The Buccaneers may have found a new wrinkle in their passing game, and it starts with the backfield.
Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell give Baker Mayfield two running backs who can do real damage as receivers, a setup that could make Tampa Bay tougher to defend when the ball comes out quick and the downs get long. That kind of weapon has become standard around the league, especially on third down, but not every team has two backs who can fit the role.
Tampa Bay and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson appear set to lean into that advantage this season. Fans already got a small look at the ground game in the Buccaneers’ 24-16 preseason win over the New York Jets, when running backs were targeted four times and came away with three catches for 13 yards.
Irving sat that one out, but both he and Gainwell are expected to be in the mix when Tampa Bay faces the Kansas City Chiefs at 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug.
Irving’s receiving numbers from last season show why he matters in this conversation. He was limited to 10 games because of injury, but still finished with 30 catches on 35 targets for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Eleven of those receptions moved the chains for first downs.
The Buccaneers’ backs were also a factor in the passing game under Josh Grizzard last season, when they were targeted 91 times and turned that into 78 receptions for 529 yards and four touchdowns.
Gainwell brings a different kind of production to the table. In what the source calls a career year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he caught 73 passes on 85 targets for 486 yards, three touchdowns and 23 first downs across 17 games. He also had four catches on six targets for 26 yards in the Steelers’ first-round playoff loss to the Houston Texans.
Robinson’s track record points in the same direction. In his last two seasons as offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, he kept his running backs heavily involved in the passing game, with Bijan Robinson serving as the centerpiece. Last season, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 draft produced 79 receptions on 103 targets for 820 yards, 4 touchdowns and 37 first downs through the air.
Fantasy Pros expects Tampa Bay to split the receiving work between Irving and Gainwell. The projection has Irving around 40 catches for nearly 340 yards and 2.25 receiving touchdowns, while Gainwell is forecast for 50 receptions, 352 yards and two touchdowns.
That kind of balance could matter for Mayfield. Instead of telegraphing a passing-down back and tipping the defense, the Buccaneers may be able to keep opponents guessing with either Irving, Gainwell or both on the field.
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Adam Schefter recently suggested the mood around the standoff may be changing, saying the sides now appear closer to a potential resolution than they did before. Tampa Bay has also started engaging in extension talks after previously not getting into that conversation with Veas camp, which at least opens a path forward for a player the Buccaneers have not been willing to move despite the trade noise. [Read more 🡒]
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Recent practice work has offered some encouraging signs, with Mayfield, Godwin and Kenneth Gainwell all standing out in those sessions. The bigger issue remains on the other side of the ball, where the defensive front seven still looks like the area most in need of a jump. If that group comes around, Tampa Bay could make its path to the postseason a lot cleaner than it appears right now. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Suddenly Have A QB Battle That Matters More Than Usual
Baker Mayfields contract situation has added a little more weight to a backup quarterback job that usually gets handled in the margins. Tampa Bay still views Mayfield as its franchise quarterback for now, but with his negotiations paused and free agency looming after the season, the Buccaneers have at least something to monitor behind him as camp and the preseason unfold.
Jake Browning and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels are in the mix for the No. 2 spot, and Daniels gave the Bucs a reason to keep watching after an encouraging preseason debut. Todd Bowles has made clear the job will be settled by competition this summer, which gives Tampa Bay an unusual bit of intrigue at a position that could become a lot more important than the label suggests. [Read more 🡒]