The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been blessed with a tremendous amount of depth at running back over the last 2 seasons — and the most surprising part of that ended up being undrafted free agent Sean Tucker.
Tucker flashed upside over the last 2 seasons that made many think he should get more carries — something that never materialized with the Buccaneers, but now could happen somewhere else.
“No restricted tender for Bucs RB Sean Tucker, per source,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on his official X account on Wednesday. “He’ll be a free agent. Rushed for 320 yards and seven touchdowns last year.”
Tucker scored 9 touchdowns over the last 2 seasons for the Buccaneers, including a 100-yard rushing game in each of the last 2 seasons.
“Bucs are not making a tender to restricted free agent RB Sean Tucker,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote. “He will become an unrestricted free agent. The right of first refusal tender is $3.26 million.”
Plenty of Teams Could Chase Sean Tucker
Tucker might be an intriguing RB 2 option for any number of teams — something he never really got a chance to do in Tampa Bay, playing behind Bucky Irving and Rachaad White.
“Bucs aren’t tendering RB Sean Tucker, who flashed some upside this past season,” Mile High Report wrote on its official X account. “May not be a RB1 candidate, but would be a solid addition to the Broncos backfield.”
The Buccaneers wasted a monster game from Tucker in a 44-32 loss at the Buffalo Bills in Week 11, where he went off for 163 yards of total offense and 2 touchdowns, which included 136 rushing yards on 14 carries.
“This is The Sean Tucker Game,” CBS Sports color commentator and 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt said during the broadcast. “What an incredible game from Sean Tucker.”
In 2024, Tucker turned in a virtuoso performance in a 51-27 win over the New Orleans Saints on October 13 with 192 yards of total offense and 2 touchdowns — 136 rushing yards and 56 receiving yards.
Tucker made the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse in 2023 and rushed for just 23 yards in 11 games as a rookie. Against the Saints, he scored a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown, which he repeated in his big game against the Bills.
Tucker Starred at Syracuse On The Field And Online
At Syracuse, Tucker had 3,801 yards of total offense and 31 total touchdowns in 3 seasons. He was a 2-time All-ACC pick and was named All-American in 2021 after he rushed for 1,496 yards.
Still, the 5-foot-9, 207-pound Tucker went undrafted in 2023 despite being projected as a fourth or fifth round pick by NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein.
“Compact, early down backup candidate with adequate size, good contact balance and instinctive features that create opportunities outside the blocking scheme,” Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “Tucker lacks the slashing qualities needed to speed through the line and past linebackers. However, he can navigate run lanes and has plenty of balance to keep the run moving after contact. He has lateral elusiveness and the build-up speed to outrun defenders in the open field.”
He became known in college for his posts on social media, where he became known for following up big performances with the hashtag #PL34SED, incorporating his college jersey No. 34. That expanded to include his number with the Buccaneers — No. 44 in the pros.
“Year 3 #PL34SED #PL44SED,” Tucker wrote on his official X account on February 22 along with a 3-minute highlight reel from his 2025 season.
Bucs Make Controversial Decision on Promising RB