Devin White’s NFL journey has been anything but linear. From a high-profile start in Tampa Bay to a forgettable stint in Philadelphia, and now a statistical resurgence in Las Vegas, the former Pro Bowl linebacker is once again drawing attention-this time for a season that’s turning heads on the stat sheet, if not exactly on the field.
Let’s rewind for a moment. White was once the centerpiece of a fast, aggressive Buccaneers defense that helped power a Super Bowl run.
He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2020 and became known for his sideline-to-sideline speed and relentless motor. But even at his peak, there were signs that his game had limitations.
He could fly to the ball, yes-but coverage lapses and inconsistent play recognition often left Tampa Bay fans wondering if the splash plays were masking deeper issues.
Fast forward to 2024. After signing a $7.5 million deal with the Eagles, White didn’t play a single regular-season snap before being released in October.
That’s not the kind of exit you expect from a player with his résumé. He landed briefly with the Texans, where he started just one game in seven appearances.
It looked like the wheels might be coming off.
Then came the Raiders.
Now in Las Vegas, White is putting up eye-popping numbers: 149 tackles and counting, already surpassing his career-best mark of 140 set during his All-Pro campaign five years ago. On paper, that’s elite production. But if you dig a little deeper, the story gets more complicated.
White’s tackle totals are high, no question. But many of those are assisted tackles and clean-up plays.
He’s not exactly wrecking games or flipping momentum. He’s not suddenly locking down tight ends in coverage or becoming a pass-rushing terror.
The splash plays are few and far between-just a couple of quarterback hits and passes defended so far. That’s not the stat line of a game-changer; it’s the stat line of a high-volume tackler on a struggling defense.
And let’s be honest: someone has to make the tackle. On a team like the Raiders, who’ve been dealing with depth issues and inconsistency across the board, White is getting plenty of chances to rack up numbers-especially in situations where the game is already out of reach.
It’s not uncommon for players on struggling teams to post inflated stats, simply because they’re on the field more and facing more plays. That doesn’t mean they’re playing better.
It just means they’re playing more.
This isn’t to say White has no value. He’s a durable, experienced linebacker who can still move and wrap up ball carriers.
That has a place in the league. But when conversations start drifting toward awards like Comeback Player of the Year, it’s worth remembering what that award is actually about.
It’s typically reserved for players overcoming serious injuries, personal adversity, or major setbacks-not guys bouncing back from underwhelming play.
Buccaneers fans, who watched White’s career unfold up close, aren’t likely to be swept up in the narrative. They’ve seen this version of White before: the high tackle counts, the occasional big play, and the same limitations in coverage and pass rush. He’s not suddenly a different player-he’s just in a different uniform, on a team where his role is bigger by necessity, not design.
So yes, Devin White is having a statistical resurgence. But stats don’t always tell the full story.
For now, he’s doing what he’s always done best-filling up the box score. Whether that translates to meaningful impact on Sundays is a different conversation entirely.