Bucky Irving: Everything you need to know

The Buccaneers announced Tuesday that Irving (shoulder) may not be fully cleared for the start of OTAs, Andrew Harbaugh of USA Today reports. Irving missed seven games from Week 2 to Week 12 due to a combination of shoulder and foot/ankle injuries in 2025. Though he returned for Tampa Bay's final six regular-season games, the 2024 fourth-rounder shared snaps with Sean Tucker (re-signed) and Rachaad White (signed with Commanders) and never quite looked fully healthy. The shoulder injury required an offseason procedure to address and Irving isn't yet cleared to practice, though Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports that his rehab is proceeding on schedule. Per Auman, Irving is expected to be limited during OTAs, which will take place between late May and early June, before being fully cleared for the start of training camp in July. Presumably, he will also be limited at mandatory minicamp from June 16-18. Tampa Bay added Kenneth Gainwell to the backfield via a two-year, $14 million contract in free agency, positioning Irving to face increased competition for touches, especially for change-of-pace work and third-down scenarios.

Irving could face increased competition for touches, as NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports Monday that Kenneth Gainwell is signing a two-year, $14 million contract with the Buccaneers. Irving missed seven games due to foot and shoulder injuries in 2025, and he ceded touches to Sean Tucker and Rachaad White after returning. While Irving ultimately led the Buccaneers with 173 rushing attempts, he scored only one rushing touchdown compared to White's four on 132 carries and Tucker's seven on 86 carries. White and Tucker are both free agents, but the addition of Gainwell suggests Irving could be ticketed for less of a workhorse role in 2026, as Gainwell racked up 1,023 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns on 114 carries and 85 targets in the 2025 regular season with the Steelers.

Irving rushed 26 times for 85 yards and brought in one of two targets for 13 yards in the Buccaneers' 16-14 win over the Panthers on Saturday. Irving proved capable of handling a true workhorse role, logging a new career high in rush attempts. As his final implies, the Panthers made the second-year back work hard for his yards, but Irving was able to move the chains on five occasions, certainly a critical stat in what turned out to be a narrow win. Irving finishes his injury-hampered regular season with 588 rushing yards at just 3.4 yards per carry, but he'll have a chance for better production in the wild-card round next weekend if the Saints can upend or tie the Falcons on Sunday.