Rachaad White reveals what Baker Mayfield brings to Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White sounds ready to enter battle with Baker Mayfield serving as his starting quarterback this fall. 

"Baker brings great energy," White explained during a Friday appearance on the NFL Network "Good Morning Football" program, per the JoeBucsFan website. "He’s a great guy. Chip on his shoulder, which our team is big on that right now. So just being that guy, just being confident, just having the swagger. … Just being a good guy, man, coming in the locker room and changing things up. … Great leadership." 

Mayfield signed a one-year "prove it" contract to join the Buccaneers early into the offseason and, by most accounts, entered the summer holding a noticeable lead over 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask in a competition that could run through all of training camp. 

White interestingly mentioned Mayfield's "swagger" after Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales and senior advisor Bruce Arians previously noted the 28-year-old brought needed "swag" and "moxie" to the organization following the retirement of Tom Brady. According to JoeBucsFan, head coach Todd Bowles said back in March that "leadership is a big percentage" of who will start for Tampa Bay in the regular-season opener at the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 10. 

ESPN stats show the Brady-led Buccaneers ended last season ranked dead last with an average of 76.9 rushing yards per game. White recorded 481 total rushing yards as a rookie and wants to make life easier for either Mayfield or Trask by becoming the franchise's first player to reach at least 1,000 yards on the ground for a single campaign since Doug Martin accomplished the feat during the 2015 season. 

"My expectation is really just do my job," White said, as shared by Bobby Kownack of the NFL's website. "Be the guy (general manager) Jason Licht wants me to be, but really just be myself. Go out there, have fun, hang loose. Obviously, the Bucs haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher in about eight years or so. So, I want to, of course, eclipse that."