Tampa Bay Buccaneers veteran Lavonte David said fellow linebacker Devin White got too emotional when he requested a trade in April.
"Emotions got the best of him, but he's here," David said, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. "He's ready to work. He's not ready to go right now, but he's getting himself ready for training camp. I talked to him throughout the whole process."
White reported to the team's mandatory minicamp but isn't practicing. Head coach Todd Bowles wouldn't call White's lack of participation a "hold-in," instead saying it was a matter of physical preparedness after the linebacker missed all of the Buccaneers' voluntary workouts.
David has mentored the 25-year-old since Tampa Bay selected the athletic defender in the first round of the 2019 draft. White did not tell David that he requested a trade as a result of contract negotiation discontent.
"Whatever that stuff is that's going on with him, I know Devin," David said. "I know what type of person he is. I know he's ready to get back out there, play football, and he'll be able to help us win."
David, who's been with Tampa Bay since 2012, would rather see his young protege focus his passion on the field and show both the franchise and fans that he "love(s) playing football with (his) teammates."
The LSU product is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal that will see him earn $11.7 million in 2023, per Over The Cap. White is aiming to be among the highest-paid inside linebackers in the league, sources told Laine.
White recorded 124 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and 16 quarterback hits in 2022. He was a key contributor in the Bucs' Super Bowl LV run, where he racked up 38 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two interceptions in three playoff games.
