Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving On Track For Full Return By Training Camp

After an injury-plagued 2025 season, Buccaneers’ running back Bucky Irving is on track to be ready for Tampa Bay’s summer preparations. Foot and shoulder injuries sidelined the young running back for much of last year, limiting him to only 10 games.

According to Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht, Irving will be eased into offseason work during OTAs as he continues recovering from shoulder surgery. The expectation, however, is that he will be fully cleared once training camp begins.

If healthy, Irving could take on a major role within Tampa Bay’s offense in 2026.
The Buccaneers also reshaped their running back room during free agency. Rachaad White moved on from Tampa Bay, while Kenneth Gainwell arrived following a successful season in Pittsburgh.

A New Day

Gainwell is expected to carve out a consistent offensive role, and Sean Tucker remains part of the rotation in short-yardage situations. With multiple contributors now in the mix, Tampa Bay appears prepared to rely on a committee approach in the backfield this season.

“Obviously, we’re missing [Irving] right now, but once he gets out there, I think it’s going to be great to see him and Kenny go hand in hand.” New offensive coordinator Zac Robinsosaitated via Rick Stroud. “Shoot, one guy might get this amount the next week. They might end up balanced, feeling the hot hand, and we’ll see where it goes.”

Irving wasted little time becoming a centerpiece of Tampa Bay’s offense during his rookie campaign, totaling 254 touches in 2024. While his receiving involvement remained steady in 2025, his rushing workload increased significantly. Irving averaged more than 17 carries per game when healthy after averaging 12 the previous season.

The former fourth-round pick is now entering his age-24 season, and Tampa Bay’s plans for his workload will be closely watched.
Kenneth Gainwell is also coming off the most productive season of his career. During his lone year with Pittsburgh, he posted career highs with 114 rushing attempts and 73 receptions.

That breakout season helped Gainwell cash in during free agency. After earning $1.79 million with the Steelers, he secured a two-year deal worth $14 million on the open market.

Once Irving, Gainwell and Sean Tucker are all healthy, Tampa Bay’s backfield rotation throughout training camp and the preseason will be something worth monitoring closely.