ESPN’s latest look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense came with a notable drop for the group as a whole, and the running back room was a big reason why.
Bill Barnwell ranked NFL offensive skill-position groups and moved Tampa Bay from seventh to 22nd heading into 2026. When he dug into the backs, the conversation quickly turned to Bucky Irving and what his 2025 season looked like after injuries slowed him down.
Barnwell wrote, "Bucky Irving was also sidelined for two months by foot and shoulder injuries, and across his two stretches of active play, he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. Irving turned only 6.4% of his designed rush attempts into 10-plus yard gains, down from 13% as a rookie. The Bucs swapped out Rachaad White for Kenny Gainwell, who was wildly productive for the Steelers in a situational role, and there's a chance that he is Tampa's best back."
That last part is the kind of idea that keeps popping up around Tampa Bay’s backfield: Kenneth Gainwell as a real contender for the lead role. It’s not a brand-new thought, and it probably won’t be the last time it comes up. With new playcaller Zac Robinson expected to try to make the position more dynamic, Gainwell looks like a cleaner fit for what the Bucs want to do.
Still, a healthy Irving changes the picture fast. When he’s right, he has the kind of upside that can put him among the better running backs in the league.
For Tampa Bay, the bottom line is simple: the backfield has to produce more. Something will have to give, and the Bucs need better play from the position group either way.
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Bucky Irving Just Got The Disrespect Buccaneers Fans Will Hate
Bucky Irvings rise in Tampa Bay was one of the brighter storylines of his rookie year, when he gave the Buccaneers a dynamic presence in the backfield and quickly looked like a player the offense could build around. Even with injuries interrupting his second season, there was still enough of a track record to expect his name to show up when ESPNs Jeremy Fowler asked NFL personnel types to sort out the leagues best running backs.
Instead, Irving was left on the outside of the conversation entirely, not even landing in the honorable-mention tier as other backs such as Breece Hall, Quinshon Judkins, Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara drew support. For a player who flashed like a future centerpiece in Tampa Bay, the omission is the kind of slight that tends to linger, especially when the Buccaneers are still trying to figure out just how high Irvings ceiling can be once hes healthy again. [Read more 🡒]