To continue our series on reviewing the off-season state of the Buccaneers’ roster, we’ll take a quick look at the running back situation next.
The Bucs low-key have some developments to monitor here, and it will be huge in determining how successful the running game adapts under new playcaller Zac Robinson.
After starring in a stocked Buccaneers offense in 2024, and as a rookie no less, Bucky Irving’s star came crashing down to Earth for various reasons last year.
The state of the offensive line was nothing less than a catastrophe last year, with several persisting injuries and lineup changes affecting the entire offense, especially the run game. Irving was hit behind the line of scrimmage at a near league-high rate, giving him little opportunity to create at the second level — which he swiftly proved to be one of the NFL’s best at.
And, of course, came serious injuries to his shoulder and knee that kept him out for 7 games, and even when he returned he was clearly still ailing. He underwent offseason shoulder surgery to fully correct the issue, and the expectation is that he will be ready for the regular season but might miss training camp.