No, seriously!

It’s been a pretty busy NFL free agency period for the Philadelphia Eagles but one gaping roster hole has remained unaddressed: off-ball linebacker.

That is, until now.

The Eagles are signing Devin White to a one-year contract worth “up to $7.5 million,” according to a report from NFL insider Adam Schefter.

While there’s appreciation to be had for Howie Roseman addressing a position of weakness, there are also questions if White is truly a good solution.

White certainly brings pedigree to Philly as the former No. 5 overall pick from the 2019 NFL Draft. He doesn’t lack experience with 75 starts in 76 games played over five seasons. White also boasts some athletic tools:

White only allowed a 65.5 passer rating when targeted last season, according to Pro Football Reference. That was after allowing a 104.9 passer rating in 2022.

Despite this, the Bucs were clearly comfortable letting White walk in free agency. By the end of the 2023 season, he was losing playing time to K.J. Britt. White only played 44% of the Bucs’ snaps in the Wild Card game before being limited to just 19% in the Divisional Round.

White might be an upgrade on what the Eagles currently have at off-ball linebacker. Of course, that’s not really saying much. The only other players under contract at the position are Nakobe Dean, Ben VanSumeren, and Brandon Smith.

And it’s not like the Eagles deserve the benefit of the doubt when it comes to evaluating the off-ball linebacker position. Kyzir White aside, they’ve had no shortage of total free agent flops at that spot.

Perhaps Vic Fangio will find a way to get the best out of White. His pass rushing ability is certainly a nice attribute with 23 career sacks and 64 quarterback hits generated.