Rachaad White Looking Like A No. 3 Back, Maybe No. 2
August 6th, 2022
Shows off running skills, too.
For the first week of Bucs training camp 2022, Joe was often asked who was better, veteran Ke’Shawn Vaughn or rookie Rachaad White. Joe had a stock answer.
“Depends. Running the ball, Vaughn. Catching the ball, White.”
White was almost exclusively used as a receiver during the first week of camp. In the past two or three practices, that has changed.
Today, White was almost exclusively asked to tote the rock. And little by little, White is showing off his running skills. He doesn’t appear to be at a disadvantage facing one of the NFL’s best run defenses.
Joe figured this was because White was still learning. As he demonstrated he could handle more work, the Bucs began slowly opening up the playbook for White. Adding more to his plate. Thus far, he has delivered.
Is White forcing coaches to take notice? Well, he’s not going there (yet).
“Oh, I don’t know,” White said when Joe asked him if more touches means he is impressing coaches. “Certain days you are getting more reps than others.”
White believes the reason he is being asked to run more and getting more touches is that he’s slowly getting used to NFL-level plays and facing NFL-level talent. He confessed he wasn’t playing fast and coaches want that from him.
One way to play faster, White said, is not thinking. He’s been thinking a lot because everything is new to him, he said, from where he now lives to his teammates to his coaches, playbook, you name it.
Joe isn’t ready to say White is higher up the ladder than Giovani Bernard, who has been getting a ton of reps and touches. But it seems, just from the amount of plays White runs (or is targeted in the passing game), like he may have passed Vaughn on the depth chart.
Time will tell and that will certainly bear out in controlled scrimmages next week with the Dolphins, and the first preseason game next weekend. But it is encouraging White isn’t overmatched running against a Todd Bowles defense built to stop the run.
August 6th, 2022 at 1:16 pm
Defenses will have to account for where this guy is when he flares out to the flats or screen playes in the passing game! He has the ability to take it to the house!
August 6th, 2022 at 1:16 pm
I don’t assign number to White. He’s a situational RB for long yardage downs
August 6th, 2022 at 1:23 pm
Gio will be cut for a back up center to be named later.
August 6th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
Wonder if they’ve broached blocking assignments yet
August 6th, 2022 at 2:46 pm
They need 4 RBs.,,,,,Gio will not be cut…and neither White or Vaughn would stick on the PS….
August 6th, 2022 at 2:51 pm
Does a third rounder play ST?
August 6th, 2022 at 3:40 pm
I just have this funny feeling that White is going to surprise some people.
Not only is he fast, but being a converted wide receiver, he has excellent hands.
Like another poster said, he has the ability to take it to the house.
If teams play a 2 deep zone on us, to try and take away our wide receivers, he can burn them badly, coming out of the backfield.
August 6th, 2022 at 5:16 pm
Everyone is sleeping on Ke, so eager to push this rook. Look at the film of Ke’s games last season and the improvements he made. If he continues to make strides, and gets better at blocking and receiving, he deserves to be a 1-2 with Fournette.
August 6th, 2022 at 5:45 pm
We have all heard how the transition from college to NFL is steep, because every player in the NFL is the best player on their team in college. Sounds like White is adjusting to the NFL rather well, which is good for the Bucs this year. Love these kind of stories.
August 6th, 2022 at 6:16 pm
They really don’t need to carry 4 backs, especaily an old one. Keep a receiver that is more talented, and put two backs on the practice squad. It will also come down to S. teams.
August 6th, 2022 at 7:19 pm
I’m looking forward to the pre-season. If White is as advertised, he should clean up. In the regular season, it’s hard to take Lenny off the field, in close games at least.
August 6th, 2022 at 8:22 pm
@Gbobbucsfan
He is the protector on punts. Like a RB staying to block for his QB.
August 6th, 2022 at 9:07 pm
This guy is badarse. Howard is calling it mow. Really really sux about Jensen but offense is still loaded and D will be markedly better this year. Howard is pyched
August 6th, 2022 at 9:08 pm
*now
August 6th, 2022 at 11:28 pm
Lke Deebo Samuel and James White, Rachaad is shifty and probably more suited to getting the ball in the open field, so he’s likely to have more receptions than carries.
August 7th, 2022 at 12:08 am
White hasn’t gone into a real game yet. Charles Sims was a fine rookie contributor for Bucs. White will be lucky to provide half his production.
Let’s see him do something against real enemy fire.
August 7th, 2022 at 9:00 am
Like this report. Let’s see how he plays in a game, running, receiving, pass protect and picking up a blitz. However good he looks now it probably won’t be until game 6 that he starts to put it together.