The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added an unsung hero in free agency this offseason with the addition of Kenneth Gainwell. Head coach Todd Bowles said that aside from being a great second punch to Bucky Irving, the leadership that Gainwell is bringing to the team is already showing in the locker room.
Gainwell is entering his sixth season in the NFL. He had always been a solid depth piece during his first four years with the Philadelphia Eagles, but in 2025, he flashed as a strong second back in a one-two punch.
Gainwell posted a career-high 114 carries for 537 yards. He also added 73 catches for 486 yards. That production caught the Bucs eye, as they let Rachaad White leave and signed him to a two-year $14M deal.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Have Real Plans for Kenneth Gainwell
GettyKenneth Gainwell signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
That type of money comes with expectations. White added 40 catches for 218 yards last year. He averaged just 4.8 yards per target compared to Gainwell at 5.7. So, Gainwell was getting nearly twice as much volume because he was creating nearly one full yard more per target.
Bucky Irving has been efficient catching the football, but showed in his second season that his size does not benefit well from the workload he got in his rookie year. Irving had a couple of ailments and needed offseason shoulder surgery.
The team will want to take work away from Irving, so not only will Gainwell more than replace White as a pass catcher, but he is also going to cut into the work that Irving was getting.
Even more than that, he is going to add a presence on special teams. Gainwell was a three-phase special teams option for the Eagles, and even with his increased workload, he became an option on kick returns and kick-offs for the Steelers. He admitted he expects to participate on special teams again this year.
Gainwell is doing all of the little things. Whether it be blocking, playing specific downs and packages, and running down kicks on special teams. That is why the team views him as an unsung leader. These are not things that get praised league-wide, but players in the locker room see it.
The Buccaneers Made an Effort to Add Leadership
Gainwell is not the only player that the Bucs added this year with a veteran presence. Gainwell is the big offensive addition, although Justin Skule was added as a veteran addition on the offensive line.
On defense, they added a lot of names. A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeen Nunez-Roches bring experience, leadership, and playoff wins to the table. They also added Christian Rozeboom and Alex Anzalone at linebacker. Rozeboom came from the Los Angeles Rams, while Anzalone was on the Detroit Lions, so winning was accustomed to them.
They even added Miles Killebrew who was a special teams captain for the Steelers. The Bucs collapsed and blew a division lead last year. The thought is that adding leaders and winners from strong organizations will change that locker room vibe. Gainwell is expected to bring that change.
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