In a surprise move, the Philadelphia Eagles parted ways with linebacker Devin White on Tuesday, just six months after signing him to a one-year deal worth $4 million. The team had high hopes for White, who was expected to shore up a struggling linebacker corps that faltered in 2023. Initially, it seemed like he was on the right track, working with the first-team defense throughout training camp.
However, Nakobe Dean, a standout from the University of Georgia, made a strong push at the end of summer and ultimately won the starting job alongside Zack Baun. As a result, White found himself relegated to the bench, inactive for all four of the Eagles’ games this season.
White’s absence was attributed to various reasons, including an ankle injury that kept him out of the season opener against the Green Bay Packers in Brazil. He was a healthy scratch for the next two games, and then missed the Tampa Bay game due to personal reasons.
According to sources, the Eagles and White reached a mutually beneficial agreement, whereby the team would release him before the trade deadline, allowing him to avoid waivers. In return, White agreed to terms that could potentially yield financial savings for the Eagles.
The 26-year-old White spent his first five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning NFL All-Rookie Team honors and a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. Last season, he started 13 games and recorded 83 tackles and 2.5 sacks, despite battling foot and groin injuries that eventually led to him being replaced in the starting lineup by K.J. Britt.
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