Tampa Bay Buccaneers Could Re-Sign Stylez White, but Only If Tim Crowder Walks

Emphasis: youth. It has and will continue to be Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris’ philosophy. It’s the new Buccaneer way.

And Styles G. White might find that out the hard way.

According to Pro Football Weekly, the Buccaneers will consider re-signing the 31-year-old defensive end, but only if they are unable to re-sign fellow DE Tim Crowder.

Crowder, 25, is entering his fifth year in the league, his third as a Buccaneer.

White, meanwhile, has a few more miles.

Originally drafted by the Houston Texans in 2002, White played for seven teams in four years to start his career, including the Buccaneers, before playing two seasons in the Arena Football League with the Orlando Predators. After recording an AFL-record 15 sacks in 2007, the Buccaneers brought back the Minnesota Gopher product.

He has recorded 24 sacks in four years as a Buccaneer since.

Crowder has 10.5 NFL sacks in that same span, although in significantly less time.

But the two ends’ 2010 stats were quite similar: White tallied 36 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles while Crowder recorded 31 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble.

Enter the youth factor.

The six-year age difference makes Crowder a far more valuable asset to a defense that is getting younger by the day.

Having drafted two defensive ends with their first two picks in the 2011 draft in Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn and Clemson’s Da’Quan Bowers, perhaps Morris and Dominik would like some veteran guidance for their two young pass-rushers.

Enter the leadership factor.

White has been criticized by Morris in the past for his poor practice habits. He even went as far as to call White his “Allen Iverson.”

Crowder has had no such issues.

Crowder has vocalized his desire to stay in Tampa Bay, as the shift in defensive philosophy will focus more on the pass rush under new defensive line coaches Keith Millard and Grady Stretz and less on gap integrity. With the two rookie ends and a healthy Gerald McCoy and Brian Price returning for their sophomore campaigns, 2011 is the year for the Buccaneers to begin curing their pass-rushing ails.

White turns 32 in July. Crowder turns 26 at the end of June. Both will likely be unrestricted free agents when the lockout is lifted. Should the Buccaneers lose out on re-signing Crowder, perhaps bringing White back would be the only move in a free-agent class lacking defensive end talent.

But if Crowder’s wish to stay in Tampa Bay is granted, it could and should spell the end for White in Tampa Bay.