How Devin White’s departure impacts Lavonte David, Bucs defense
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will welcome back one of their starting inside linebackers for the 2024 season after re-signing Lavonte David to another one-year deal, but his longtime running mate won’t be there this time around.
Devin White signed a one-year deal of his own with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency after five seasons with the Bucs.
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, White had flashes of brilliance during his tenure in Tampa Bay, but struggled with injuries and inconsistency last season, eventually being replaced in the starting lineup by K.J. Britt.
So, how does White’s departure impact David and the Tampa Bay defense moving forward?
“We haven’t gotten into any X’s and O’s or whatever, but knowing Coach (Todd) Bowles, nothing is going to change – you plug and play, man, you plug and play [laughs],” David said Friday about any potential changes to his role within the scheme. “It’s the next guy up, the next-guy-up mentality. You do the job right and you’re going to be in there.”
(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) ORG XMIT: FLCO105
White made some of his best plays when blitzing the quarterback, and while David admits he’d love to do more of that himself, he trusts Bowles to put him in the right position to succeed.
“I would love that but it’s [not] up to me,” David said. “Whatever we do right, we stick with it. That’s one thing I do respect about Coach Bowles and that I really like – he finds what is working for guys to make things comfortable for guys, and whatever is working and makes you comfortable, he’s going to do it. Since the first day, he has said he has an open-door policy and if you have a problem with it or whatever it may be, you come and talk to him. It’s been like that ever since. That’s why he’s a respected guy across the locker room – a lot of guys love to play for him.”
As far as his personal relationship with White, David made it clear that nothing about their close bond will change.
“Just dealing with everything all year, I speak to him day-to-day,” David said. “I spoke to him through the whole process and was trying to give him encouragement and keep his head up high. When you get another opportunity, take advantage of it. I told him our relationship would never end. The bond we built when we were here together – playing with a guy like that kind of made my job easier, as well. He’s definitely going to be missed, but Devin, beyond football, he’s like my little brother. I tell you this all the time. He’s aggravating me, still sending me videos of horses, I don’t know why. I’m wishing him the best and I hope he gets what he’s due.”
