Doesn’t Sound Like Bucky Irving Will Be A One-Man Running Attack
March 3rd, 2025
Won’t be lone mail carrier.
Todd Bowles had an interesting comment at the combine in Indianapolis last week. It may have been a window into the Bucs’ rushing attack this fall.
Bucky Irving set the NFL on fire last year. He sparked a new cry regularly heard at The Licht House during home games.
“Buh-KEY… Buh-KEY… Buh-KEY… “
The Bucs’ running back tore up defenses and had one of the better rookie seasons on record for a running back — 1,122 yards and 8 touchdowns on only 207 carries. He was simply electric.
But does that mean Bucky is going to get the ball 25-30 times a game? Bowles sure didn’t suggest that. In fact, it sounded more like he wants Bucky to share the load.
“I still think it’s a two-headed attack in this league nowadays,” Bowles said. “One person really doesn’t get all the carries.”
Now Bowles did say Bucky was a “bellcow” but in the next sentence noted he is just part of the Bucs’ running attack.
“I thought [Bucky came along] a great deal, and we haven’t had a real running game here in like six years,” Bowles said. “So with Bucky coming in along with Rachaad [White] and they had a one-two punch, I thought they were very effective.”
No, Bowles didn’t mention Sean Tucker.
Joe thinks is if Bucky is hot and he’s tearing off chunks of yards at a time, he could get 15-20 carries a game.
Otherwise, Joe thinks the Bucs want to save wear and tear on Bucky and have Rachaad White and Tucker carry the mail some so Bucky isn’t banged up come the playoffs.
March 3rd, 2025 at 9:45 am
The only frustrating thing about this is that Sean Tucker is potentially our best RB due to his elite skillset.
Bucky is great too and I love him, but Tuck is seriously elite physically.
March 3rd, 2025 at 9:55 am
One of the things I did not like about Liam’s offense is the lack of deep shots. As a result , defenses were able to stack up on us too much. If we can incorporate some deep ball into the offense, we would really see the run game open up.
March 3rd, 2025 at 9:56 am
Coach Peete needs to improve the pass pro of Tucker and Bucky. Tucker will get more snaps if his pass pro continues to improve. This past season White showed he can fumble the ball at the same rate as Bucky and Tucker, so he’s lost that advantage. I’m on the fence about trading White to Dallas for a young DL or Edge.
March 3rd, 2025 at 9:59 am
It’s a giant mistake to ignore and probably release Sean Tucker! If the coaching staff can’t recognize the talent of Tucker something is drastically wrong. I’m not a coach or a professional talent evaluator but Tucker’s skills cannot be ignored…it is just so evident to everyone except the coaching staff…what are we missing here?
March 3rd, 2025 at 10:19 am
Only knocks on Bucky and Tucker is that they can’t pass block. they’re a liability in blocking. Watch the film.
March 3rd, 2025 at 10:33 am
I still like the idea of two back sets with White moving into the slot a lot.
March 3rd, 2025 at 10:37 am
“The only frustrating thing about this is that Sean Tucker is potentially our best RB due to his elite skillset.”
Bucky has two of the most elite skills needed for RB success – contact balance and vision. I don’t see testing numbers for his 3 cone drill or shuttle, but I’d guess that they’d be pretty good, highlighting his change of direction.
March 3rd, 2025 at 10:51 am
Trade white while he still has value and let Bucky and Tucker be the duo with a fresh set of rookie legs for the 3 headed rotation. I’m only saying this as I’ve read he could be potentially be cut.
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:03 am
I’m not sure I get all the excitement about Tucker. He’s a nice RB but hardly a superstar. A good piece of the puzzle for us but nothing more. “Elite”? We haven’t seen it yet.
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:08 am
I’m not sure a back of his stature is one you wanna wear down. Ra White is built more like a bellcow, but doesn’t have special traits as a runner. Absolutely think the committee approach makes the most sense, getting Bucky 15-20 carries on average makes sense…
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:10 am
WilieG … Me too. Last year our 3 primary backs got 1,219 offensive snaps and our offense logged a total of 1,094 offensive snaps. Should mean that we had 2 RBs on the field for at least 125 plays. Actually a little more than that since Shephard, McMillan, Johnson, Thomas, Godwin & Otton logged 17 additional rushes. So I’d guess that we had 2 RBs on the field for at least 142 plays, possibly more.
