Bucs Gameday

Who is the most underpaid Buccaneers player?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pay a lot of players, but which one deserves more?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot of talent on their roster, and they are fortunate to have many of those who were drafted by the team recently.

Among those is running back Bucky Irving, who was a fourth-round pick last year before popping off in his rookie season. Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon listed Irving as the most underpaid player on the roster.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers in the third quarter
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Irving deserves a raise

"At a cost to the Bucs of just $978K, the rookie fourth-round pick put up 1,514 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. He’s slated to make just $3.8 million over the course of the next three years," Gagnon writes.

Irving's draft positioning is the only reason behind his small salary. He proved in his rookie year that he should be getting paid more, but he won't see much of a pay bump until the end of his rookie contract in 2028.

By then, if he is still playing on the same level that he is now, he could run into a fortune.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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