Buccaneers RB Eager to "Add Chip Back on Shoulder" Following Humbling Season

Tampa Bay's new addition in the backfield, Chase Edmonds, is eager to show that he can still perform at a high level.

Five-year veteran running back Chase Edmonds has had an up-and-down NFL career up to this point, but after being signed to a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he believes he will get the opportunity to flourish for a team - something he never really got with Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins in 2022.

"It's on the film from my first four years doing it," Edmonds said, via the Tampa Bay Times. "I know I can be an elite third running back in this league, and I'm going be one of those guys where I'm a big-time mismatch with linebackers coming out of the backfield, and I'm eager to prove them wrong."

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Edmonds spent the first four years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, but during that span he was part of a committee backfield rather than being "the guy". Following his best season as a pro with the Cardinals in 2021, when he posted 116 rushes for 592 yards and 2 touchdowns to go along with 43 catches for 311 yards, Edmonds hit free agency and eventually signed with the Miami Dolphins.

After trying to prove himself over and over again, Edmonds admitted that his two-year deal he signed with Miami took a bit out of him.

"You're like, 'OK, things are finally turning around for yourself. Things are finally up and up,'" Edmonds said. "And you know, last season was, just straight up, my worst season ever in all my years of football. Performance-wise, it was just not up to my standard at all. It's very humbling.

"I was really one of the guys in the locker room and the human natural reaction is, like, content, you know what I mean? Like you just don't have that same (drive)."

Edmonds' 2022 season will be one to forget as he struggled in Miami to find any solid footing at being the player he once was. He only rushed for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns on 42 carries and caught 10 passes for 96 yards and one more TD in eight games.

Shortly thereafter, Edmonds was then traded to the Denver Broncos as part of the Bradley Chubb trade. With a new home, it appeared the Edmonds would get a chance to return to his old self, but he once again struggled in Denver as he only totaled 186 scrimmage yards in five games before being sidelined the remaining four games with an ankle injury.

Now after signing a one-year vet minimum with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Edmonds believes he might just get that swagger or chip back.

"I'm eager to get back out there, you know, add that chip back on my shoulder," he said.

With Tom Brady now retired, the Buccaneers' quarterback spot is open for grabs and Edmonds figures to be an integral part of what the Bucs have planned heading into 2023.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to go to Tampa, and I'm grateful that I get to play with someone like (quarterback) Baker Mayfield," Edmonds said. "Someone else whose chip is huge. Just to feed off the energy and do things that people expect you to do, individually and collectively as a team."

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