notching six interceptions in his first two seasons, White doubled his total with a stellar 2019. His six picks led the league that year, earning him Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. In 2020, the Bills happily re-upped White on a four-year, $69MM extension with $55MM guaranteed.

Consider this: White allowed just five touchdowns in his first three seasons and led all cornerbacks during that time with a 60.6 passer rating. Fans can keep talking about Mahomes if they want, but White is one heck of a consolation prize.

AFC East Notes: Douglas, Pats, White

September 30th, 2020 at 6:14pm CST by Rory Parks

Jets head coach Adam Gase may soon receive his walking papers, and though the leash for GM Joe Douglas will be a bit longer, Douglas is not without blame for the club’s struggles over his first 16 months or so on the job. In a piece that colorfully recounts all of Douglas’ missteps, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News includes an interesting nugget indicating that Douglas nixed an impending agreement for free agent DB Logan Ryan — whom Douglas reportedly coveted — because he was unhappy that the agreement was leaked to the media.

To be fair, other reporters wrote that Ryan’s asking price was the real obstacle to the deal, and Mehta himself has noted on more than one occasion that Douglas is operating under owner-imposed financial constraints, so it’s unclear what actually prevented Ryan from joining Gang Green. And obviously the Jets would still look just as directionless with Ryan as they do without, but when Douglas’ body of work is laid out in black-and-white, one can understand any skepticism Jets fans might feel about the GM’s abilities.

Now for more from the AFC East:

  • Doug Kyed of NESN.com believes the Patriots should try to trade for a top-flight wide receiver. His piece was published before QB Cam Newton threw the ball all over the place in the team’s narrow loss to the Seahawks in Week 2, but in New England’s Week 3 triumph over the Raiders, it was clear that Newton could use another receiving threat. After posting eight catches for 179 yards against Seattle, Julian Edelman caught just two passes for 23 yards against Las Vegas, and the Pats want to reduce Edelman’s snap count. Meanwhile, N’Keal Harry is still coming into his own, and Damiere Byrd is hardly irreplaceable. Kyed believes a player like the Bears’ Allen Robinson would be a great fit, and that New England should not be hesitant to give up 2021 draft capital.
  • Prior to the Patriots‘ win over Las Vegas, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com suggested that Sony Michel needed a big game to keep his job as New England’s RB1, and Michel delivered. He reeled off 117 yards on just nine carries, though he and J.J. Taylor both had 11 touches and Rex Burkhead had 13 (three of which ended in touchdowns). As usual, it looks like the Pats will take a committee approach to their backfield, and the committee will become even more crowded when Damien Harris returns from IR. Still, it’s encouraging for New England that Michel, who has not exactly lived up to his status as a former first-rounder, looked as good as he did.
  • The Bills signed cornerback Tre’Davious White to a massive extension shortly before the season started, a deal that temporarily positioned him as the highest-paid CB in the league in terms of AAV ($17.25MM). But as Jason Wolf of the Buffalo News writes, some league observers believe Buffalo came out ahead in that deal, as Jalen Ramsey signed a five-year, $105MM extension shortly after the ink dried on White’s contract. The NFL world knew that Ramsey’s deal was coming soon, so pundits like Joel Corry of CBS Sports believe White could have gotten himself at least $19MM per year if he had been more patient, and that the Bills were wise to strike when they did. Of course, with $55MM in guaranteed money coming his way, most people won’t be too sad for White.

Bills, Tre’Davious White Agree To $70MM Deal

September 5th, 2020 at 6:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills and Tre’Davious White have struck agreement on a four-year contract extension, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The pact is worth $69MM and could potentially reach a round $70MM by way of Pro Bowl incentives. Most importantly, the deal includes $55MM in guaranteed cash for the star cornerback, though it’s not immediately clear if that’s fully guaranteed at signing.

[RELATED: Bills Release Andre Roberts, Trim Roster To 53]

The deal has been in the works for a while. Previously, White was set to earn $1.8MM in base pay this year before playing out his $10.2MM fifth-year option in 2021. As one of the league’s premier defenders, White was understandably anxious to lock in his payday. Last year, White led the NFL with six interceptions, giving him a dozen picks over the last three years in total.

White’s $17.25MM/year average positions him as the highest-paid cornerback in the league, edging out Byron Jones‘ $16.5MM average annual salary. It’s a big investment, but it’s well worth it for a truly elite cornerback who only just turned 25 in January.

Bills fans may never get over losing out on Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, but White is quite the consolation prize. The No. 27 overall pick has allowed only five touchdowns since entering the league and his 60.6 passer rating ranks as the second-highest of any player over the last three seasons, per Pro Football Focus. After briefly considering an opt out, White is ready to lead the charge for the Bills in 2020 – and beyond.

Bills’ Tre’Davious White Considering Opt Out

August 5th, 2020 at 11:14am CST by Zachary Links

Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White is giving some thought to opting out of the 2020 season (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Kim Jones). The star of Buffalo’s secondary has until 4pm ET/3pm CT to submit his decision in writing.

