Bucs Gameday

Buccaneers Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Shares Cryptic Instagram Posts

This was an interesting way to start the week.

Collin Haalboom

In this story:

Heading into this offseason, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were expected to release, or at least move on from, a variety of players from last year's team. 

It wasn't a surprise to anyone when reports began to surface regarding the Bucs' intentions to cut bait with Donovan Smith, Leonard Fournette, and Cam Brate within the last couple of weeks.

In order to replenish the roster in the midst of a serious cap crunch, finding ways to save money was inevitable. The team deciding to move on from each of the players mentioned above was not surprising.

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Earlier today, Buccaneers' talented linebacker, Devin White, sent out some cryptic messages on his Instagram story. 

As you would expect, speculation regarding his future in Tampa ensued almost immediately.

White was selected by the Buccaneers with the 5th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. An exceptional amount of draft capital to use on an off-ball linebacker in the modern era of football. 

There's no denying that Devin White has been a contentious player during his time in Tampa. The highs have been high, and the lows have been low. When he's playing well, he's a dominant force. When he's not, he can look like a liability at times. It's the inconsistency that has made him such a conundrum. 

Still, White's ability is truly tantalizing. There's no doubt that many teams would line up for his services if we were to encounter a scenario that saw him become available via trade or free agency.

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Well, it appears as though — despite White's ominous Instagram story — that such a scenario won't be presenting itself at this time.  

White took to Twitter to set the record straight regarding his current status (and plans) for 2023 as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. 

As much as Jason Licht and the Buccaneers' front office wants to get out in front of their current salary cap situation, parting ways with a productive, first-round pick, who's still just 25 years of age, and a focal point of their defense, wouldn't exactly make a ton of sense.

Devin White is due to make $11.7 million in 2023, in what will be the final year of his 5-year rookie contract (extended). Whether or not the Bucs look to sign him to a long-term big-money contract at that time, is yet to be determined.

But despite his flaws, even if Tampa Bay chooses not to, I can assure you that someone else will. 

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.