Buccaneers' Backfield Uncertain Beyond Irving

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will primarily be focusing on defense this offseason, but that doesn't mean they can neglect the other side of the ball.

Tampa Bay has plenty of weapons in the passing game, and this is true even as the team reckons with the impending free agency of longtime receiver Mike Evans.

The running game is a different story.

Tampa ran the ball better than most teams in 2024. Starting running back Bucky Irving gained more than 1,100 yards as a rookie, and backup Rachaad White finished with 613 yards. The Bucs even had a strong third back in Sean Tucker, who gained 308 yards and averaged more than six yards per carry.

Last year was a different story.

Irving missed seven games due to injury and, when he did play, he regressed to 3.4 yards per carry.

White was again productive, rushing for 572 yards and averaging the same 4.3 yards per carry as he did the year before; and Tucker rushed for 320 yards, averaging 3.7 yards per carry.

In March, White will be an unrestricted free agent, and he intimated multiple times at the end of the season that he plans to leave Tampa. Tucker is also a free agent, but a restricted free agent, meaning he'll be easier to keep. The Bucs have a few options regarding Tucker.

They could offer him a first-round tender, which would entitle the Bucs to a first-round draft pick if the player signs another team's offer sheet. This would cost the Bucs more than $7.45 million. A second-round tender would give Tampa Bay a second-round pick should White commit elsewhere, and would cost the Bucs more than $5.34 million.

Tampa's chances of keeping Tucker depend on whether anybody else wants him, and it's hard to see teams shopping for a running back that's never been more than a third-stringer.

The Bucs have to ask themselves if they'd be content with Tucker as their second stringer, and that's an interesting question.

Tucker has shown himself to be capable, going for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries against the Buffalo Bills Nov. 16. But the positive vibes didn't last. Tucker went for a modest 42 yards on 12 carries the next week, and never had more than seven carries for 29 yards the rest of the season.

Having Tucker as the team's No. 2 RB would be a risk, especially if Irving has another injury-riddled season. An ideal scenario would be to sign Tyler Allgeier, who is familiar with new Bucs OC Zac Robinson, having been in Atlanta the previous two seasons. Allgeir is familiar with the RB2 role, having been a serviceable backup to superstar Bijan Robinson. In each of the last three seasons, Allgeir rushed for more than 500 yards.

Despite the familiarity with Zac Robinson, it's fair to question whether Allgeier would want to be a backup, and if Irving is healthy, that's what he'd be.

It's also fair to question whether the Bucs would pay a running back $22 million over three seasons to be a backup, which is what Allgeier is projected to make.

The cheapest option would be for the Bucs to go to the draft.

ㅤ

Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!