ALLEN PARK, MI (AP) — Devin White finished last season as the NFL's third-leading tackler. He's still no lock for a starting job with his new team.
The 28-year-old White had a career-high 174 tackles — a franchise record — for the Las Vegas Raiders last season. A free agency after the season, he was still available until the Detroit Lions, in need of depth at linebacker, signed him to a one-year contract on Saturday.
“It's a great opportunity and I don't
want to let it pass me by,” White said after Tuesday's practice.
With Jack Campbell, who signed a 4-year, $81 million contract extension this offseason, entrenched at middle linebacker, White will look to push for a starting job at one of the outside spots. Derrick Barnes started all 17 games last season, but White could compete with Malcolm Rodriguez for the weakside job.
Rodriguez suffered a torn ACL in November 2024 and was limited to seven games last season. Rodriguez left Tuesday's practice early with an ankle injury. Rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder, a fourth-round pick, is expected to miss several more weeks with a hamstring injury.
White says he's ready for whatever role the team has in store for him.
“They control all the depth chart things and whenever it's handed to me to go in, I just run in there as fast as I can so (the coaches) won't put somebody else in,” he said. “That's all I'm trying to do. I just feel if I keep doing that and just stay humble, my role will increase and I'll get better and better within the defense to help these guys make plays.”
The fifth overall pick of the 2019 draft, White spent his first five seasons with Tampa Bay. He signed with Philadelphia in March 2024, but never played a snap for the Eagles before he was released. He then hooked on with Houston and had a limited role with the Texans.
The Raiders took a flier on him last offseason and White set the franchise record for most tackles in a single season. However, his deficiencies in pass coverage made him expendable.
The only guarantee he'll get with the Lions is a chance to earn a regular role.
“It’s all about competition,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said. “We have the chance to acquire somebody that we feel like can come in, whether that’s push to start or push guys in the room to make them better. ”
Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2030 season, worth up to $75 million, with $51 million guaranteed, according to Spotrac.com. That could speed up the process for the Lions to get All-Pro Jahmyr Gibbs' contract situation settled and get him back in uniform.
Gibbs, who has two years left on his current deal, is sitting out practices.
“It's certainly not going to hurt,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Robinson's agreement. “Look, I’m anxious to get Gibbs back out there. Every day that goes by, that’s another day that you feel like you miss with him and getting him out here with the guys and him doing his part. But there again, it’ll get done when it gets done.”
Gibbs was on the field on Tuesday wearing a long-sleeved shirt, sleeveless hoodie and dark shorts while chatting with the Lions' running backs and wide receivers as they went through drills. Gibbs, who was second in the league in total touchdowns with 18 last season, spoke briefly to reporters Monday but wasn't made available Tuesday.
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