In terms of potential depth concerns for the Detroit Lions' defense, one spot hasn't been on the radar all that much. But after the signing of Troy Reeder just before training camp started, Saturday brought news of another move to add a linebacker.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Lions have agreed to a one-year deal with veteran linebacker Devin White.
Rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder suffered a leg injury of currently unknown severity during Friday's practice. Signing White is a very quick indication it's bad, and Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network has confirmed that sentiment.
"Don't have all the details", Rogers posted on Twitter/X, "but the Devin White signing is directly tied to Jimmy Rolder's practice exit on Friday. A source confirmed the rookie will be out "for a while."
Update, 5:48 p.m. ET: Schultz has subsequently reported Rolder "didn't suffer a serious injury", but he will "miss some time."
Some additional good news for the #Lions as sources say promising rookie LB Jimmy Rolder “didn’t suffer a severe injury” — he will “miss some time,” but not major.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 1, 2026
Rolder, the former Michigan star, left practice Friday to be evaluated for a leg injury. https://t.co/kDHgIKdDaO pic.twitter.com/TJbhfTBA5W
White spent his first five NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before spending the 2024 season with the Houston Texans and last season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Last season with the Raiders, White finished third in the league with a career-high 174 total tackles. But that was largely a product of basically never leaving the field (1,118 snaps) for a defense that was supported by one of the worst offenses in the league.
White registered a dismal 40.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade last season (82nd out of 88 qualifying linebackers), with a run defense grade (47.0) that came in 80th.
Despite his flimsy protests of the narrative, White was also an absolute sieve in coverage last season. His 36.1 PFF coverage grade was 79th out of 88 qualifying linebackers. Unsurprisingly, he led linebackers in targets (105) and receptions (83) allowed.
Lions offer Devin White an opportunity he wasn't getting elsewhere
Rolder was picking up ample early steam in the battle for spots on the Lions' linebacker depth chart. Signing a name like White to ostensibly replace him feels like a bigger than necessary move.
Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez are the Lions' top three linebackers right now, though Rolder was a potential threat to Rodriguez's status as the starting WILL linebacker the moment he was drafted in April. A revealed shift toward playing more nickel this season would also reduce the need for a third linebacker to be on the field to the level one was last season, with Barnes, Rodriguez and perhaps someone else perhaps used interchangeably/situationally around Campbell.
Signing White keeps the heat on Rodriguez in a fashion the coaching staff certainly wants to if Rolder is out for the remainder of training camp, or, as seems possible until we have more information, a lot longer.
Damone Clark, Trevor Nowaske and Reeder might be battling for one or two spots on the 53-man roster. The move to sign White keeps the heat on those guys as well.
READ MORE: Detroit Lions 2026 Training Camp Tracker: News, Injuries, Rumors and More
White remained available into the start of training camps for a reason. That reason could be an overestimation of his value, as if other teams can't see the tape or data revealing his dismal performance last season.
But the Lions will give the one-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion a shot. We'll see where it goes from there, as they try to figure out the full extent of their linebacker depth chart after the loss of a rooke who was already well-regarded.
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