Buccaneers Unsure If Pro Bowl Linebacker Will Participate In Training Camp

The 2023-24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers have arrived for training camp with the beginning of the season just over a month away.

Things are looking a bit different in Tampa Bay and the AdventHealth Training Center this preseason. The Bucs have brought in a ton of fresh, new faces and are ready to turn the tide on the sports world and media that is giving them no shot to compete this season.

Even with bright new energy in the building, some things have remained the same. That includes star linebacker Devin White reporting to camp - seemingly securing the fact that he will indeed be suiting up in the pewter and red in Raymond James Stadium this upcoming season. White made his initial request to be traded prior to the draft after the two sides couldn't come to an agreement on a contract extension.

The team wants more out of White, and White wants more from the team. The simplicity of it fails in comparison to the simplicity of what White will need to prove in order to garner the type of contract he is demanding. White has the talent, but his play has slipped over the past couple of seasons. Can he somehow tap back into the Devin White we saw during the Super Bowl run? That is a question that he will have to answer himself.

A question that also apparently can't be answered right now is whether or not White will participate in the practices during training camp. General Manager Jason Licht and Head Coach Todd Bowles were unable to confirm if he'll take the field when both spoke to the media on Tuesday morning.

“I haven’t seen everybody, and we haven’t met yet,” Bowles said on Tuesday. “But I know everyone is here, and Devin is here as well. He’s under contract. We don’t worry about next year. We worry about this year. I know he’ll be ready to play. I know he’s here. We’ll see when we come out tomorrow.”

“That’s a hypothetical [question],” Licht added. “I am assuming that he will. I am assuming that he’s going to put himself in the best position to be ready for the season. I’ll put it that way.”

Todd Bowles says that Devin White is here but can’t confirm that he’ll be participating in training camp.

The two have not met yet since arriving for camp. #GoBucs
— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) July 25, 2023

Jason Licht also can’t fully confirm that Devin White will practice during training camp. #GoBucs
— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) July 25, 2023

It is not super worrying about whether or not White will practice as there could be other things going on behind the scenes keeping him out. However, the surprising part of this situation is that Bowles has yet to speak with him since their arrival to training camp.

Bowles knows he will need the most out of White this upcoming season and throwing your confidence behind him and his abilities could light a fire to bring the best out of him.

White clearly wants to be made to feel like a priority by the Buccaneers and not speaking to a player entering their contract year after they previously have requested a trade could end up being detrimental.

As of now, there is no telling if or when White will participate in training camp. What we do know is that both sides need to figure this thing out for the benefit of each other. At the end of the day, whatever happens, happens, but a civil divorce would go over much better than an ugly one if it came down to it.

Now we wait.

Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the offseason.

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