The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have finally come to terms with rookie linebacker Devin White, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
White, who played his collegiate football at LSU and was selected by the Buccaneers with the fifth overall pick of the NFL Draft back in April, was one of the only rookies remaining unsigned.
The 21-year-old will likely start for Tampa Bay in Week 1.
He is coming off of a spectacular junior campaign in which he racked up 123 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles, a couple of fumble recoveries and six passes defended.
White arrived at LSU in 2016 and played only scarcely during his freshman year, finishing with 30 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble, but he broke out in his sophomore season, totaling 133 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, an interception and three passes defended.
Given that the Bucs ranked just 27th in the NFL in total defense this past season and finished second-to-last in points allowed, they could certainly use some help on the defensive side of the ball.
Overall, the Buccaneers won five games in 2018, resulting in the firing of head coach Dirk Koetter after three seasons at the helm. They then proceeded to replaced him with veteran coach Bruce Arians.
Tampa Bay has not made the playoffs since the 2007-08 campaign, representing the longest active playoff drought in the NFC and the second-longest in the NFL overall. Only the Cleveland Browns, who last made the postseason in 2002-03, have been out of the playoffs longer.
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