Lions sign former All-Pro Devin White in move to bolster LB corps

The Detroit Lions signed inside linebacker Devin White, the team announced Saturday, in a move that adds veteran depth to a defense looking to improve on a disappointing 2025 season.

The eighth-year pro is coming off a productive one-year stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he registered the third most combined tackles (174) in the NFL over 17 starts. That included 11 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks and an interception.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected White with the fifth pick of the 2019 NFL Draft out of LSU. He started 75 of the 76 games he appeared in with the Bucs over the next five seasons, including a 2020 campaign in which he was named a second-team All-Pro by The Associated Press.

White signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent in March 2024, but never appeared in a game for the franchise. Instead, he was released that October, signed with the Houston Texans and appeared in seven games for them that season.

What this means for the Lions

In White, the Lions are adding an experienced veteran coming off of a 174-tackle season in 2025, which was just two behind Lions All-Pro LB Jack Campbell (176).

Numbers like that can be a bit misleading, however. White’s missed-tackle rate of 15.4 percent last season was the ninth-highest among qualified linebackers, per PFF (minimum 250 run-defense snaps). Campbell, for reference, tied for the seventh-lowest missed-tackle rate at just 3.5 percent. But considering White’s experience, it’s not a bad move to bring in a veteran for a look — especially if the Lions’ LB depth is set to take a hit.

The Lions have three veteran linebackers they trust in Campbell, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez. Barnes and Rodriguez have been splitting first-team reps at the WILL linebacker position in Detroit’s defense, and those three will continue to lead the way.

The timing of White’s addition could have more to do with fourth-round LB Jimmy Rolder, who left Friday’s practice and did not return. Rolder was spotted walking inside the facility during a team period with an athletic trainer close behind. A team spokesperson said Rolder left practice to be evaluated for a leg injury.

The Lions are off Saturday, but return to practice Sunday. We’ll learn more about the severity of Rolder’s injury, and what White brings to the table, then. — Colton Pouncy, Lions writer