BTW, if you look at White’s offensive snaps (591) versus rushes (144) and passes (57) that he was the focus of, looks like he blocked quite a bit. Considerably more than Bucky (516 snaps … 207 rushes & 52 passes) or Tucker (112 snaps … 50 rushes & 12 passes). Kinda makes sense though since White’s the most experienced and the biggest.
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:10 am
It’s a sound plan, the Offense is not the problem.
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:15 am
Bucky and White worked very well last season until that idiot Coen put White in the doghouse after the Cowboys game….
Bucky is not meant to be an everydown back….im sure Bucs dont wouldnt want to see a Cadillac Williams 2.0 situation.
Dont fix what isnt broken which is Bucky 1, White RB2 and Tucker as RB3
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:16 am
Omarion Hampton at 19 would make our offense damn near unstoppable. I know we need defensive help desperately. Bucky and Hampton would completely open up our playbook for several years to come. We could control the clock more and help our defense out that way. I would use the rest of our picks on the defensive side and another WR.
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:21 am
Erik with Pilot and Driver™ Says:
The only frustrating thing is that Sean Tucker is potentially our best RB
^^^^^^^^
How does EVERYONE see this except the Bucs? I mean everyone. The ONE week Tucker was the backup, he was the NFL player of the week.
JOE!!!! Is Sean Tucker social pariah in the locker room. What is the deal?
March 3rd, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Thank God for this article Joe, I have been stressed at the possibility of running this kid into the ground. We have technically a three headed monster. Share the load and thread lightly.
March 3rd, 2025 at 12:51 pm
Has no reason to be a one man show. When we have that kinda talent why does he need 300 carries and the main attraction. That’s not how winning works. He is here to win championships and to make the fans happy. That’s how it works and he better accept that for a little while longer.
March 3rd, 2025 at 12:56 pm
@ BucsFan28 –
Ha so you’re stoned , and clearly nobody wants a damn RB at all we have 3 already. The TB Bucs have the 4th best offense in the NFL based on points and you’re just trying to get us a RB. SMH.
March 3rd, 2025 at 1:00 pm
@AtlBucSolar – You do realize that TB doesn’t really throw deep much anymore. In fact the trend is now leaning away from so many deep throws. It’s hard to keep fast wideouts healthy for a full season and into playoffs and it’s also hard to find fast wideouts in general anyways. The short game and run game is the only thing that will be saving the NFL. TES RB screens , slot WRs in front of the LBs over the top possession WRs. Etc…
Cohen doesn’t need to throw over the top, why? Because it’s just not a need. We can beat you with any QB using the TB12 way. Duh.
March 3rd, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Judkins rd 3
March 3rd, 2025 at 1:05 pm
I don’t know why anyone wants Bucky to be some kinda bellcow. He has a chronic toe injury, is tiny, and can’t pass block well. His only shot at finishing his rookie deal is a light workload.
March 3rd, 2025 at 1:10 pm
Love Bucky and it has been a fun season watching him. Can’t rule out White and Tucker either. All three are keepers.
March 3rd, 2025 at 1:55 pm
Could we draft Geanty or The RB from UNC if they are there at 19? We could see Bucky in the slot. Motion would make him a nightmare.
I’d also be all for drafting the OG from Bama, he’s a mauler and we could just continue to pine the hell out of the rock.
March 3rd, 2025 at 2:07 pm
Too tiny to be an every down back. Split the duties 3 ways and then feature Bucky during playoff games. Gotta fix that pass rush though if the Bucs want playoffs.
March 3rd, 2025 at 2:34 pm
Nobody cares what you have to say Jeff. All your idiot takes.
March 3rd, 2025 at 2:34 pm
Glad to see the positive comments on Sean Tucker.
I think he’s got the skillset to be very good!
Mike Alstott sucked at pass blocking his first few years in the league, but boy could he get the crowd engaged with one of his runs.
Tucker reminds me a bit of that.
