The Las Vegas Raiders are certainly going for an unorthodox way of building a quality linebacker room ahead of the 2025 NFL season. New head coach Pete Carroll is trying to both turn former All-Pro safety Jamal Adams into a linebacker and get former No. 5 overall pick Devin White back in the swing of things.
White went from someone who was viewed as the future of the inside linebacker position to someone whom the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could not wait to get rid of. White was cut loose after five seasons, which led to a pointless cameo with the Philadelphia Eagles and seven games as a backup with the Houston Texans in 2024.
Las Vegas is certainly rolling the dice on White, and the early results seem to suggest that White is looking more like the player who was flying all over the field in Tampa Bay instead of the one rotting on the bench.
Raiders coach Pete Carroll declares LB Devin White "back"
Carroll officially declared White to be "back" after his rough ride in 2024, as he has made some big plays through the first few days of padded practice and even intercepted Geno Smith on multiple occasions.
White becoming the player he was early in his Tampa Bay career would be an absolute godsend for what is still a below-average defense. He has never been the biggest linebacker in the world, which placed even more of a premium on being an effective tackler and coverage star.
When those two areas proved to be major challenges, the Buccaneers gave up on him. Will the Raiders be able to help him get his mojo back? White is currently fighting for a top backup role, as it seems very unlikely that former Bengals starter Germaine Pratt or Elandon Roberts will lose their grip on either of their starting jobs.
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However, both of them are coming off down 2024 seasons, and struggling under Carroll could be enough to move White into the starting lineup.
White went from being out of the league to a spot where he could really thrive under a coaching staff that believes in his ability.
His Pro Bowl and All-Pro days are gone, but Patrick Graham's scheme could be enough to get White back in a groove after multiple down seasons in a row.