Meet Running Back Chase Edmonds
August 2nd, 2023
Newcomer veteran Bucs running back Chase Edmonds (left) enjoys giving tips to undrafted rookie RB Sean Tucker.
Flash back to the 2022 offseason and the Bucs were flirting with throwing a massive pile of cash in front of free agent Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds.
Per Edmonds, he had a relationship with Bucs Super Bowl playcaller Byron Leftwich and the Bucs were very interested because Leonard Fournette was a pending free agent.
The Bucs told Edmonds they wanted Fournette and wanted to give him a little time to decide. So like any good businessman, Edmonds jumped at the $6-million-per-year offer the Dolphins threw his way.
A week or so later, Fournette finished flirting with the Belicheats and re-signed with the Bucs.
(Hmmm, Joe wonders if versatile Edmonds was Tom Braday approved.)
Leftwich was fired in January, but that didn’t affect Edmonds’ hunger for the opportunity in Tampa after it didn’t work out for him in Miami, which traded him to Denver.
General manager Jacon Licht remained an Edmonds fan, and Edmonds joined the Bucs in the first wave of March free agency this year for a deal near the veteran minimum salary.
Edmonds, a Cardinals fourth-round pick in 2018, is elusive. Joe has seen it in training camp. Bucs fans are hoping the 27-year-old is the same guy that racked up more than 900 yards combined (rushing and receiving) in just 12 games during the 2021 season with Arizona.
This week, Joe asked Edmonds to describe himself to Bucs fans.
“I would just say versatility. Just coming in as a really good teammate with leadership, can play special teams, can play all three downs, run it, catch it and even pass it a little bit,” Edmonds said. “I’m excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity to continue my career. Just want to come here and be the best teammate I could be, carve out whatever role it is they have for me and go from there.”
That versatility is important to Edmonds, who tallied a lot of special teams tackles early in his career. He takes great pride in his fourth-down ability, though he was taken out of special teams duty once he started thriving on offense.
“When I first came into the league, somebody asked me what type of football player I want to be, and I decided I wanted to be a complete football player,” Edmond said. ” I never played special teams in high school, never played it in college [at Fordham University], but Year 1 through 3 in the NFL, I was a full [special] teamer. I feel I excelled in all my roles. In Tampa, I want to bring my leadership of being a vet and helping some of the young guys be a pro, just how some guys brought me along when I was coming up in the league. I want to excel anyway that I can for the team – kickoff or punt teams, on third down or in two-minute offense, whatever it is.”
Joe likes the juice in Edmonds legs and, frankly, he’s the most accomplished running back on the roster. So Joe is confident Edmonds will make the team and get his share of touches early in the season.
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:27 pm
I really like your input and this is my 1st time seeing your comments Joe’ can you tell me how I get your news from before games & after games etc.
Thanks.
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:43 pm
Right here on this website.
Sometimes Joe is available on Twitter (X).
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:55 pm
He might be a surprise. It’s funny how that goes.
If he still has tread on the tires, he could be the engine that could when nobody else would. Might be a Huge contributor because crazier things have happened! Hey he’s got a respectable resume and from the “word on the street”, he has a couple of guys that matter whom believe in him.
A note to Mr. Edmonds,
Chase, play like it’s your last shot at glory, dump the tanks on Every Carry! Refill and REPEAT! Put on the Uniform and DELIVER THE MAIL! Walk Tall.
If you do that, Glory Will Be Yours… And let’s be honest, after the money, isn’t that what it’s really all about? You Already Know.
Welcome aboard Chase.
GO BUCS!
August 2nd, 2023 at 11:55 pm
Joe — Is BA around training camp at all this year? On a golf cart, lurking in the AC or is he just motorboatin’ the lake in Georgia full time now? I don’t think their time overlapped in AZ but curious if Edmonds “David Johnson” 3 down style plays at all into how Bucs view him this season. I know it’s a new offense but seems like we’ve been trying to find that 3 down guy since BA got here and haven’t quite hit on it yet. Lenny was the closest thing but had to overachieve in the passing game. My guess is Edmonds has a shot to make squad but will be too buried on the depth chart unless injuries or ineffectiveness plague the RB room. Special teams will likely be his path to the 53 to start out.
August 3rd, 2023 at 2:27 am
I’m analyzing this situation and especially what DC said about the guy – something along the lines of “the guy is a legit slot receiver”.
