The Bucs & Devin Singletary
March 12th, 2023
In case you just returned from a trip to Greenland sans Wi-Fi, Leonard Fournette will not be on the Bucs this season and the team is need of a productive and reliable running back to help replace Fournette’s big-time production.
Enter one of Joe’s favorite backs in the league.
That’s Bills running back Devin Singletary. Who doesn’t love a 5-foot-7 tough-guy stud of a running back who can also catch the ball?
Joe believes Singletary is underestimated year after year since being drafted by Buffalo in Round 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft. It seems like every offseason the Bills try to replace him and he keeps out-producing the competition.
Last year was another 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage for Singletary, whose average yards per carry over four years is a whopping 4.7. His career has been a model of consistency with 3,151 yards rushing on 672 carries, plus 145 receptions.
It’s also extra impressive to Joe that a Florida kid who starred at Florida Atlantic University went up to frozen Buffalo and thrived from Day 1.
The Bills are up against the salary cap and have other running backs. Singletary is expected to hit the market on Monday when the free agency bell rings at noon.
Joe assumes Singletary will be disrespected in free agency — as in he’ll be inexpensive — because of his small size and the fact he’s never had a 1,000-yard rushing season. His single-season high is 870 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns.
Joe thinks Singletary’s no-nonsense but shifty style would be a great complement to Rachaad White. But White aside, 25-year-old Singletary is Joe’s kind of player and quickly would become a Bucs-fan favorite.
Most important, Singletary produces year after year.
March 12th, 2023 at 1:32 am
We need to draft Bijan Robinson.
March 12th, 2023 at 1:48 am
Free agency and draft, but especially free agency, is loaded with RB talent. Pro Bowl talent at the top, quality going all the way down the list. It should be easy to get someone in who is a workhorse, who does everything Fournette did not do, or do well, and better than Rachaad White. Rachaad Pennny, a Rah Rah Canales friend from the Seahawks, is one of many options.
The Bucs and Rah Rah would have to really blow it to not have an improved running back to start the season.
March 12th, 2023 at 1:53 am
I would not be opposed to Singletary but I think I kinda like James Robinson more I would think he would come cheaper. And although injury prone, Rashaaad Penny would be decent option as well.
March 12th, 2023 at 3:04 am
Why spend all that money when healthy good running backs are available in the draft. We have 2 very capable RB’s in White, and Vaughn. Robinson would be a fantastic addition at 19 if Licht so chooses. I’m not convinced that Singletary is any better than White or Vaughn anyway, especially at the cost of finding out. Joes’ next flashy silvery object of desire lol
March 12th, 2023 at 3:06 am
Anything that will save us money right now.
Bijan will be gone long before we are on the clock.
March 12th, 2023 at 4:02 am
No injuries yet? I’d take him.
March 12th, 2023 at 6:23 am
Rather have the kid from Alabama.
March 12th, 2023 at 6:46 am
Rand … ‘Why spend all that money when healthy good running backs are available in the draft.’
Agree 100% with that Rand. Far greater NEEDS right now (since our defensive cupboard is just about bare). Draft 2 RBs (use the Rnd 5 AND Rnd 7 picks) AFTER we’ve stocked our OLine for success (being able to block for them?). Besides, there’ll be plenty of inexpensive free agent RBs available after the draft.
March 12th, 2023 at 8:04 am
We have 9 picks this year…….two of them could be on RBs.
If Licht trades back in the first, we could have more.
Let’s go cheap…..let’s go young….
March 12th, 2023 at 8:27 am
Like Singletary and would bring him in. Not a fan of drafting RB’s high. Lots of talent in lower rounds. Saquon Barkley hasn’t made a mediocre Giants team any better.
March 12th, 2023 at 8:27 am
No more little fellers.
March 12th, 2023 at 8:30 am
It seems the Bucs have the “we will make do” when it comes to running backs. It would be nice to get an RB in the 2nd round but there is the need for a tackle and an edge rusher as well.
March 12th, 2023 at 8:33 am
Tumble with Trask. (not supposed to use the word “tank”)
March 12th, 2023 at 8:38 am
A draft pick and the two guys we have plus a vet making close to league minimum. Singletary looked great because of Josh Allen being a threat. Line him up in I or single back behind the QB and he is an average RB.
March 12th, 2023 at 9:53 am
The last couple of older vet RBs the Bucs have brought in have had zero impact.
Gio Bernard, McCoy, Bell – no more old washed up often injured RBs…
Singletary is ok but I would prefer young, cheap and healthy.
Maybe use our 3rd pick or move back into the 4th for one and draft another in rounds 5-7.
Problem solved.
March 12th, 2023 at 9:59 am
He has been critically under used and under valued and has put performed the other backs. This would be a solid value acquisition
March 12th, 2023 at 10:12 am
Singletary would elevate the Bucs current backfield group, he’s a proven commodity and the Bucs could likely get him at a market discount. I’d love that move!
The O-line play needs to improve significantly as a group over last year though. If not, you could have Walter Payton in the backfield and he’d still get slaughtered.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:51 am
So…last year was another 1,000 yards rushing from scrimmage and then 3 paragraphs later he’s never had 1,000 yards rushing. Do you actually read this stuff before you put it out???
March 12th, 2023 at 12:18 pm
We already have a small, quick back and they haven’t used him in 2 years, why sign another one?
March 12th, 2023 at 12:22 pm
We called him Motor at FAU. He would immediatly add juice to our backfield.
March 12th, 2023 at 2:27 pm
“Fournette’s big time production”?
Can we please stop pretending that this dude was some type of force.
March 12th, 2023 at 4:36 pm
Hey Steve G, I question your reading skills. The article says “1000 + yds from scrimmage, not “1000 rushing yards from scrimmage”. Yards from scrimmage means rushing and receiving.
March 12th, 2023 at 5:22 pm
“His single-season high is 870 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns.”
As a Long Time Buffalo Bills fan, I would like to see Singletary back with the Bills. Remember that he accomplished those 870 rush yards and 7 TD’s while being in a Heavy Pass Oriented Offense AND while he had to split carries with 3 other backs – while also doing it behind a questionable Offensive Line…..
Buffalo currently has what appears to be a unique problem anymore: With Singletary, Cook, and Hines all RB’s in Buffalo, they seem to be able to absorb the loss (Hopefully) if it should happen.
March 12th, 2023 at 5:44 pm
Agree with those who say you g cheap and healthy.
I can only think of a handful of NFL backs who greatly improved after several years in the league and all of those guys were behind top five backs. There was a guy behind Tomlinson (Turner?). And a couple guys with the Chiefs (I think Priest Holmes replaced someone who was a top 5 or a top 5 guy replaced Priest Holmes) but that’s it.
If a Running back hasn’t produced after 2 or 3 years odds are
That he will only get worse and not better.
Singletary is too small for any role other than a gadget back and the Bucs I don’t have the cap room this year for gadget players.
There too many holes to fill on both sides of the field.
March 12th, 2023 at 9:32 pm
Here are some available youngish RB’s who had recent success and might be signable at a discount.
1. James Robinson
2. Alexander Mattison
3. Jeff Wilson
March 13th, 2023 at 12:20 am
RB is one of the only positions I’m not worried about. Draft one in the 7th round and we are ready to roll.