The Philadelphia Eagles filled a significant void in the defense by signing former All-Pro and Super Bowl-winning linebacker Devin White, a league source confirms to Heavy.
News of White’s signing, on a one-year contract worth up to $7.5 million, was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday, March 14.
White, 26, is a former No. 5 overall pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2019 NFL Draft, and was a critical piece of the defense that helped fuel a Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2020 season. In that game, White posted 12 total tackles with one interception of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Before free agency began, White was frequently linked to the Eagles as a likely signing to provide some stability for a defense facing a transition year with a new defensive coordinator.
Linebacker has been a position that the Eagles desperately needed to address this offseason, and wind up signing a solid veteran presence to likely wear the green dot for coordinator Vic Fangio in 2024.
In past years, the Eagles had largely shopped for bargains at linebacker, but adding White matches a similar commitment to marquee players added in free agency such as running back Saquon Barkley, edge rusher Bryce Huff, and wide receiver DeVante Parker who all have the potential to step in and make an immediate impact.
What Devin White Brings to Eagles’ Defense
General manager Howie Roseman and the Eagles are betting that a change of scenery for White, who had previously played his entire career in a Buccaneers uniform, helps the veteran find the consistency that eluded him in Tampa Bay.
The 2023 campaign was a tumultuous one for White, who appeared in just 14 games while dealing with a foot injury and eventually being benched. While White was still effective in coverage, holding opposing quarterbacks to a paltry 30.8 passer rating when targeting him, as Pro Football Focus points out, the outlet gave him a meager 30.8 run-stopping grade and 46 overall mark last season.
Through his first five seasons, White surpassed 100 tackles three times, while has posting 566 total tackles with 23 sacks, and three interceptions.
Philadelphia is hoping that former third-round selection Nakobe Dean turns a corner and becomes a consistent contributor in 2024, White’s arrival adds a veteran presence to help bring along the younger players — including Dean, at the position.
What One-Year Contract Means for Devin White
Last season, ESPN reported that White had requested a trade, amid stalled-out contract negotiations, but no deal ever materialized, and so he finished out the season in a reduced role.
Tampa Bay ultimately declined to use the franchise or transition tag this offseason to keep him in pewter and gold, allowing him to test the open market, where he lands in Philadelphia with a change of scenery now tasked as a veteran voice as well as a critical starter.
White signing a one-year contract gives him a chance to prove himself in Fangio’s defense, which is hoping for a turnaround following an epic collapse down the stretch in 2023, that he can parlay into a long-term commitment in Philadelphia or elsewhere in 2025.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are taking a big risk by counting on White to help improve their defense, which got worse in 2023. Their defense was ranked 28th against the pass, 10th against the run, and gave up 356.1 yards of total offense per game.
