Things haven’t quite worked out how Devin White had hoped after a training camp where he spent most of his time as the Eagles’ starting middle linebacker.
Somewhere along the way, third-year pro NaKobe Dean lapped White in Vic Fangio’s eyes and the Georgia product has been running Philadelphia’s defensive show next to Zack Baun as the Eagles’ stacked linebackers.
White has yet to play after missing the trip to Brazil for the Week 1 win over Green Bay with a tweaked ankle, and then being marked as a healthy scratch for Monday’s disappointing 22-21 gut-wrenching loss to Atlanta.
Somehow, White is handling the adversity with class and professionalism.
"Maybe it's about how you respond,” White said in the Eagles’ locker room after Wednesday’s walkthrough practice. “How you handle yourself because that's the only thing I can control. I can't put myself in the game but I can control my attitude, my health, every practice, and just my swagger in the building. Still come here every day like a pro and handle my business.
“... I got a son. He can cry when he doesn’t get his way. That isn’t for me to do.”
White is frustrated but handling things in a positive way after acknowledging mistakes on his way out of Tampa where he was once the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
"I think my situation last year with Tampa. I don't think I handled it the best,” said White. “It was a lot going on that we didn't expect to go on, just far as you know, starting off asking for a trade. That wasn't like me but I did it. I had to own up to it.”
Once White did he got back to work and salvaged the situation before getting injured.
“Went to work, went to training camp, did everything right,” he said. “Obviously getting hurt. … Everybody say I got benched but I was literally inactive because of health reasons. And that's cool, got past it, came back, they worked me into the game with my foot and played nickel and did good at my role and that was the end of it.
“... So it's like I've been in that situation before of just having to overcome adversity. Just make a man out of you at the end of the day."
When asked if Fangio has expressed to White what needs to happen to get back on the field, White was honest.
"Nah. Nah,” White repeated. “Might tell y'all."
For now, veteran Oren Burks, second-year player Ben VanSumeren, and rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. have been the backup LBs on game day with Burks and BVS being core members of Michael Clay’s coverage units.
As a former Butkus Award winner and top-10 NFL pick, special teams is not something White has been asked to do.
“I played kick return in high school,” said White before remembering a brief stint on punt coverage with the Buccaneers during the so-called COVID year. “I mean, like when Covid was going on we was playing the Saints and Jack Cichy broke his arm and Kevin Minter was out with COVID. Me, Lavonte David and Shaq Barrett. We rotated on punt reps but that was just one game."
