Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is not expected to participate in OTAs due to his ongoing recovery from offseason shoulder surgery, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Irving, 23, only appeared in 10 games last year due to foot and shoulder sprains, with the latter hampering him for the rest of the year. The result was a significant drop in production relative to his standout rookie year, which featured 5.4 yards per carry and eight touchdowns. In 2025, he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry and scored just once.
The 2024 fourth-round pick is not expected to be ready for the Buccaneers’ mandatory minicamp later in June. Instead, a return “at some point during training camp” is more likely, although that uncertainty may be worrisome for Tampa Bay (and Irving’s fantasy owners).
In the meantime, free agency signing Kenneth Gainwell and 2023 UDFA Sean Tucker will be in line for first-team reps.
Gainwell had a resurgent season in Pittsburgh last year with career-highs of 537 rushing yards and 4.7 yards per attempt as well as a huge role in the passing game. He caught 73 of his 85 targets for 486 yards and three touchdowns – all career-highs as well – and figures to fill Rachaad White‘s third-down role in Tampa Bay.
Tucker flashed in 2024 with 308 yards on just 50 carries (6.2 yards per attempt), but struggled to fill Irving’s void last year. He managed just 320 yards on 86 carries (3.7 yards per attempt), though he did post a team- and career-high of seven touchdowns.
Rounding out the Bucs’ backfield is 2025 UDFA Josh Williams, who appeared in just three games as a rookie (partially due to a six-game PED suspension). The team also signed undrafted rookie Kadarius Calloway, who averaged 7.1 yards per carry at Old Dominion in 2023 but failed to replicated those results at Cal and New Mexico State in the last two years. They will also be in line for more reps in spring practices, but Tampa Bay could also consider a veteran addition to hedge against an extended absence from Irving.
It’s disingenuous to call Gainwell’s season resurgent. Philly never gave him a large role in the offense aside from 2023 -and even in that year he barely got touches.
These are the type of numbers Kenny G could’ve always been putting up if used properly. If Hurts was a legit QB who could spread the ball around and help everybody eat, the Eagles would’ve lined Gainwell up as a WR and used him in other creative ways, just like they should’ve done with Boston Scott.
But now he has arguably an even bigger opportunity than last year because there is no rookie draft pick to compete with for snaps and neither Irving nor Tucker were able to repeat 2024 last year. He could very well be the #1 or #1A back come Week 1.
Imo this is a make or break year for Irving though. As talented as he is, he was really poor last year.