Roughly 60 NFL players have opted out of the season so far, including notables like Patriots inside linebacker Dont’a Hightower and Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. The Bills have already watched cornerback E.J. Gaines and defensive tackle Star Lotulelei opt out – losing White would be the most devastating of the bunch.

Arriving in the trade that gave the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, White has become one of the NFL’s premier defenders. The 2017 No. 27 overall selection picked off a league-high six passes last season, giving him a dozen interceptions through three seasons.

In April, the Bills picked up White’s fifth-year option, cuffing him through 2021 on a ~$10MM salary. If White backs out of playing this year, his low-cost 2020 salary will toll into 2021. Then, his $10MM salary will apply to 2022. Ultimately, it would be an expensive move for White, one that would delay extension talks and put him another year further from free agency.

When it comes time for White to negotiate his new deal, he’ll likely command something in the neighborhood of Byron Jones‘ $16.5MM average annual value. Right now, he’s got bigger fish to fry, and he only has a few hours to make his big decision.

Bills Pick Up Tre’Davious White’s Fifth-Year Option

April 23rd, 2020 at 10:38am CST by Sam Robinson

Not exactly a shocker here, but the Bills have announced that they are picking up Tre’Davious White‘s fifth-year option, thereby locking in the All-Pro cornerback through the 2021 season. Field Yates of ESPN.com first reported that the club was going to exercise the option (Twitter link).

Arriving in the trade that gave the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, White has become one of the NFL’s premier defenders. The 2017 No. 27 overall pick has helped the Bills assemble one of the league’s best defenses. He picked off a league-high six passes last season and has 12 interceptions through three seasons.

This will be an affordable option for Buffalo. White’s 2021 salary will come in north of $10MM, but not much higher. That will represent strong value for the Bills. This decision also will allow the them to potentially table a White extension until 2021. They are negotiating with fellow 2017 draftees Dion Dawkins and Matt Milano, who do not have fifth-year options in their rookie deals.

A White extension would run much higher and will likely be impacted by where Jalen Ramsey takes the cornerback market on his inevitable Rams extension. Both Byron Jones and Darius Slay finally moved the cornerback salary ceiling past the $15MM-AAV place where it stood for nearly four years. Given White’s value to an emerging Bills team, it should be expected the 25-year-old defender will command a deal on Jones’ level ($16.5MM per year) or higher when the time comes for his payday.

East Notes: Giants, Eagles, Jones, Bills, Jets

March 5th, 2020 at 9:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent offensive lineman Mike Remmers will not re-sign with the Giants before the market opens in two weeks, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Remmers started 14 games at right tackle for New York in 2019, but given that he’s entering his age-31 season, it shouldn’t be surprising if he’s forced to settle for another one-year deal in free agency. A former undrafted free agent, Remmers has spent two of the past three seasons playing under Pat Shurmur, leading Florio to speculate that Remmer could now be an option for the offensive line-needy Broncos, who recently brought Shurmur aboard as offensive coordinator.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • A number of teams have expressed early interest in Cowboys free agent cornerback Byron Jones, but Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network hears the Giants and Eagles could potentially engage in a bidding war for the veteran defensive back. The Broncos, Lions, and Raiders have also been mentioned as possible suitors for Jones, who is reaching free agency after five seasons in Dallas. Widely viewed as the best corner available, Jones could reset the CB market by topping $16MM+ in annual salary.
  • Just three seasons into his NFL career, the Bills’ Tre’Davious White has already positioned himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. “Obviously, Tre’s a guy we love and want back,” general manager Brandon Beane indicated on WGR 550 AM (link via Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News). “You do look and try and find what the value is. And it’s hard. It can sometimes be hard for agents, too, because they’re trying to look at what the market is today versus what’s it going to be in two years. Do they want to play it out? Do they want security now?” The Bills can control White through at least 2021 via the fifth-year option.
  • Free agent quarterback Trevor Siemian is now fully recovered after suffering a brutal ankle injury in Week 2, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Siemian became the Jets‘ starter after Sam Darnold was diagnosed with mono, but attempted only six passes before going down. Just 28 years old and with 25 NFL starts under his belt, Siemian could attract interest as a back-end No. 2 quarterback.

