Buccaneers scheme change could force veteran skill player out

With two running backs that carry the heavy load and another runner inactive on game days, what are the Buccaneers going to do with Giovani Bernard?

Giovani Bernard looked like a steal for the Buccaneers a little over a year ago when he joined forces with Tom Brady.

Pairing the GOAT with on of the best pass-catching backs of the decade seemed like a no-brainer. The results didn’t meet these expectations.

Bernard was good, but the Bucs tended to run with two key backs, and injuries still played a role for the veteran. All of this mixed for a mediocre 23 receptions for 123 yards in the regular season. Not exactly what we expected.

Still, the depth helped at the time, and it made sense for the Bucs to keep Bernard on the roster for another year. Now, some questions have arisen as to what role Bernard is actually going to play on this team.

One game may not tell the whole story, but there are some big changes in Tampa from a scheme standpoint. This team is going to run more than it did under Bruce Arians, and wins like the one against the Cowboys are going to iron this plan out.

This poses a bit of a problem for Bernard.

The Buccaneers running the ball more is actively taking reps away from Bernard, a player that should get next to no touches between the tackles in this offense. Rachaad White and Ke’Shawn Vaughn are also both way better runners than Bernard and don’t have the injury history.

Bernard was active over Vaughn for the first game, but one has to wonder if a change is going to come to keep three backs on the game day roster that are quality runners above all else.

Giovani Bernard might still have a role to play in 2022, but it does seem like that role could shrink over the coming weeks if the first game and no touches was any indication,

Want to write about the Buccaneers? Apply below!

Want your voice heard? Join the The Pewter Plank team!

Write for us!