Bucs coach Todd Bowles addressed Bucky Irving and the team’s backfield at the annual spring meetings.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles spoke to the media on Tuesday and was asked about the running back hierarchy. Bowles made it clear that while it is a committee situation, he did not mince words while mentioning the second-year running back Bucky Irving’s name first.
“Bucky (Irving) will be the guy coming in. Rachaad (White) will play a ton, too. Depending on how the game goes is how you rotate and use them… I think we gotta get Sean (Tucker) in there a little bit more, as well, because he’s a heck of a runner for us and we gotta play him a lot more than we played him in the past.”
In 2024, Irving amassed 1,514 yards from scrimmage with eight touchdowns to his credit. White totaled 1,006 yards with nine TDs and Tucker 413/3.
Bowles has mentioned an increased workload for Tucker in the past, which never really came to fruition for the Bucs. While the 1-2 backs are must-roster players in the high-power Tampa Bay offense, the changing of the guard seems complete since Irving became the go-to back by the midway point of last year.
Author: Sam Schneider (@BuyAndSellYou)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker surprisingly ...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker hasn't seen ...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker has been ...
Ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ final preseason game, Sean Tucker was splitting first-team reps with Rachaad White.
Ahead of the Buccaneers’ final preseason game, Sean Tucker was splitting first-team reps with Rachaad White in practice. A promising sign ahead of final cuts for the undrafted Tucker. He is batting for a roster spot behind White with veterans KeShawn Vaughn, Chase Edmonds, and Patrick Laird.
As a sophomore, Tucker played 12 games rushing for 1515 yards on 247 carries with 12 TDs. He added 18 receptions for 249 yards. In his junior year, Tucker played in 12 games running for 1061 yards on 204 attempts with 11 TDs. He added 37 receptions for 262 yards. Tucker had high praise at the end of his college career and was expected to be drafted. He developed a medical condition which may have caused hesitation among teams during the draft. He has been cleared to return to action so getting first-team reps this early in his career is worth monitoring for your fantasy team.
Tucker, 5’9 207 pounds, has a short compact frame but is more effective between the tackles than you might expect. He had a 90th-percentile 40-yard dash and 86th-percentile speed score coming into the draft. Tucker finishes runs well and flashes the ability to get small and squeeze through traffic. He’s proven to be a quality receiver. He could be a high-upside guy if given a shot.
