Buccaneers make quality offensive signing to offset recent injury

We haven’t heard much from the Buccaneers about Giovani Bernard just yet, but it looks like the team has made a signing to stem the bleeding that is happening at the running back position.

The Buccaneers losing Giovani Bernard the other night is going to be a move with a lasting impact on the preseason.

As much as we wish that the team made a different decision and didn’t put their injury-prone running back in a position that is far from his norm, the damage is done, and the team is continuing on ahead.

With Bernard out for right now and Kenjon Barner heading to IR, the Bucs needed to make a move to fill out their roster for the remainder of camp.

Rather than letting it ride with who they already had on the roster, the Buccaneers have gone out and found a new running back to see in training camp in Patrick Laird.

Laird is far from flashy, but this signing does show that the Bucs do believe that Bernard could miss some time, and the new addition does stem the bleeding in a camp role while also being a long shot to make the roster at the start of the regular season.

There weren’t that many other options out there that make as much sense for the Bucs in the Bernard role. We aren’t that far removed from a few years ago when people believed that Laird could be a decent third-down back in the right situation, and going after a different option might not leave the door open for Bernard to return.

Laird’s experience on special teams would also make the signing into something that seems a little bit better if the Bucs do think that Bernard could miss time.

Laird isn’t going to be anything groundbreaking for a team that already has three better running backs, especially when looking at his last season where he only had four total touches, but his talent does go beyond the stats if Tom Brady is giving him looks through the air.

The coming weeks are going to reveal a lot during the practices and the preseason games. Bernard’s injury report is also going to be relevant to see what the Bucs actually believe will come from a move like this.

Still, if there was a player in the NFL that could make the most of a guy that has some real question marks, he is the starting quarterback for the Buccaneers.

Keep an eye on Patrick Laird-he might just start the season in the Giovani Bernard role if he plays his cards in the right way.

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