Buccaneers LB Devin White Requests Trade; Texans Fit?

Could the Houston Texans be a trade fit for Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White?

With a defensive-minded coach in DeMeco Ryans, the Houston Texans' focus on that side of the ball has become clear.

So far, the Texans have made improvements offensively, adding both Robert Woods and Dalton Schultz to its receiving core, Devin Singletary at running back, and are likely to pick its quarterback of the future via the upcoming NFL Draft.

On defense, they have also added some key pieces, including safety Jimmie Ward and defensive linemen Hassan Ridgeway and Sheldon Rankins.

But now, CBSSports.com thinks it has found another match for Houston on the defense side of things: Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White. 

Last season with the Bucs, White had 124 tackles, also adding 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. But after Tampa Bay's season ended at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card round, the 25-year-old decided it was time for a change of scenery.

White officially requested a trade Tuesday.

But shortly after, the secondary part of his announcement made headlines once again, with his supposed asking price being enough to make him one of the league's highest-paid players at his position.

𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: #Buccaneers LB Devin White is reportedly seeking $18-20 million per year in a new contract, someone with knowledge of the negotiations told @JennaLaineESPN

This would put White on par with some of the highest paid LBs in the NFL pic.twitter.com/KnmlHaZNM4

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) April 13, 2023

White would bring a strong presence to the Texans' linebacker core, though in order for them to meet the veterans asking price, some sacrifices to their all-important draft capital would have to be made. 

With incoming head coach DeMeco Ryans, a former Texans linebacker himself, now in charge, he surely thirsts for better defensive talent. Houston has the cap room to spend, but it will come down to the desire of a rebuilding team to surrender draft picks that it could be using on more affordable players. 

Ryans' experience with defensive players would also be a draw for any linebacker, so the idea of White joining the Texans is not outlandish, especially if the rookie coach deemed White to be one of the "right players" he's looking for. 

Either way, as the offseason continues to inch towards April's NFL draft, Houston will be looking extensively at the players available at every position to give itself the best chance at a rebuilding success.

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