ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The last thing cornerback Tre’Davious White wanted was to leave Buffalo in the first place.
And the first thing White did after his 2024 season ended with Baltimore losing in the divisional playoff round — and against the Bills, of all teams — was begin charting a path for his return.
“I told my agent, if you can’t get Buffalo on the line, don’t call me,” White said Tuesday, a day after reporting for the start of the Bills' offseason workouts and to sign his one-year, $6.8 million contract.
“Walking through the door yesterday, it just seemed like I never left. So many familiar faces. Some new faces, too. But I just feel in place,” the 30-year-old added. “I feel like home.”
Buffalo is where White got his start as a 2017 first-round draft pick out of LSU. It’s where he spent seven NFL seasons building tight bonds and becoming such a hockey fan that he filmed several spoofs for the NHL's Buffalo Sabres to promote his fictional goalie academy.
And it was with the Bills where White enjoyed his biggest successes as a 2019 All-Pro selection and helping transform the team into a winner.
Buffalo is also where he endured various lows. White sustained two debilitating injuries, including a 2023 season-ending torn right Achilles tendon that, coupled with his high-priced contract, led to him being cut in a salary cap-saving move in March 2024.
Though he didn’t hold a grudge against the Bills, White took being cut hard because the injuries and the Bills' payroll were things outside of his control.
“That was the thing that hurt me the most because I felt like I’d still be a Buffalo Bill going into Year 9 with one hat under my name. And that’s something I always wanted,” White said. “But moving forward, I got a bigger appreciation, man. Like this place is so, so special.”
White rejoins the Bills after splitting last season with two teams. He initially signed with the Los Angeles Rams before being traded to Baltimore in November.
The time away from Buffalo was eye-opening, because he was more accustomed to the culture he helped establish after being the first player drafted under Bills coach Sean McDermott. Upon his return, White is driven to help finish what he started — the goal remains winning a Super Bowl — while seeking to reclaim his former job, with Buffalo having a vacancy to fill after failing to re-sign Rasul Douglas.
“Mentally and physically, I’m great,” said White, who acknowledged battling bouts of depression while spending time alone rehabbing his first injury, a torn left knee ligament in 2021.
“My therapist told me to leave the past in the past, and that’s what I’m going to do,” he added. "The only thing that I can come and just do the best that I can and showcase my talents to the best of my ability.”
General manager Brandon Beane saw growth in White’s play over the course of last season, and noted the player also has a leg up on the competition by being familiar with Buffalo’s defensive system.
“I think he definitely can compete for a starting job,” Beane said. “And how can you not root for him?”
Before the setbacks, White had established himself as one of the NFL’s top shutdown cornerbacks.
As a rookie, he was one of only two NFL players to force five takeaways in the fourth quarter, including two game-sealing interceptions. In 2019, he finished tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions. Since 2017, White ranks third among NFL players with 20 second-half takeaways.
Last season, White was relegated to mostly a reduced role, appearing in 11 games, including four starts in LA, with no interceptions.
It felt foreign to White, who found himself following and rooting for the Bills from afar, while staying in touch with former teammates, including defensive back Taron Johnson.
“I was telling Taron, 'Y’all win a Super Bowl without me, like, I’m getting an honorary ring ... because I feel like I played a part in it,’” White said with a laugh.
The Bills fell short. After beating Baltimore, Buffalo was eliminated by Kansas City for the fourth time in five years, and the second time in the AFC championship game.
Now, White gets an opportunity to play a hands-on role again, while fully appreciating the familiar surroundings.
“Just sit back and just take it in and not try to think about the future or the past, just be in the moment because you never know,” White said. "Being back here where it all started is full circle. And this is how it’s supposed to be for me.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
John Wawrow, The Associated Press
