No team across the NFL saw a more outstanding increase of production from their rushing offense than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did in the 2023 season. Bucs fans may not want to give him credit, but Liam Coen worked wonders in making Tampa Bay elite both on the ground and through the air.
But that turnaround was not just engineered through coaching. Tampa Bay’s backfield overall improved to help Baker Mayfield and the rest of the offense.
Dec 15, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) carries the ball for a 7-yard gain in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Much of this change stemmed from the breakout rookie Bucky Irving who went from a fourth-round afterthought to a first-year sensation. Irving was the only running back of his class who surpassed 1,000 rushing yards and he added eight touchdowns to his campaign.
He also supplanted Rachaad White as the team’s No. 1 running back, a development most did not anticipate heading into the season.
While the team turns the page from the 2024 season to the offseason, the Bucs must deal with a pressing matter ahead of free agency. The team wants to retain Chris Godwin, but is strapped for the necessary cap space at the moment.
As they look to open up room, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz believes that White could be on the chopping block in what would be a shocking backfield move.
“White is still a useful player, but he gradually lost the No. 1 spot to Bucky Irving in 2024. White had positive rushing yards over expected, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, but he was far behind Irving,” he wrote.
“White was an excellent receiving back, ranking fifth in total receiving value by my DYAR metric, but Irving was eighth. The Buccaneers need to save money somewhere, and this is where it wouldn’t hurt too much.”
Ultimately, if the Bucs are forced to dispose of pieces to find the resources to keep Godwin, more than likely they will do it.
In fairness to White, last season was his most efficient as a runner, averaging 4.3 yards per carry though on less touches. Irving shouldered most of the load in the Bucs’ backfield.
However, the two worked well in tandem and there are understandable concerns about Irving taking on the role of a true RB1 at his size.
Moving on from White would be a tough decision and one that could potentially impact the effectiveness of the Bucs’ backfield. But at the cost of keeping Godwin from signing elsewhere in free agency, they may decide it is a risk worth taking.
