Buying or Selling: Buccaneers GM Jason Licht Comments About Devin White Trade Request
It has been an interesting offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In a year where most figured quarterback Tom Brady would continue playing, there were some who thought perhaps he'd even return to the Bucs themselves.
When he announced his retirement the legendary quarterback took no delay in making it official and locked Tampa Bay into a massive dead cap hit in the process.
That has led to many things, including the loss of some important free agents, and speculation running wild that the Buccaneers are now in the midst of a rebuild whether they like it or not.
And now, linebacker Devin White has made it clear that he has no interest in being a part of the team's future.
In his pre-draft press conference, general manager Jason Licht was predictably asked about the situation to which he responded, "We all have all the respect in the world for Devin...we look forward to more from him in the future. He's on our team...(We're) looking forward to him being a part of this team."
Asked to clarify his intentions to trade White or not, Licht simply said, "I have no intention."
But this time of year more than any other is known for smokescreens and misdirection.
So we asked the question on a recent episode of Locked On Bucs if we're buying or selling Licht's respect for White and his intention not to trade the 2019 5th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
"I'm buying and selling this," said James Yarcho of Locked On Bucs. "I do believe there's a ton of respect from Jason Licht for Devin White...(But) respect only takes you so far. There is a business aspect. So I am selling the idea that he has no intention of trading him."
Yarcho isn't the only one selling on the idea of the Buccaneers not trading White.
Bucs fan Devin Kraemer commented, "(White) is going to play for (Bucs) this year but the (Bucs) are going to trade him at the deadline."
The NFL trade deadline comes just after teams play their Week 8 contests, and while it's typically not as busy as the NBA's, there are big deals that occur from time to time.
For example, last season the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos executed a trade that sent outside linebacker Bradley Chubb to South Florida in a package that returned running back Chase Edmonds and a first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft.
READ MORE: Bucs Not Avoiding Drafting the Right Running Back
Another Tampa Bay fan, Robert Watson, echoed Yarcho's sentiment exactly stating, "I buy then (sell) in that order."
While many believe the Buccaneers' GM when he says he holds a high level of respect for White, it's clear that the relationship between player and team is damaged and may be past the point of repair.
That impression has led many to think that while Licht is putting forward the good face fo the franchise, the Bucs may indeed have a trade to execute in the near future.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82
Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the season.