From what tidbits I’ve been hearing here or there – and obviously this is just a guess – but I can see him fitting into Canales scheme as back out there during shotgun sets sometimes running draw, sometimes chip blocking and releasing for the checkdown or sometimes resetting as slot receiver with the Bucs going empty.
Just being the messenger here, but a lot of commenters wondered out loud if the guy had any juice left when they signed him. Bucs jumped on him right away too. We were puzzled by that. Why commit the money so early on a guy like Edmonds? Why not wait and see what comes available if you are looking for a deal on veteran back for depth?
This suggests they got a plan for the guy.
Or maybe they just like him and didn’t want to mess around playing the field.
Teams need role players and he could be a glue guy. Crotch suggested ST, depth and maybe he sees some PT running 2 minute?
We’ll see I suppose.
If he shows 2021 flash then Bucs got a deal. Sometimes RBs hit the wall though – 2022 was “humbling” as he put it.
Bucs carry 4 backs – White and Vaughn are your #1 & #2 – then you have 4 guy competing for 2 spots. Not going to 100 commit to Edmonds having #3 spot wrapped.
So Brown, Edmonds and Tucker fighting for jobs #3 & #4 (Laird is “camp meat” but also a guy they like for the practice squad – probably roll into a coaching job at some point)
DC says go look at the tape on Brown – well ok so I did. 4.4 speed, very elusive, stop start jump cut guy. 1,700 yards (which is crazy) but at Shepard. Not exactly the SEC. But yeah has jets and ran by a lot of guys like they were running in quicksand. Interesting to see what he looks like this preseason.
Tucker they spent a little on for being a NDFA with a medical – but 4.33 and 210 – a faster more stout version of Brown that doesn’t play as shifty, but runs through contact better. What I didn’t like about Tucker is the ranked schools kept him in check. How much of that is the Cuse O-line getting pushed around? I don’t know. What I think everyone knows is Wagner will never forget him. LOL he ran all over them. My goodness.
So we’re looking at:
White
Vaughn
Edmonds
Tucker
With Brown looking to play his way into a roster spot in case one of those latter 2 falters. I think that’s safe to say.
What you want in a RB room a group of guys that any one of them you could call their number and get yards from scrimmage. No power outages. I don’t know if the Bucs got a 1,200+ yard guy on the roster, but all these guys can play. Could be worse. Outside that with this new coach and new scheme its a complete unknown.
We’re just going to have to wait and find out.
August 3rd, 2023 at 2:28 am
It does seem like he was humbled last year just as Mayfield may have been.
Edmonds sounds like a good asset for the 2023 Bucañeros.
Remington, don’t forget to check out the podcast with the sage as well. Absolute must listen for me.
August 3rd, 2023 at 2:33 am
IMO Mike S,
I would guess they want to fill the RB room with as many potential starters as possible as early as possible considering how lackluster our rushing performance was last year. As well as the fact that he can play teams. A lot of dude get cut because they can’t be the #1 and they can’t play teams, Tyler Johnson for example. Was a possible #3 receiver but couldn’t or wouldn’t play special teams.
August 3rd, 2023 at 4:03 am
Mike S … Excellent analysis & your Final Four looks to be right on IMO (White, Vaughn, Edmonds & Tucker), with Brown going to the PS. Got a hunch that (the analytical) Canales will be tracking closely to see which one(s) breaks out early.
Wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Edmonds play quite a bit of Special Teams once again (we need the experience on that unit?). He did quite a bit of returning kick-offs in 2020 & was pretty good at it apparently (18 returns for 417 yards … 23.3 YPR … with a longest of 54 yards). Using him a little in the slot receiver role has me intrigued.
August 3rd, 2023 at 4:09 am
Any true fantasy footballer would know this guy was pretty good recently but was held back being in a timeshare with James Connor
August 3rd, 2023 at 5:26 am
wow no utube follow up from our hollywood rb? We have the most overhyped rb to never do shiz.. i will apologize to mr. running back if he gets 1k and we win more than 7 games…
August 3rd, 2023 at 7:04 am
There are a lot of unknowns and little knowns when it comes to this Bucs roster and our new offense, such as it is. I think we’re in for a lot of surprises this season. Perhaps some surprises will be negatives, but there’s a lot of room for positive surprises too. Chase Edmonds, so far little talked about, could be one of those surprises.
August 3rd, 2023 at 6:22 pm
I completly forgot he was on the team, hope he makes me remember
August 4th, 2023 at 10:23 am
I got to watch Chase his entire career at Fordham and he can be a Dynamic player. Just give then man the ball. He has a great season in him!