Another Interesting Trade Request Hits NFL Headlines
Josh Frey
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This offseason, we’ve seen some trade requests from a few of the more premier names in the NFL. On Tuesday, yet another interesting trade request hit NFL headlines as it was reported by Jenna Laine of ESPN that Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White has officially requested a trade ahead of his fifth NFL season.
White, the fifth overall pick in the 2019 Draft, caused early scrutiny for being selected so highly in the draft despite being an off-ball linebacker, a position that has been devalued in recent years.
However, he’s quickly grown into one of the best LBs in the NFL with the Buccaneers, particularly gaining recognition during Tampa’s Super Bowl run in 2020. During that season, White recorded 140 tackles, 15 TFLs, 9 sacks, 4 passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. In the playoffs, he had 38 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 passes defended, 2 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries over 3 games.
White’s speed and athleticism allow him to play sideline-to-sideline for the Buccaneers. This makes him a major force as a blitzer. In 2022, he recorded a total of 33 pressure, per Pro Football Focus.
So, should the Vikings be interested in a deal for the fifth-year linebacker? It certainly would be an intriguing fit, especially in a Brian Flores defense where he’d be able to utilize White as a blitzer.
That being said, we have to take into account the fact that Tampa likely will look for some pretty substantial draft capital in return for him, especially considering the fact that he was a former fifth overall pick, and the initial reports suggest that Tampa doesn’t want to trade him in the first place. If a team were to acquire him too, he’s likely going to expect a large contract extension in return.
Meanwhile, the Vikings could work towards developing Brian Asamoah, who is entering the second year of his rookie contract, and they could potentially take another linebacker in this year’s draft.
Overall, the prospect a White trade is an intriguing one, but it will likely be one that is considered more heavily by teams other than the Vikings.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.