Bucky Irving looks set to be part of the Buccaneers’ Week 4 plan.
The Tampa Bay running back was limited in practice earlier in the week because of a glute injury, but he’s now off the injury report and expected to suit up against the Green Bay Packers. Chris Godwin (ankle) is also not listed, giving Tampa Bay at least one more healthy piece as it tries to navigate life without Baker Mayfield.
That absence at quarterback is the bigger storyline. Mayfield is out with a thumb injury, and the Buccaneers, who are 0-3, will turn to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels on Sunday.
Irving’s availability matters because the backfield should still run through him. He didn’t take part in the final two drives against Minnesota in Week 3, but he has still handled 63.9 percent of the offensive snaps in 2026. Even with Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker in the mix, Irving remains the lead option.
The workload has already started to trend his way. He has logged eight carries, then 17, then 15 in his first three games, with the last two weeks showing a much heavier ground-game role. In Week 3, he ran the ball 15 times on 36 snaps.
That usage could become even more important if Tampa Bay tries to protect Daniels and lean on the run game. The offense has had issues already, and with Mayfield at quarterback in 2026, it ranks dead last in the NFL in EPA/Play.
From a betting standpoint, the article points toward Irving as the angle rather than the side. The Buccaneers are home underdogs, and there’s little appetite for backing them with Daniels making his first start. Instead, Irving’s carry prop is viewed as the cleaner play, especially with his line sitting close to his season average and Week 1 looking like the outlier because of the turnovers.
With Irving appearing healthier than expected after multiple limited practices, the expectation is that he’ll operate in his usual role against Green Bay.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Suddenly Face A Bigger Baker Mayfield Problem Than Expected
Baker Mayfields thumb injury has turned into a much bigger issue for the Buccaneers than a short-term scare. The veteran quarterback suffered a dislocated thumb and is expected to miss multiple games, with his return hinging on how quickly he regains grip strength. For Tampa Bay, the timing is especially tricky because Mayfield had been in the middle of another season as the teams starter after appearing in three games so far.
The immediate answer is rookie Jalon Daniels, who has been named the backup and will start while Mayfield is out. It puts an abrupt spotlight on Tampa Bays quarterback depth and raises the stakes around how the offense functions without the player the Buccaneers signed to a multi-year deal. The bigger question now is not just who starts next, but how long the team has to live without Mayfield and what kind of shape he is in when he finally returns. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fan Goes Viral For A Gameday Moment Bucs Fans Pounced On
A gameday photo from the Packers-Buccaneers matchup quickly took on a life of its own, with a Green Bay fan in a cheese-themed outfit drawing plenty of attention on social media. Buccaneers fans, already tuned into a rough start for their own team, jumped on the image and helped turn a random moment from the stands into one of the evenings louder online talking points.
It fit the mood around Tampa Bay, where the Bucs came in at 0-3 and were turning to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels at quarterback because of Baker Mayfields injury. Green Bay arrived at 1-2, but the game was about more than the records for Tampa Bay supporters, who had little patience to spare and plenty of time to notice, and react to, anything that stood out. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Just Became The Center Of Tampa Bay's Biggest Debate
The Buccaneers slow start has pushed Todd Bowles into the middle of a conversation nobody in Tampa Bay wanted to have this early. At 0-4, with a 3-12 record stretching back to last season, the losses are piling up fast enough to turn every miscue into a referendum on direction, execution and leadership. Bowles stepped to the podium after the latest setback and owned the mess, taking responsibility while insisting he still believes he can guide the team out of it.
Bowles has handled the public side of the slump the way a veteran coach usually does, but the frustration around the team is only growing because so many of the defeats have stayed within reach. Close games tend to sharpen the focus on the head coach, and if the Buccaneers keep coming up short in those spots, the accountability debate will only get louder. For now, Bowles is asking for patience, even as the results make that a harder sell by the week. [Read more 🡒]