As a Buccaneers fan, I cannot help but wonder if it would be beneficial for the team to trade Devin White and sign Kwon Alexander. White had a good 2020 season, but Alexander also has a great track record with the Bucs. However, the question becomes whether it is worth giving up White’s potential for a tried and true player like Alexander. Ultimately, it will depend on the team’s long-term goals and strategy, but it’s worth considering.
Introduction:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing a critical decision in the upcoming NFL off-season, with regards to linebacker Devin White and former Buccaneer linebacker Kwon Alexander. While Devin White is coming off a Pro Bowl season and has established himself as one of the best young linebackers in the NFL, some have suggested that the Bucs should consider trading him and re-signing Kwon Alexander. In this article, we examine the pros and cons of this trade and offer our expert opinion on what the Bucs should do.
Pros of Trading Devin White
There are a number of reasons why the Buccaneers might consider trading Devin White. Firstly, White is still on his rookie contract and is set to become a free agent in 2024. While White has been excellent in his first two seasons, the Bucs may be hesitant to commit a large contract to him so early in his career. By trading him now, they could potentially receive a number of high draft picks that could be used to address other areas of need.
Secondly, the Bucs currently have a number of veteran players that are set to become free agents, including Ndamukong Suh, Shaquil Barrett, and Lavonte David. These players will command significant salaries on the open market, and the Bucs may struggle to retain all of them. By trading White, the Bucs could free up salary cap space to re-sign some of these important players.
Cons of Trading Devin White
While there are some potential benefits to trading Devin White, there are also some significant drawbacks. Firstly, White is one of the best linebackers in the NFL and has been a key part of the Bucs’ success over the past two seasons. Trading him would weaken the Bucs’ defense and could impact their ability to make another deep playoff run next season.
Secondly, the Bucs may struggle to find a team willing to offer the type of draft picks that they would want in return for White. While White is an excellent player, teams may be hesitant to give up premium draft picks for a linebacker, particularly one that is still on a rookie contract. This could limit the Bucs’ ability to address other areas of need through the draft.
Pros of Signing Kwon Alexander
If the Bucs do decide to trade Devin White, they would need to find a replacement at linebacker. One potential option is to re-sign Kwon Alexander, who played for the Bucs from 2015 to 2018 before signing with the San Francisco 49ers. There are a number of reasons why the Bucs might consider bringing Alexander back.
Firstly, Alexander is a proven NFL linebacker who has had success in both Tampa Bay and San Francisco. While he has dealt with some injuries over the past few years, he is still only 27 years old and could have several productive years ahead of him.
Secondly, Alexander would likely command a much lower salary than Devin White, which would allow the Bucs to allocate more resources to other areas of need, such as the offensive line or the secondary. This could be particularly important given the number of key free agents that the Bucs will need to re-sign this off-season.
Cons of Signing Kwon Alexander
While there are some potential benefits to signing Kwon Alexander, there are also some significant risks. Firstly, Alexander has struggled with injuries over the past few years, which could be a concern for the Bucs. Given the physical nature of the linebacker position, injuries can be particularly concerning, as they can impact a player’s ability to perform at a high level.
Secondly, Alexander may not fit well into the Bucs’ defensive scheme. While he had success in Tampa Bay, the Bucs have undergone significant changes on defense since he left, and it is unclear whether he would be able to adapt to their current system.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, the decision of whether to trade Devin White and sign Kwon Alexander is a complex one that will require careful consideration from the Bucs’ front office. While there are some potential benefits to trading White and signing Alexander, there are also significant risks that must be taken into account.
As an expert, my recommendation would be for the Bucs to keep Devin White and focus on re-signing some of their other key free agents this off-season. While trading White could potentially provide some short-term benefits, the long-term impact on the team’s success could be significant.
Rather than signing Kwon Alexander, the Bucs should focus on finding other options at linebacker through the draft or free agency. There are a number of talented linebackers available this off-season, and the Bucs could potentially find a player that fits well into their defensive scheme at a lower cost than Alexander.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to trade Devin White and sign Kwon Alexander will be up to the Bucs’ front office. However, I hope that this article has provided some useful information and insights that can help inform their decision-making process.
