Devin White, the former Pro Bowl linebacker who just signed with the Detroit Lions during training camp, found himself a healthy scratch for their 31-24 victory over the New York Jets. Talk about a swift fall from grace, especially after he quickly worked his way into a significant defensive role early in the regular season. Now, Lions head coach Dan Campbell has flat out admitted that this arrangement might just keep on rolling.
The “Trend That Way” Quote That Blew Up Everything
When Campbell hit 97.1 The Ticket for his weekly spot, he got hit with the direct question: could White being inactive become the norm? His response? It wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for putting the veteran back in the lineup. Campbell’s exact words were, “I think that could trend that way. I mean, look, D-White is still here, and there’s things that Devin does that not everybody can do, and we know that.” Yeah, “trend that way” is not what you want to hear if you are Devin White. It’s not a full declaration he’s done in Detroit, but it sure isn’t a vote of confidence either. Campbell even hammered home the point that roster versatility is a huge factor in who gets active on game day. “But right now, you know, if you’re just looking at the totality of defense plus special teams, the six we brought to the game are the ones that we can use the most right now,” he explained. It’s not just about who’s better defensively, it’s about who brings the most value across the whole game day roster. And right now, White isn’t separating himself in that equation, putting his role in serious jeopardy.
Trevor Nowaske’s Rise Was Too Loud To Ignore
So, who’s the guy pushing White to the sideline? That would be Trevor Nowaske. This Michigan native made the absolute most of his chance against the Jets. He played 33 defensive snaps, added another 17 on special teams, and walked away with four tackles on defense plus two more on special teams. Campbell was so impressed, he actually singled Nowaske out after the Jets victory. For a Lions defense looking for answers after getting beat by Buffalo, Nowaske basically screamed, “Keep me on the field!” This whole thing is a wild climb for a dude who started his NFL journey as an undrafted free agent out of Saginaw Valley State. Nowaske has quietly carved out his spot in Detroit, and his combo of solid defense and special teams value is getting impossible for Campbell to ignore. The Lions already showed they were ready to shake things up after that Buffalo loss, and White becoming inactive proves that reputation isn’t going to guarantee anybody a spot on this team.
Devin White’s fall has been incredibly fast since signing during training camp, and it’s clear the Lions are prioritizing total roster value over individual player reputation. What does this mean for White? And how much further can Nowaske climb? This situation is definitely one to watch for the Lions’ defense moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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