What Will Rachaad White Do With The Opportunity?
July 10th, 2023
Fresh start.
Why do some believe the Bucs are setting themselves up to draft a quarterback next year (Peter King being one of several)? It was how the organization chose to address weaknesses this offseason.
Joe thinks the signing of Baker Mayfield was damn savvy. It was like playing the stock market. Buy low; sell high. The Bucs got a former No. 1 overall pick quarterback for a bucket of used footballs.
With a fresh start and a fresh new offensive coordinator, perhaps it all clicks for Mayfield? If so, the Bucs have their quarterback for the near future. If not, eh, plenty of quality quarterbacks to chase in the 2024 draft.
Another reason folks are skeptical of the Bucs is running back. The Bucs had the worst rushing attack in the NFL last year. Bottom of the barrel.
And what did the Bucs do to improve their running backs stable with a draft full of quality running backs? Zilch.
And no, Joe doesn’t count a dude who didn’t run for 250 yards last year as “something.” This Chase Edmonds — Jim Edmonds and his between-the-sheets drama with his TV wives/nannies would be more interesting!
(Nannies and au pairs always trip dudes up.)
Whoever gets the rock in the running game this fall, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes they will have a perfect showcase to demonstrate they are an RB1 for the Bucs or someone another team.
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is putting a lot of faith in Ke’Shawn “Sneak” Vaughn and White. And trust Joe, those guys know it.
White last year had strong receiving numbers. His advanced stats rushing the ball were awful. Just based that alone, Joe thinks Vaughn will prove he was hosed by offensive coordinator SpongeBob by not getting more chances to tote the rock.
Imagine: an unemployed playcaller who oversaw the total collapse of one of the NFL’s great offenses may have misused a quality player. Say it isn’t so!
July 10th, 2023 at 5:27 am
We had the worst rushing attack last year mainly because we didn’t run the ball. This season we have a new O.C., new scheme, new offensive line. It wasn’t just White who was responsible for our running woes it was the whole bloody offense. When you pass the ball 45 times a game, and only rush 12 times a game you’re going to be last in rushing no matter who the back is.
July 10th, 2023 at 7:21 am
I’m thinking the Oline will be better this year with Jensen healthy, Feller & Mauch added….
There is still time to bring in a Vet RB…..and, yes…we could squeeze the money.
July 10th, 2023 at 7:38 am
I truly believe SpoungeBob, and the loss of our stud center and retirement of Marpet, were why we couldn’t run the ball. No one ever seems to talk about Marpet.
That was a huge loss. We are not going to be as bad this year. Watch and see.
July 10th, 2023 at 7:49 am
I strongly agree with Joe and his analogy of Baker Mayfield and the stock market. This is a can’t loose scenario. With regards to the running back room, yea that situation is a bit concerning. However, the Bucs could redo Mike Evans contract (again) and go after Kareem Hunt. And on a side note, when the pundits talk about the Bucs current “weak” roster there mostly isn’t a mention of the horrible salary cap situation. Kudo’s to Jason Licht for doing the best that could have been hoped for given the entirety of the Bucs financial situation and available free agents.
July 10th, 2023 at 7:59 am
Bowles and Management should have fired BL by mid season shame on them.
July 10th, 2023 at 8:14 am
Create a lane! The Cowboys old school offensive line comes to mind with Emmitt Smith. Whether it’s through misdirection or sheer brut force make an opening. Last season you couldn’t even squeeze a remote control car into our offensive line. Also doesn’t help that the other team knows your plays even before they are called.
July 10th, 2023 at 8:28 am
The Bucs will add a veteran RB if it fits their new scheme, especially if they are having success the 1st 4 or 5 games.
July 10th, 2023 at 8:49 am
@Alanbucsfan
If they’re having success, why would they add another back?
July 10th, 2023 at 8:52 am
And don’t forget…the RB out of Syracuse would have been drafted if not for the heart issue. IF…and I mean If, he is medically cleared to play, we did, in a round about way, address our run game through the draft.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:41 am
I agree with Bucnjim, the Great Jim Brown in his prime would he looked terrible running behind last years O’line. It’s not the running back.
July 10th, 2023 at 10:19 am
Allen Lofton … I still scratch my head on this one. The entire world was calling for BL to get fired. The bye week was the perfect opportunity. They did nothing. After the bye week, Licht said they’d waited too long to make any changes. It was really weird.
July 10th, 2023 at 11:49 am
Why didn’t Bruce Arians or Todd Bowles demand that BL incorporate the great Sneak Vaughn into the offense for the past three years? LOL
July 10th, 2023 at 5:05 pm
The lack of commitment to the running game was directly responsible for other woes in the offense, such as the poor third down conversions referenced in another article. The No Risk It, No Biscuit offense is predicated on the threat of the run and the play action pass, and I agree with others who wrote that the problems along the o-line took their toll. The pre-motion snaps and the RPO plays will be weird to watch, but times are changing. I hope that White stays healthy because the running attack will be in serious trouble without him.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:20 pm
AGAIN…Brady was as responsible for the play selection as BL.
Seriously! Is anybody suggesting that BL scripted plays to start the game and Brady was a co-author of that script at minimum. Does anybody believe BL would have benched Brady if the GOAT ran his own plays and frequently checked out of BL’s plays?
Does anybody here truly believe that BL had more power within this franchise than the freaking GOAT and marquee draw for the fans. Brady wasn’t running plays he didn’t believe in!!
July 11th, 2023 at 3:38 am
Joe, Why do you ignore the fact that the O-line could not block my grandma last year, run or pass. I’m no genius DC but I guarantee you every LB we faced last year knew what was coming on first down.
Those facts would have gotten Barry Sanders benched last season. Both White and Vaughn have yet to run behind a competent offensive line with a competent play-caller, and yet have showed more promise than the drag racer from LSU. Fact
Go Bucs!
July 11th, 2023 at 3:42 am
BTW this tanking crap is gettiing beyond old.
Go Bucs!