Should the Buccaneers Try to Get Rachaad White Back In Free Agency?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some big free agency decisions to make in 2026. They have 16 unrestricted free agents, three restricted free agents and a club option on one player, so they'll have to figure out exactly who they'll bring back and who they are willing to let walk in free agency.

Jason Licht has his hands full, and it will be interesting to see how he navigates this offseason. For the next two weeks, we're going to look at some of Tampa Bay's most consequential free agents. We'll give you the pros and cons of each potential re-signing, and then we'll deliver the verdict on whether or not we think the Bucs should bring back that player in 2026.

For this article, we're looking at Rachaad White, who the Bucs drafted in 2022. White has made his stance on returning to Tampa Bay well-known on social media and on podcast appearances, but should Licht and Tampa Bay make a big push to keep him around this offseason?

Pros of re-signing Rachaad White

White knows the offensive system the Bucs want to run well. He's been around through Dave Canales, Liam Coen and Josh Grizzard, and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson would be able to utilize him very well in this scheme. A threat as a pass blocker and a receiver, White offers a lot of versatility as a running back outside of the run game, and that's always invaluable for any team.

Additionally, White has gotten better as a runner. He averaged the most yards per carry of any Buccaneers running back in 2025, netting 4.3 yards per carry. That's a good sign of improvement, and the Buccaneers could use that going forward to create a strong rushing attack.

Cons of re-signing Rachaad White

White has struggled as a runner before this year, however. He averaged less than four yards per carry his first two years. The Bucs still have a decision to make on running back Sean Tucker (more on that later), but running back Bucky Irving could use a power back next to him for short yardage situations — something White would not excel at. Additionally, he's valued at $6,170,000 per year, per Over the Cap, and the Bucs may want to spread those funds elsewhere.

Finally, White has made it very clear he doesn't want to be in Tampa Bay. He's made numerous social media posts alluding to this and has also been on podcasts and Instagram lives where he's said as such. That could mean that even if he does come back, his motivation to truly rejoin the fold would be in question.

The verdict

It would likely be best if the Buccaneers let White walk in free agency. He'd probably ask for more money than the Bucs were willing to offer, and he'd almost certainly take a smaller deal from another team regardless, based on his actions during the offseason. The Bucs can get a more complementary back to Irving in the offseason and would be better off saying goodbye.

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