Extra Points: Bills, Cowboys, Cards, Panthers

June 18th, 2017 at 8:17pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bills first-round cornerback Tre’Davious White is performing so well during Buffalo practice sessions that new head coach Sean McDermott has scarcely noticed the rookie on the field, as Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News writes. “Really, I’ve had to sit back in my office up there and ask myself why haven’t I noticed Tre’Davious, in terms of why am I not concerned about him?” McDermott said. “As a defensive coordinator I was a lot closer to the defense at times, so I’ve been asking myself is it because of that or is it because he’s just integrated himself so smoothly into the NFL and what we do? He’s mature beyond his years.” The Bills traded down from No. 10 to No. 27 before selecting White, who projects as a Week 1 starter opposite Ronald Darby.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • While finding a backup quarterback appeared to be an important item on the Cowboys‘ offseason itinerary, the club may be content with incumbent No. 2 Kellen Moore, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys, who lost Tony Romo to retirement and Mark Sanchez to free agency, have expressed interest in veterans such as Josh McCown, but have yet to add another passer behind starter Dak Prescott. If Moore does stick as Dallas’ backup, it could be because he has a backer in offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who refers to Moore as a “machine.”
  • The most interesting Cardinals position battle will take place at backup quarterback, where Blaine Gabbert and Drew Stanton will square off for Arizona’s No. 2 QB job, opines Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Gabbert offers a first-round pedigree and has a supporter in head coach Bruce Arians, but Stanton is more familiar with the club’s offense after three seasons in the desert. The Cardinals would absorb $2.5MM in dead money if they release Stanton.
  • The Panthers announced that they’re hired former Illinois head coach Ron Turner as a consultant to the coaching staff. Turner’s most notable experience comes at the collegiate level (he spent the past three seasons leading FIU), but he also has an NFL resume. Notably, Turner served as the Bears’ offensive coordinator from 2005-09, a tenure that overlapped with that of Carolina head coach Ron Rivera, who acted as Chicago’s DC from 2004-06.

Bills Sign Rookie CB Tre’Davious White

May 18th, 2017 at 12:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have signed first-round pick Tre’Davious White, according to a team announcement. Per the terms of his slot, his four-year deal will be worth $10.1MM, including a $5.48MM signing bonus. As a first-round pick, the Bills will also reserve the right to tack a fifth year on to his contract down the line.

The Bills entered the draft with the No. 10 pick but moved down to the No. 27 pick after the Chiefs offered up their No. 27 overall pick, a third-round pick, and their 2018 first-round selection. With that No. 27 pick, the Bills selected White, a player that they hope can immediately step into a primetime role.

Buffalo allowed Stephon Gilmore to leave in free agency this year and the release of slot specialist Nickell Robey-Coleman thinned things out further. Now, White and 2015 draft pick Ronald Darby project as the starting corners with something of a ragtag bunch behind them.

In his final year at LSU, White had 35 total tackles (including four tackles for a loss) and two interceptions. The rap on White is that he’s not an overly aggressive tackler, though his coverage skills should allow him to succeed at the next level.

Draft Rumors: Cook, Eagles, Conley, Panthers, Fins, Bengals, Texans

April 14th, 2017 at 12:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Florida State running back Dalvin Cook‘s stock is reportedly slipping as the draft approaches, but the Eagles seem undeterred. The club has “heavy interest” in Cook, the runner revealed Wednesday in an interview with Philadelphia-based radio station 94WIP (via Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com). The feeling is mutual, with Cook adding that he “loved the city” when he visited. “It’s a great organization, great people,” he continued. “I think the program is on the rise, just need a couple more guys to fill in and help the program. I like the organization overall and the people that’s in the building.” Should the Eagles pass on Cook at 14th overall, their next opportunity to take him would be at No. 43, though he could certainly be gone by then.

More of the latest on the draft:

  • The Panthers, Browns, Eagles, Bengals, Lions, Titans, Saints and Jets are among the teams with the most interest in Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Conley should go somewhere between ninth and 18th overall, per La Canfora, whom one NFL decision-maker told: “Conley has always been a first-round corner, and I understand why he is the top guy on some boards. He may not be as flashy as some of the other corners, and maybe the upside isn’t quite as high, but neither is the risk. This is a clean player who started for two years and who made big plays in big games. There is a lot to like.”
  • Though they’re interested in Conley, the Panthers hosted another cornerback – Florida’s Teez Tabor – on Thursday, and both Tennessee edge defender Derek Barnett and LSU corner Tre’Davious White are visiting Charlotte on Friday, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Barnett (13th) and White (18th) are each top 20 prospects, according to NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, who places Tabor 48th.
  • Utah offensive tackle Garett Bolles is currently visiting the Bengals, relays Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Cincinnati lost starting left tackle Andrew Whitworth to free agency, potentially creating a major need, but it’s only two years removed from using first- and second-round picks on OTs Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher. Bolles would require yet another sizable investment via the draft in the position. The Bengals are set to pick ninth overall, in the neighborhood of where Bolles could slide off the board.
  • The Dolphins are hosting Connecticut safety Obi Melifonwu on Friday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. This isn’t the first connection between Miami and Melifonwu – the two sides spent “significant” time together last week. Given their interest in Melifonwu, the defender might be a target for the Dolphins at No. 22 overall.
  • Texans offensive line coach Mike Devlin has met with Wisconsin offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, a source told Wilson. PFR’s Dallas Robinson currently has Houston selecting Ramczyk with the 25th pick in the draft, noting he’d give the team a much-needed upgrade at right tackle.

Cowboys Meet With 21 NFL Draft Prospects

April 4th, 2017 at 6:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys have now used more than two-thirds of their 30 allotted predraft visits, and Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link), Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), and Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News have provided the list of prospects with whom Dallas has met:

The Cowboys’ visits with Michigan DE Taco Charlton, UCLA DE Takkarist McKinley, UConn S Obi Melifonwu, UCLA CB Fabian Moreau, and Wisconsin LB T.J. Watt had all been previously reported.

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