As we get closer to the 2025 NFL Draft, the conversations about the Bucs potentially trading an important player on their team grow a little bit louder. A section of Bucs fans have wanted the Bucs to trade Rachaad White due to the emergence of Bucky Irving.
While that remains to be seen, a recent article by ESPN’s Adam Schefter has given a lot more validity to it.
Schefter mentioned a couple of players that could be traded on draft night because they were expendable due to being on the last year of their rookie contract. Rachaad White was named onto that list.
There are a couple of teams that would be interested in his services, such as the Cowboys, who need a starting and a backup running back, and the Raiders, who general manager John Spytek was in the Bucs front office for over a decade and is very familiar with White. Tampa Bay certainly would like to add another draft pick or two after not having one in the sixth. Trading White for picks is a way of doing so.
There’s no denying what an absolute sensation Bucky Irving became for the Bucs as a rookie fourth round pick, eventually taking over as the starting back. He became the first Bucs running back to rush for over 1,000 yards in a decade when he rushed for 1,122 and eight touchdowns last season. The excitement level for what Irving can do in year two should be through the roof.
What we’re forgetting, though, is the importance that White brings as an important backup and being the best running back on passing plays. White has shown that he’s up to the task of taking on blitzing defenders in pass blocking. He’s also the most polished route runner of the running backs that can go up the field and make plays.
Irving has had highlight reel chunk plays in the passing game, but they’ve all been from screens and not necessarily route running. This isn’t saying Irving should play any less. In fact, he should be playing more getting to start all 17 games. Just remember that White gives necessary depth to the room.
Any player can get hurt at any moment. That happened to Irving in a home game against the Raiders after just four rushing attempts. It was White that played most of the games after, having 109 total yards and a touchdown.
This is the part where everyone will say that Rachaad White is expendable because of Sean Tucker and the best game he’s had in his early career in Week 6 when he rushed 14 times for 136 yards and a touchdown while also making three catches for 56 yards and a score. What’s crazy is that most of this damage was done in the fourth quarter, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
We all clamored for more snaps for Tucker and it wasn’t really given. The next week, Tucker had five attempts for 17 yards. He got four carries against the Giants for three yards. While he did score a touchdown in New York, he also had a goal line fumble. His second highest amount of attempts on the season was seven against the Chargers, and that went for 17 yards as the Bucs won the game.
There’s plenty to like about Sean Tucker as a running back with more reps. Yet there’s still a lot of work he needs to do to improve as a pass blocker. That may come with more development this season. But to get rid of White just to think Tucker can immediately step in and do what White was able to is a bit far-fetched.
If there’s a back that the Bucs love in this year’s draft and they think that’s the best way to replace White, by all means go for it. At the end of the day there’s no reason for anyone to doubt general manager Jason Licht’s decisions. It’s just important to understand why depth is so important and that players such as White are needed on a team in case something happens to Bucky Irving, who may very well be a Pro Bowl player this season.
This is likely the last year White is on the Bucs roster since his contract is expiring. The best course of action might be to add a running back and develop that player for the next season while White stays on as the No. 2 back. It’s a two-running back league nowadays in the NFL, so as much as Irving will be the guy, White is important to the Bucs, too.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers' signing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers was an immediately polarizing move that did not sit well with large portions of the fan base. It also did not sit well with one of the team's all-time greatest players, four-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw initially referred to the signing of Rodgers as a "joke" and that he should "stay in California and go chew bark" in reference to Rodgers isolating himself in a darkness retreat last year. On Saturday, Rodgers finally had a chance to respond to Bradshaw and did so with a combination of taking the high road, and also trying to make light of it. “I whisper to the gods every single day. I’ve known Terry for a long time, being a part of Fox. Terry’s a legend. He’s an absolute legend. He won four Super Bowls. He’s had a legendary career in the media. But Terry, like a lot of people, doesn’t know me. And so, he’s got an idea of what he thinks about me based on what I’ve done, the documentary, what I’ve said, darkness retreat, whatever the hell you want to talk about. I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level. I feel like if he gave me a chance to get to know him, then we’d have a good friendship." He ended the answer by saying, "So, I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level if he’s open to it. And maybe we can go chew some bark or whatever the hell he’s talking about together.” The Steelers were in a pretty desperate quarterback situation this offseason after completely overhauling the position for a second year in a row. They missed out on the chance to re-sign Justin Fields, let Russell Wilson walk, missed out on every other veteran who changed teams and passed on the opportunity to select a quarterback near the top of a weak quarterback draft class. (They ultimately selected Ohio State's Will Howard in the sixth round.) The whole Rodgers saga has been quite a soap opera for the Steelers as they waited around for months while he decided on whether or not he wanted to play this season, and if he wanted to play for the Steelers. Add in the fact he has had a tendency to cause some off-field distractions with his comments and weekly "Pat McAfee Show" appearances, as well as the fact he will turn 42 years old this season and hasn't been a top-tier quarterback in three years, and a lot of Steelers fans — and former players — were put off by the idea. The only thing that will matter in the end, however, is how Rodgers plays on the field. He has said all of the right things since joining the team, and his new teammates have all spoken highly of him so far, but it will still come down to results on the field. The Steelers have not won a playoff game in eight years and are facing added pressure each year to end that drought. They are hoping Rodgers has one more good year in him to help them advance in the postseason.
