TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie inside linebacker Devin White has come down with an illness that now puts his status in jeopardy for Sunday’s season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Bucs added White to the injury report Saturday, officially listing him as questionable for the game. He is the third Bucs player to come down with what Arians described as a “bug.”
Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans missed practice Friday due to the same ailment, as did reserve outside linebacker Demone Harris on Wednesday. Evans also is officially listed as questionable, while Harris returned to practice this week and will be available.
Complicating matters is that the heat index has been 110 this week in Tampa.
The Bucs selected White with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, and he is expected to play a major role in Todd Bowles’ defense. He leads the defensive huddles and is the Bucs’ designated player on defense to wear the green helmet sticker, meaning coaches communicate directly with him and he is responsible for relaying that information to the team.