Every now and then, even in the NFL, we get to see examples of someone putting the success of the team ahead of individual glory.
One great example of that has been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their running backs in 2024, with third-year running back Rachaad White and Bucky Irving teaming up to turn the NFL’s worst rushing attack into one of its best. That has been spearheaded not only by Irving’s unique talent, but White’s willingness to be a mentor from Day 1.
That’s why the Buccaneers need to ignore what will for sure be numerous calls to break up the duo and trade White — who will have massive trade value in the offseason — in order to keep the 2 running backs together to create an offensive weapon similar to what the Detroit Lions have had in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs in 2024 on the way to becoming Super Bowl contenders.
With White and Irving, the Buccaneers are seventh in the NFL in rushing through 15 games (143.7 yards per game). The last 2 seasons, Tampa Bay has finished dead last in the NFL in rushing — 32nd out of 32 teams both years.
Financially, RB Duo Is Truly a Dream Scenario
One thing to consider — and what might actually be the most important reason for keeping them together — is that Irving and White already represent one of the NFL’s great “Return On Investment” combinations at any position.
Irving was a fourth round pick (No. 125 overall) out of Oregon in the 2024 NFL draft and leads the team with 920 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He also has 42 receptions for 320 yards. Irving already seems like a lock to make the PFWAA All-Rookie Team and, possibly, become the first Tampa Bay running back since Doug Martin in 2015 to make the Pro Bowl.
White was a third round pick (No. 91 overall) out of Arizona State in the 2022 NFL draft and has 583 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns while averaging 4.2 yards per carry — an improvement on his 3.6 yards per carry in 2023. White also has 50 receptions for 389 yards and a whopping 6 receiving touchdowns, putting him on pace to crack 1,000 yards of total offense for the second consecutive season.
The Buccaneers are paying White and Irving a combined $2.697 million in 2024 and that number goes down to a combined $2.364 million in 2025.
That’s the kind of ROI NFL teams dream about, and one the Buccaneers might have to be out of their mind to turn their backs on for at least 1 more season.
Buccaneers In Fight For Playoff Lives
While White had the game-ending fumble in a 26-24, Week 15 loss to the Dallas Cowboys that snapped a 4-game winning streak the Buccaneers, they’ll have to shake off that defeat quickly. Tampa Bay needs to refocus for the final 2 games of the season — home games against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17 and the New Orleans Saints in Week 18.
Tampa Bay is currently 8-7 and fell out of first place in the NFC South with their loss and a win by the Atlanta Falcons — a loss that also put them 2 games back of the Washington Commanders for the seventh and final NFC playoff spot.
Were the Buccaneers to make the postseason for the fifth consecutive season, they will almost assuredly have to win out to do so.
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