Eagles strengthen defense with one-time Super Bowl champion

As expected, Devin White won’t be returning to the Buccaneers in 2024, but the linebacker will be sticking in the NFC. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, White is signing with the Eagles.

It’s a one-year deal for the linebacker, according to Schefter. The contract has a max value of $7.5M.

The former first-round pick had a productive first four seasons in Tampa Bay. After forcing three fumbles and scoring two touchdowns as a rookie, White followed that up with three straight seasons of 120-plus tackles. He earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020 after compiling nine sacks, and he added 38 tackles in three playoff games en route to a Super Bowl championship. That Super Bowl win also featured a crucial pick-six on Patrick Mahomes.

White made a Pro Bowl after finishing with a career-high 18 QB hits in 2021, and he added another 124 tackles and 5.5 sacks to his resume in 2022.

Set to play the 2023 campaign on his fifth-year option, the former fifth-overall pick sought out a massive extension last offseason. A deal didn’t materialize, and White ended up requesting a trade from the organization. Little interest was shown around the league, and White ultimately played out the 2023 campaign on his expiring contract.

The linebacker did little to increase leaguewide interest with his play. He ended up splitting snaps with K.J. Britt down the stretch, and he didn’t start either of the team’s two playoff games. White finished the campaign with a career-low 83 tackles, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as the league’s third-worst linebacker in 2023.

White should have an opportunity to bounce back in Philadelphia. The team only returns a pair of inside linebackers in Nakobe Dean and Ben VanSumeren, so White should be in line for a significant role in 2024.