Dan Campbell says Lions are seeing the Devin White who was once a ‘headache’ in Tampa, so we asked someone who knows that version best
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell says he’s seeing the Devin White who was once a “headache” in Tampa Bay. So we asked our Buccaneers writer what that version of White really looked like.
The Detroit Lions signed linebacker Devin White just two weeks ago, and most figured it would be a quick tire-kick on a veteran who had worn out his welcome elsewhere. That assumption is looking wrong. White appears poised to start for Detroit, and Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday morning that White is starting to look like the player he saw in Tampa Bay.
That comment carries weight, but it also carries nuance. A to Z Sports Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat writer Evan Winner joined A to Z Sports Detroit to break down exactly what “the Tampa version” of White means for the Lions defense, because there are multiple versions of the Devin White who played for Tampa Bay.
Devin White’s peak with the Buccaneers
White’s first two seasons with the Buccaneers made him look like a generational off-ball linebacker. His 2020 campaign was special. He finished with 140 tackles, nine sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits. He made plays in coverage, too, including the interception in the Super Bowl that shut the door on Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City. White was a heat-seeking missile who could fly downfield, shoot gaps, and run sideline to sideline with 4.4 speed. That athleticism is exactly why Todd Bowles’ defense needed him at the second level, where linebackers have to cover ground because Bowles sends pressure from everywhere.
And then the decline
The final three seasons in Tampa Bay told a different story. White’s coverage instincts became a liability. I’ll never forget the play against the Packers where Aaron Rodgers was rolling out roughly 16 yards away from White on third down. White abandoned his assignment and took off after Rodgers, who simply threw over his head for a first down. That aggressive, downhill style that made White dominant against the run became his undoing in pass defense. He wanted to make plays too much.
Contract issues and ego compounded the on-field problems, though it seems like White has humbled himself over the past couple of years.
What the Lions are seeing
The good and bad of White have both shown up at Lions camp. In one red zone sequence, White appeared to bite on play action, chased Jahmyr Gibbs, and left tight end Brock Wright wide open in the end zone for a touchdown. A few plays later, he was super sticky on tight end Sam LaPorta and broke up a pass.
The run-stopping ability is loud and obvious. Campbell called White a thumper Tuesday morning. White hit Wright so hard during one practice rep that the tight end flew out of bounds and the crowd gasped.
The question becomes how Detroit deploys him. The best course of action, based on what Tampa Bay and Las Vegas learned, is to use White as a first-and-second-down run stopper and pull him on obvious passing downs. In his rookie year alone, White had two fumble returns for touchdowns and four forced fumbles. The playmaking ability in the box is real. He could even snag a few sacks with the Lions, given how Detroit’s defense operates, using him as an occasional edge blitzer on specialized packages.
The depth chart math
The plan likely involves pairing White with a coverage-capable partner once the pieces are healthy. When linebacker Jimmy Rolder returns from his injury, Detroit could rotate White in on traditional run downs and insert Rolder on passing downs until Rolder is ready to assume the full-time role. Right now the options beside White are Malcolm Rodriguez, and neither player is particularly sticky in coverage. That makes the short-term outlook a bit precarious for the Lions secondary.
The Lions could also lean into nickel looks, bringing safety Christian Izien into the box on passing downs to compensate for White’s coverage limitations. If safety Kerby Joseph gets back on track with his health, adding an extra defensive back to the equation makes even more sense.
The Al-Quadin Muhammad connection
The White signing creates an almost poetic crossover between Detroit and Tampa Bay. The Lions decided to forgo re-signing edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad, who struggled against the run but excelled as a pass rusher, and watched him sign with the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay’s vision for Muhammad mirrors how the Lions used him last year, moving him around as a designated pass rusher. Muhammad has been practicing well, though Reuben Bain Jr. and David Walker have dominated the Buccaneers’ pass-rush headlines. A six-to-seven sack season would be considered a total success for Muhammad in Tampa.
Meanwhile, Detroit picked up Tampa Bay’s former guy who thrives against the run but struggles in coverage. The swap amounts to each team addressing a weakness by acquiring the other’s specialist.
White may not be the All-Pro version of himself anymore. He knows that. But if the Lions coaching staff limits him to what he does best and surrounds him with the right pieces, there’s still a productive football player in there.
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