Bucky Irving is back on the practice field looking like himself again, and that matters a whole lot for a Tampa Bay offense that wants to be more than just good. It could be the difference between a unit with real upside and one that actually hits it.
New Buccaneers offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has already come away impressed with the third-year back, and the reasons are easy to spot. Irving’s quick feet, sudden cuts and ability to stay balanced through contact are exactly what make him such a tough runner to corral.
“His feet are always in the ground. So he’s always able to change direction and, obviously, that keeps him so balanced to be able to break tackles.”
Robinson has seen this movie before. He watched Irving’s breakout rookie season in 2024 while he was Atlanta’s offensive coordinator, and now he gets to build around him in Tampa Bay.
“Bucky is a stud,” Robinson said. “Watching him in 2024, he’s an explosive play waiting to happen. ...
He’s just got such a great attitude and a great spirit about him. He’s a team guy and always has a smile on his face.
Just the person has been cool to get to know.
“I’m still getting to know a lot of these guys, because you only have so much time in the spring. But I’m feeling the personalities of guys now. ... Bucky has been great.”
The fit between Irving and Robinson makes sense on paper and, so far, in practice. Tampa Bay is also giving Irving a partner in Kenneth Gainwell, a back who can lighten the load and keep the offense versatile. Gainwell arrives after a season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in which he posted a career-high 73 receptions, giving the Buccaneers a receiver out of the backfield who can handle lead-back work if needed.
That matters because Irving’s role in this offense will be tied to both his health and his ability to rediscover the form he showed in 2024. When Liam Coen ran the offense that season, Tampa Bay finished with the league’s fourth-best rushing attack, and Irving was at the center of it. He went over 1,100 yards and scored eight times as a rookie.
There’s a reason this setup has people around the team optimistic. Robinson and Coen come from the same Sean McVay coaching tree and carry similar offensive ideas, so the structure around Irving should look familiar. If that translates the way the Buccaneers hope, the backfield of Irving and Gainwell could become one of the most dangerous duos in the league.
The bigger picture is simple: if Tampa Bay’s run game gets back to the level it reached under Coen, Robinson may have the kind of backfield that can help carry the Bucs right back to the playoffs.
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Bucs Camp Standouts Are Starting To Change The Roster Conversation
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David Walker may have left the strongest mark, though, with multiple sacks that turned heads and added to the conversation around the edge group. In camp, plays like that matter because they can quickly shift how coaches view depth, competition, and who is making a case for a larger role. With the roster still taking shape, performances from players like Walker and the rest of the standouts are exactly the kind of details that can move them from background names into a much bigger part of the discussion. [Read more 🡒]