March 3rd, 2025 at 3:08 pm
Absolutely need a multiplayer running game in 2025 , it’s a brutal game and a brutally LONG season.
As much fun it’s to watch Bucky run, in his limited rookie season he was dealing with injuries that come with playing that position. He didn’t play much early in the season, then he got more carries as he proved himself .
If the Bucs don’t think Sean Tucker is a role player, Go get one!
March 3rd, 2025 at 3:09 pm
We have an embarrassment of riches of sorts regarding our running backs. We have the luxury of seeing how they sort themselves out during the upcoming season. One of the three might become part of a trade should the situation ever warrant it. Nice to have that option.
Go Bucs!!
March 3rd, 2025 at 3:18 pm
I think you need to be smart about this stuff – and the fact is Bucky is an undersized guy who already got dinged up last year in limited touches. You’d love to have him out there every play, but I’m not sure if he’d hold up to that or not. The example of an undersized guy I always turn to is Warren Dunn, who was an every down back once he went to Atlanta, and really had no issues staying healthy – in large part because he avoided big hits. I remember early on with Dunn he talked about how he’d curl up before hits and just knew how to get as small as possible before contact. Bucky should give him a call, because really the only concern is him getting banged up all the time – which is why you want to limit the touches to some degree, while he’s still the clear #1.
March 3rd, 2025 at 4:18 pm
I heard the bucs met with cam skataboo at combine i know it’s not a need but that dude is a beast
March 3rd, 2025 at 4:25 pm
Simply a smart move to monitor Bucky’s usage, but do think it’s doing a disservice to the team by automatically annointing White as RB2 without a legit comp. Dude leaves too many yards on the field to be gifted that role imo. No doubt there’s a comfort level due to his blocking, but his shortcomings as a runner are hard to overlook.
March 3rd, 2025 at 5:25 pm
Please be smart with Bucky’s usage. We all love him, he’s great, but the nagging hip or foot thing he has… we can’t afford to run him into the ground.
March 3rd, 2025 at 5:48 pm
Trade white and draft Mafah from Clemson
March 3rd, 2025 at 7:39 pm
Don’t understand what’s going on with Tucker. Has shown flashes of being special. Confusing.
March 3rd, 2025 at 7:48 pm
Bucky is a stud. Any person with half a brain can see it. He is small but, I would love to see 25 carries a game. This guy is a winner just like Mayfield, Winfield, Davis, Evans and Godwin. A potential leader. We have the studs. It’s time to perform.
March 3rd, 2025 at 7:49 pm
I am also confused about what is happening with Tucker
March 3rd, 2025 at 7:54 pm
@Tbbucs3 – 100%.
I’ve been saying the same thing since the season ended. We pretty much stopped using R White completely in our last 4 games. In those 4 games, our offense was completely stuck in the mud for 3 of them, and we lost 2 of them. But fans got what they wanted with a steady dose of Bucky Bucky Bucky.
Coach Bowles is right – the committee approach works best, though you can always ride a hot hand in the moment.
Plus, Bucky ain’t built to be a bellcow back.
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:37 pm
I’m an annoying Tucker advocate, but I kind of get it. He needs to be working in a different offense to flourish with Big TEs or lead blockers, running downhill with less pass blocking responsibility. No reason we can’t make him into a featured clock control/ closer role with his own package. But you know people hyperventilate if you take Bucky of the field in the fourth.
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:38 pm
Keep all 3 of them for depth, yes you can still have a workhorse look at barkley with the eagles he for sure was a one man show and tore it up keep the depth tho,we need edge rushers and cbs and one more OL guy
March 3rd, 2025 at 11:39 pm
Grab tyreek!!!!!!
March 4th, 2025 at 11:06 am
Don’t really get why running backs are being discussed when what we need are pass rushers. Keep all 3 backs. Use Bucky and Shawn as the one, two, Rashad as needed. A long brutal season will mean injuries so would be foolish to build a game plan around one back. Now let’s fix what is actually broke. Way too many penalties, and the inability to get pressure or a hand on an opposing quarterback.
March 4th, 2025 at 2:07 pm
All three are different. White needs to be moved to the slot with Culp to replace Godwin.