For the second straight offseason, the Buccaneers have been able to keep a number of core players on the books heading into the following season. That has left them with depth at many positions, including running back.
Tampa has Leonard Fournette at the top of the depth chart after he produced over 1,200 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns in his second season with the team; those numbers earned him a three-year, $21M extension. Having established himself as a three-down back, it came as little surprise when Ronald Jones departed in free agency.
That left the team with 2020 third-rounder Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Giovani Bernard as depth at the position heading into the draft. Vaughn impressed in the limited opportunities he had last season (which included one start), averaging five yards per carry. The Bucs then selected Rachaad White in the third round, adding further to the young options behind Fournette in both the short- and intermediate-term future.
That has led to questions about Bernard’s place on the roster. The longtime Bengal signed a one-year deal to remain in Tampa before the draft, valued at the veteran minimum of $1.12M. Given the way the RB depth chart now looks, however, the 30-year-old “could be left out” of the 53-man roster, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine. Much will depend, she adds, on White’s abilities on passing downs, both as a receiver and in pass protection.
Those elements have been a staple of Bernard’s game throughout his career. He registered just 23 catches for 123 yards and three touchdowns in limited action last year, but reportedly had a market beyond the Bucs in free agency. He opted to remain in Tampa, but he may have no choice but to sign with a new team for the second straight year in the near future.
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