Buffalo Bills should look to keep free agent CB Tre’Davious White

As the long stretch of time without Buffalo Bills football continues, let’s keep playing along as if we’re part of the front office and evaluate free agents that Buffalo may, or may not, wish to retain.

Today’s look will be cornerback Tre’Davious White, a fan favorite with his second stint with the team. Originally signed to be a mentor to Maxwell Hairston, White found himself in the lineup thanks to injuries.

From an analysis perspective, White should be a fairly easy film review for many of us. White has demonstrated year after year that his football IQ is upper echelon. The only questions on Tre revolve around athleticism. Never an elite athlete to begin with, lower body injuries have taken their toll. How badly? Let’s take a look at the Denver Broncos game to take a look.

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Tre’Davious White Film Review

Cutting right to the chase, if I’m the Buffalo Bills I’m already seeing if I can retain Tre’Davious White. The contract offered to White last season was definitively not cost prohibitive and I don’t know if his film would lead to a bidding war. If the Bills can keep Tre at a similar price tag, it’s my opinion that he provides a very solid floor at the position and valuable depth if nothing else.

I reviewed the final game deliberately, much like I looked at the final two for Joey Bosa. This gives the best indication of the level of play after a season of wear and tear. For White, it was a actually better than anticipated. The short version is that injuries do seem to have added up, but White’s on field attention to detail still has him playing solid football.

Now for my notes:

1. White shows off how well he fits the system, cleanly taking over coverage for a player crossing the field from the other side. If the ball had gone this way, I think there’s a good chance White makes them regret it.
2. Next up we have the opposite opinion. White shadows the route well but at the break gives up some space. White’s body mechanics suggest he’s nearing his max speed and I don’t like his odds of accelerating and undercutting a well-placed ball to his receiver. He’s there for the tackle, but I don’t believe he’s there for the pass breakup.
3. When introducing hand fighting into the mix, Tre drastically slows his man down and takes this option away. This is a good example of technique overcoming any athletic shortcomings.
4. Awareness and cognitive speed is hugely impactful. With the formation looking like a run is likely, White crashes in for support. He spies an eligible receiver slipping out for an easy completion and negates the play for Bo Nix. When Nix scrambles, White reacts to that right away and forces the quarterback to the sideline for minimal gain. These types of plays don’t make highlight reels as often as they should.
5. Similarly to play 1, we see White playing more like a safety. This type of tomfoolery on the back end is much easier with a cerebral player.
6. When I discuss athleticism or “lack thereof” I like to add context. White is still an elite athlete in the grand scheme of the human population. His speed on this play isn’t exactly “slouch” territory either. It’s more commentary on the level of competition on the other side. White loses ground over time and looks susceptible to a true deep shot. Add in some potential change of direction loss like play 2 and it creates a conclusion.
7. For my final thoughts on the matter, if White was at his more youthful peak of physical ability, I wouldn’t be shocked to see this as a pass breakup.