Predictions, Thoughts and Concerns on Bucky Irving and Buccaneers' RB Room

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' running back room went through a bit of a reshuffle this offseason, but for the most part, things will stay the same.

Rachaad White made it known from the jump that he would be leaving in free agency, and he did just that, signing a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders. The Bucs quietly retained third-string back Sean Tucker this offseason and filled White's former role alongside Bucky Irving with do-it-all back Kenneth Gainwell.

With that being said, here are our predictions, thoughts and concerns surrounding the Bucs' running backs as we enter 2026:

Predictions

All three backs have the potential to make an impact this season for the Bucs in their own ways.

With Irving seeing the lion's share of the touches last season when healthy, we expect to see a bigger shift to more of a balanced attack using all three backs, with Irving and Gainwell being the primary ball handlers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Kenneth Gainwel — Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Irving got worn down last year and is clearly not built to be a lead back, so taking the weight off having to carry the burden as a workhorse back will hopefully return him to his rookie form.

With the understanding that Irving and Gainwell will likely be closer to split carries in 2026, and with Tucker filling in at moments, including short yardage and maybe goal-line duties, we can expect all to have pretty solid years across the board.

Don't expect any of the three to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in 2026, but I would believe that both Irving and Gainwell see over 500 yards each while adding close to that in receiving as well.

With Gainwell's success at the goal line in the past, I would expect him to lead the room in total touchdowns.

Thoughts

The Buccaneers ran a ton of gap-heavy rushing plays last season under Josh Grizzard as their offensive coordinator, but that is surely not going to be the case now that the team has moved on from him.

The gap-heavy scheme didn't do the Bucs' running backs any favors last season, despite the running game being their best offensive asset. It failed to find consistency or the explosiveness that we saw in 2024 under Liam Coen.

Enter Zac Robinson.

Robinson will now take the reins at OC and will look to drastically reshape how the Bucs go about their running scheme.

Robinson will implement more of a zone scheme, with a heavy usage of the pistol formation, something he utilized the most out of every coordinator in the league while with the Atlanta Falcons.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Bucky Irvin — Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Being able to successfully call running plays that fit the style of the runner in the game will be key, and Robinson knows that he can bring this room back to life if he plays his cards right. I expect this significant, but balanced, change to have a major impact on the success of the running game for the Bucs in 2026.

Concerns

While all signs point towards the running game being a huge asset for Tampa Bay in 2026, there is one familiar concern that could show itself this season — injuries.

Gainwell has stayed fairly healthy throughout his career, and the same can be said for Tucker. Irving was on that same path, but after carrying the burden last season, he faced his first major football injury.

Irving ended up having a serious shoulder injury that he played through down the stretch, but ultimately wound up having offseason surgery.

If the Bucs end up missing one or two guys for a serious period of time, then that most definitely would put a wrinkle into not only how successful the running game can be, but also the offense as a whole.

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