Anyone who saw Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving with the ball in his hands during his standout rookie season in 2024 understands he’s electric when he gets to the 2nd level of the defense.
The best use of Irving is to call plays for him off-tackle and to give him the best chance to bounce something to the outside, where he can make magic happen.
In 2025, we didn’t get to see Irving do that much. In part because 1st-year offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard wasn’t calling the right plays, but mostly because Irving wasn’t playing — he missed 7 games due to injuries and other issues. That saw his numbers pretty much cut in half, down from 1,122 rushing yards and 8 total touchdowns as a rookie to 588 rushing yards and 4 total touchdowns in 2025.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen thinks the fix for Irving will come in the form of new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who replaced Grizzard after he was fired following the season.
Bowen put Irving on his list of NFL players who could have breakout seasons in 2026 under new offensive coordinators.
“New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was in Atlanta last season, where the Falcons ran outside zone at a rate of 68.4%, the highest in the league,” Bowen wrote, “This is an ideal fit for Irving, who has good vision and short-area speed. He can press the ball and dart through creases. Foot and shoulder injuries limited Irving to 10 games played last season, and his productivity declined, too … however, a healthy Irving in this offense, one that will also use his pass-catching ability? I’m in.”
Bucky Irving’s Unclear Status for Training Camp
Irving needed offseason surgery to repair his shoulder, and he was sidelined for OTAs and mandatory minicamp. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Irving might not be back until after the Buccaneers start training camp.
“Bucs RB Bucky Irving is rehabbing from off-season shoulder surgery and should be ready later this summer, per source,” Schefter wrote on his official X account on May 26. “Irving is not expected to participate in mini-camp in a few weeks, but he is likely to be ready at some point during training camp.”
It’s hard to see Irving making an impact at the start of the regular season without a full training camp, which would explain another offseason move the Buccaneers made.
Free Agent Kenneth Gainwell Could Take Carries
Irving’s return won’t be rushed by the Buccaneers — especially after they made a splash in free agency by signing running back Kenneth Gainwell away from the Pittsburgh Steelers on a 2-year, $14 million contract.
That’s a fortune compared to what they’re spending on Irving right now, who is entering the 3rd year of a 4-year, $4.751 million rookie contract.
“With Bucky Irving coming off foot and shoulder injuries, the Bucs needed not only a change-of-pace, third-down back, but someone who could do a little more, if needed,” ESPN’s Jenna Laine wrote. “His 1,023 yards from scrimmage last season were second most of any position on the Steelers behind starter Jaylen Warren, and he tied with Warren for a team-leading eight touchdowns. He gave up one sack this past season on 41 pass blocking reps.”
New OC Zac Robinson Called ‘Ideal Fit’ for Injury-Prone Buccaneers Star