The Buccaneers’ running back depth chart looks set at the top, with Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell holding the first two spots. The real question now is what happens behind them, where Sean Tucker and Josh Williams appear to be jostling for the RB3 job.
Tucker entered the preseason as the clear favorite, but Saturday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs gave Williams a chance to complicate that picture. Tampa Bay put Williams on the field before Tucker, a small detail that stood out because it showed the team wanted a closer look at the younger back against stronger competition.
Williams didn’t light up the box score, finishing with two carries for nine yards and two receptions for 24 yards. Still, his work as a receiver may matter as Tampa Bay weighs its last spot in the backfield.
Tucker eventually got his turn and ended up playing deep into the second half. He finished with five carries for 23 yards, then delivered the biggest play of the night for either back, scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter as Tampa Bay pulled out a 16-15 victory.
For now, Tucker still has the edge. He brings more experience, more familiarity with the Buccaneers’ offense and a track record of producing when called upon.
But the final decision may come down to more than rushing yards. Special teams, pass protection and overall versatility could all matter when Tampa Bay makes its call.
Williams may have done enough to earn more chances in the final preseason game. If he makes the most of them, a competition that once looked settled could turn into one of the more interesting roster battles on Tampa Bay’s board.
In Other News...
Bucs Win Total Is Suddenly Becoming A Real Debate
National analysts are starting to sound a lot more intrigued by the Buccaneers than they were a few months ago. After a rough finish last season and the usual offseason noise around contracts, the conversation has shifted toward whether Tampa Bay might be better positioned than the broader public assumed, with voices like Dominique Foxworth, Kimberley Martin and Dan Pompei all leaning more optimistic about the coming year.
Pompei went so far as to suggest the Bucs could clear an eight-win expectation, and the reasoning behind that outlook is becoming easier to follow. Rookie Rueben Bain Jr. adds another layer of intrigue, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson gives the offense a different feel, and Baker Mayfield enters the season with plenty of motivation after the way things unfolded a year ago. For a team that was being written off not long ago, that kind of quiet momentum has made Tampa Bay one of the more interesting debates in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Just Reopened A Buccaneers Question Fans Know Too Well
The Buccaneers joint practice with the Jaguars ahead of the preseason finale offered a familiar backdrop for Tampa Bay fans, with Baker Mayfield taking a moment to revisit one of the more meaningful coaching relationships of his recent run. Mayfield spoke highly of Liam Coen, his former offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay and now the Jaguars head coach, pointing to Coens adaptability and the way he communicates with quarterbacks. It was the kind of reminder that can make a practice field feel a little more like a reunion, even with the season still ahead.
For the Buccaneers, though, it also nudged open a question they know well: what exactly did Coens arrival mean for Mayfields game, and how much of that success followed him out of Tampa Bay? Coen has since helped both Mayfield and Trevor Lawrence turn in strong performances in recent seasons, giving his rsum a broader reach and keeping his name in the same conversation whenever quarterback development comes up. For a team that has already moved on, the connection is still hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Rookie LB Is Forcing His Way Into A Bigger Role
Josiah Trotter has kept turning heads throughout Buccaneers training camp, and his play in the joint practices has only strengthened the case that he belongs in a much larger role right away. The rookie inside linebacker has flashed as a run stopper, as a blitzer and in coverage, giving Tampa Bay a look at a player who seems comfortable doing just about everything asked of him.
The buzz picked up even more after he intercepted a Trevor Lawrence pass during work against the Jaguars, the kind of play that tends to stick with a coaching staff. Todd Bowles has already praised Trotters instincts and football intelligence, and with injuries thinning the linebacker room, the path is opening for him to line up next to Alex Anzalone and handle an every-down workload sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]