Former Buccaneers Star Listed Most Overrated At Linebacker Position

Is Devin White the most overrated linebacker in the NFL?

Jan 1, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White (45) reacts after a play against the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Devin White spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a Super Bowl and becoming a Pro Bowl linebacker on the way. He started 75 of his 76 games played with the franchise before parting ways this past season.

White signed a one-year $7.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. After signing in March, the fresh start should allow White to earn a starting spot within the Eagles defense, led by the team's new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

With the offseason fully underway and OTAs currently going on, the pre-training camp discourse follows as well. This time, it's Bleacher Report ranking the "most overrated" player at each position across the NFL.

READ MORE: Buccaneers Offense Ranked Low in CBS Sports 2024 Offensive Rankings

Bleacher Report's most overrated linebacker happened to be the former Buccaneers and current Eagles linebacker. According to them, the downfall began in 2021, just as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft made his first Pro Bowl.

"Things took a turn for the worse in 2021. Despite garnering his lone Pro Bowl nod, White's production dipped across the board. His PFF grade, which was already awful during his first two seasons, fell to an abysmal 36.2 that season," Bleacher Report wrote.

The downfall eventually fell through for White in Tampa, as the relationship between he and the team turned sour before his departure — as he was even benched for the first time in his career a season ago.

"White, who has missed plenty of key tackles and gives up big plays as often as he makes them, was even benched for the first time in his career at the tail end of last season. According to Tampa Bay Times insider Rick Stroud, White reportedly rubbed coaches and teammates the wrong way with his attitude," Bleacher Report continued.

Between a bad attitude, decreased production on the field and a downward spiral of a career in Tampa, a fresh start in Philadelphia could be exactly what the linebacker needs as he looks to return to the same player that was drafted top-five for a reason.

". . . White will likely get plenty of chances to prove himself on an Eagles team that fielded one of the league's worst linebacking corps last year. Relying on him to play a key role could come back to burn the Eagles, though," Bleacher Report wrote.

It'll be interesting to see what White is capable of doing with the Eagles in the upcoming season -- his first year as a pro outside of Tampa Bay.

READ MORE: Pro Football Network Makes Favorable 2024 Prediction for Buccaneers

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