Eagles open up about Devin White release, what it means for rookie LB going forward

PHILADELPHIA — The decision to release Devin White wasn’t an easy one for the Philadelphia Eagles, but it was necessary. White couldn’t get on the field during the first four games and didn’t play special teams. Unless Nakobe Dean or Zack Baun got injured, White wouldn’t be on the active roster. 

A $3.5 million guaranteed salary be damned, it was in the best interest for the Eagles to part ways with White.

“I just thought he was a really great pro,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said at the NovaCare Complex on Wednesday. “He handled everything with class and I know that was a hard situation for him to be in. I can’t say enough good things about him and how he handled a disappointing situation for him. 

“It gives you a perspective about what we feel about the rest of that room. Looking forward to continue with the guys that we have.”

The Eagles found out during training camp that they are deeper at linebacker than originally thought. Ben VanSumeren and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. performed well in the summer and earned elevations up to the second team towards the end of the preseason. Both players are also special teams standouts, which gave them an edge over White to be active on Sundays. 

“I’m really excited about the guys in the room and the way they’re progressing,” Sirianni said. “I continually see them improving their fundamentals. I’m excited about the room that we have and the depth that we have there.”

Trotter Jr. is the biggest beneficiary of White’s release, as Sirianni confirmed he is now the backup MIKE linebacker. He’s played just three defensive snaps this year, but is one of the most trusted players on special teams in his rookie season. 

“These aren’t just things we make decisions on as far as no evidence,” Sirianni said. “We practice every day and come to those conclusions in that aspect.” 

Sirianni made it simple why the Eagles didn’t feel like they were missing out by letting White go. They saw what they needed to see in terms of their practice evaluations. 

“We go through our process as far as how we practice and get a lot from how you practice,” Sirianni said. “We’re confident with how we handle our business in our evaluation of players as far as how we go about our business practicing, preseason games, just with every player. 

“It goes back to Nakobe and Zack winning that spot, getting that spot. In just this particular case, this is where we were and this is how it played out.”