Now in her second WNBA season, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese is averaging a league‑leading 12.5 rebounds along with 13.8 points, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. She recently returned from injury and immediately picked up where she left off, posting her 16th double‑double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds) on Tuesday night even as her Chicago Sky fell, 91-68, to the Minnesota Lynx. Then, on Wednesday, Reese showcased her brand power on Instagram, posting a pregame photo dressed head‑to‑toe in Gucci with the caption, "Don’t worry about me… life is GUCCI @gucci #guccipartner." The image quickly lit up her feed and drew an immediate response from one of the game’s all‑time greats, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, who commented, “Yessss it is❤️." Despite flashes of elite play, the Sky have struggled mightily, standing at just 7-17 and sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. Their 76.7 points per game rank 12th in the WNBA, and opponents are torching them for 86.8 a night (12th in the league). With head coach Tyler Marsh searching for consistency, every bright spot has been a welcome reprieve for a franchise that won the title as recently as 2021. Front and center among Chicago’s bright spots is Reese. Off the court, Reese has quickly built a burgeoning portfolio of endorsement deals, including Reebok, Calvin Klein, Beats by Dre, Amazon and now Gucci, underscoring her status as one of the WNBA’s brightest personalities. On the other side, you have Leslie, whose voice carries more weight than arguably anybody in women’s basketball. A three‑time league MVP, two‑time WNBA champion and Finals MVP and eight‑time All‑Star, Leslie helped define the league’s early years with the Los Angeles Sparks, including driving home the first dunk in WNBA history in 2002. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (class of 2015), she remains a global ambassador for the sport.
SAN ANTONIO — De'Aaron Fox was supposed to take a tour of Asia a la Victor Wembanyama this summer, only his came with company. On July 8, Curry Brand announced its 2025 Curry Brand World Tour, set to feature both the San Antonio Spurs star and Golden State Warriors frontman Steph Curry beginning in August. Stops along the way included San Francisco, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Chongqing, China. Announced by Fox Friday afternoon, Curry will be making the trip solo. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to travel to Asia next month," the point guard said in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter. "This was a tough decision for me. I was really looking forward to traveling to ... meet all of you and show off the Curry 2s and experience the incredible basketball culture in Asia." Fox didn't provide a reason for his cancellation, and no official statement beyond the video has been made by Under Armour, Curry Brand, or the Spurs. "I'm truly sorry," he said. "Your love for the game and unmatched enthusiasm set you apart from any other fanbase in the world." The Spurs' point guard recently recovered from a pinkie surgery he underwent on March 17 to repair ligament damage sustained during training camp while still with the Sacramento Kings. Since then, he and the team have prioritized building chemistry ahead of next season. “We should be clear, me and Vic, ... around the same time," Fox said at the end of the regular season. "So, we’d be able to get together in the summer and be able to work with each other.”
If the New York Yankees are looking to add in the coming days, they may have to part ways with some of the young talent rising through the ranks of their farm system. The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Thursday afternoon that catcher Rafael Flores was one Yankees prospect who has been coveted by trade partners. Flores was promoted from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last Saturday. Flores hit .287 with 15 home runs, 23 doubles, 48 runs, 56 RBIs, six stolen bases and an .841 OPS across 87 games in Double-A. Through six Triple-A contests, the 24-year-old catcher is batting .208 with one home runs, three runs, three RBIs and a .720 OPS. MLB Pipeline has Flores ranked as the Yankees' No. 8 prospect, making him the only catcher in the organization's top 25. The Yankees already swung a blockbuster deal with the Colorado Rockies on Friday, acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon, parting ways with pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz in order to complete the trade. The following day, superstar outfielder Aaron Judge hit the 10-day injured list with a flexor strain. Those two moves could change New York's plans for the coming days, including their willingness to move Flores. The future of second-year first baseman Ben Rice, who has spent roughly one-seventh of his time at catcher this season, could also play a part in determining Flores' availability. The trade deadline is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on Thursday.