One Lions Position Battle Just Took an Interesting Turn

The Lions' linebackers room got a little deeper over the weekend with the signing of veteran Devin White.

White, who will be 28 this upcoming season, most recently spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders. In his lone season in “Sin City,” he produced a career-best 174 total tackles, the third-most in the league in 2025, along with 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. And for his efforts, he earned just a 40.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the seventh-lowest mark among 88 qualified linebackers.

White, the No. 5 overall pick of the Buccaneers in 2019, spent his best seasons in Tampa Bay. While a member of the Buccaneers (2019-23), he amassed 566 total tackles, including 40 for loss, 23 sacks, six forced fumbles and three interceptions.

And during his stint with the Bucs, he most notably earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2020 (140 total tackles and nine sacks) and a trip to the Pro Bowl the following season (128 total tackles and 3.5 sacks). 

While he may no longer be the ultra reliable defender he was in Tampa, he still instantly strengthens the LB position group in Detroit. Plus, with the leg injury suffered by Jimmy Rolder in week one of training camp, White adds a valuable extra layer of competition for the starting WILL linebacker job.

Throughout camp, the position is expected to be highly contested between Rolder and fifth-year pro Malcolm Rodriguez (and now White). And even if White does not emerge victorious, he's expected to serve as an integral depth piece and mentor to Rolder and the other young linebackers on the team's roster.

Consequently, whether he’s a starter or reserve, he should play a meaningful role in Kelvin Sheppard’s defense in 2026. 

White, a Super Bowl champion with the Buccaneers in 2020, also brings to the table invaluable winning pedigree. And after spending last season with the AFC West cellar-dwelling Raiders (3-14), he’s excited to be joining the Lions, an organization which has recorded four straight winning campaigns.

“You try to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, and you want to put yourself in the best position to win,” White said of his decision to sign with Detroit. “In this league, winning is fun, and you gotta work hard to be able to win. So, I knew this was a hard-working, winning organization. So, I felt like it was just the right fit.”

Unquestionably, the battle for the Lions’ starting WILL linebacker gig has taken an interesting turn due to the addition of White.