The Time Has Come To Elevate Bucky Irving
Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Back in Week 1, when rookie Bucky Irving broke out for 76 yards on 11 touches, there were already calls for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to appoint the fourth-rounder as their bell cow. At the time, we preached patience, as a timeshare with Rachaad White appeared to be the best way forward, on paper.
Well, two weeks later, it looks like we were wrong.
Since dropping 37 points in the opener against the Washington Commanders, the Bucs have managed to scrape just 27 points together since then. In those two games combined, Irving has just 19 carries and catches, despite averaging 5.6 yards whenever he touches the ball. The touches are relatively even between Irving and White, but the results aren’t, as White is averaging just 2.6 yards on 22 touches in the same two contests.
In fact a deeper dive on all three games, per Pewterreport.com, shows a severe discrepancy.
Irving
Week 1: 9 carries, 62 yards (6.2 avg.)
Week 2: 7 carries, 22 yards (3.1 avg.)
Week 3: 9 carries, 70 yards (7.8 avg.)
TOTAL: 25 carries, 154 yards (6.2 avg.)
White
Week 1: 15 carries, 31 yards (2.1 avg.)
Week 2: 10 carries, 18 yards (1.8 avg.)
Week 3: 6 carries, 17 yards (2.8 avg.)
TOTAL: 31 carries, 66 yards (2.1 avg.)
Irving has been a major weapon for the Bucs offense whenever he’s on the field. Too bad he’s rarely there! Through three games, the rookie has lined up for just 33% of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps. That’s barely more than backup tight end Payne Durham (27%) and WR4 Trey Palmer (25%).
This is despite being one of the most effective runners in the league in the early going. Only J.K. Dobbins has more yards per carry than Irving’s 6.2 (which ties him with Antonio Gibson for second in the NFL) among running backs with 15-plus carries. On the whole, Irving is second on the Bucs with 182 yards from scrimmage, behind only Chris Godwin. Among runners and receivers, that’s tied with New Orleans Saints wideout Rashid Shaheed for 52nd in the NFL.
And remember — this is in just 33% of Tampa’s offensive plays! Grouping Irving in with the top-50 in yards from scrimmage, the only player that’s even kinda close to seeing as few snaps as Irving is Austin Ekler of the Washington Commanders (40% of offensive snaps). Then there’s a huge gap before you see the Green Bay Packers’ Jayden Reed and San Francisco 49ers’ Juaun Jennings (62%).
Come on, Todd Bowles, Irving can’t be that bad of a blocker, right?
“It has nothing to do with anything,” rebutted the coach when asked if Irving’s understanding of the playbook or blocking was the reason for his limited snaps. “We were behind, so we threw it a little bit more. Rachaad is probably a better pass protector, at this point, but Bucky has definitely earned more reps.”
At this point, he has to. White currently playing twice the snaps that Irving has. Maybe you can keep White on the field to serve as a glorified fullback, but when it comes to making plays, Irving is out-classing White in every way. While Irving is cast as the speed guy to White’s power game, Irving has more yards after contact (100) than White (67), per Pro Football Focus. The advantages for Irving don’t stop there, either.
10-Plus Yard Runs:
Irving: 4 (T-25th of 96 RBs)
White: 1 (T-46th of 96)
PFF Grade — Rushing:
Irving: 68.4 (T-37th of 96)
White: 52.6 (88th of 96)
PFF Grade — Receiving
Irving: 74.7 (10th of 96)
White: 73.5 (13th of 96)
At this point, it’s hard to say what advantage the Buccaneers get with White on the field, unless Irving is there, too. Perhaps in passing-only downs, Bowles and Liam Coen might look to give Irving a breather. But other than that? There’s no reason to do anything but lean on Bucky right now. The offense needs yards, it needs big plays, and it needs scoring. Irving is the player that’s going to facilitate that. Hopefully, when Bowles says his rookie phenom has earned more snaps, we’re talking about something like twice the amount he’s gotten in the early goings of the season.
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