There are not a lot of players that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could trade for value this year, at least not that they are willing to. That hasn't stopped the media that cover the NFL from speculating on the matter.
Tampa fans have been watching as Jason Licht has tiptoed through free agency. It's as if he forgets that his team was 8-9 last season and still missed the playoffs by a tie-breaking scenario with the Panthers. Losing Mike Evans didn't help, but doing nothing doesn't help either.
Bucky Irving is the best running back on the Bucs' offense. He is a solid weapon for Mayfield, but is he enough to take them to a winning season or deep into the playoffs? Probably not, so naturally Pro Football Focus names him the team's best tradable asset.
Bucky Irving may have trade value, but it's hard to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers moving him
Irving has been exactly what Licht hoped he would be. A steal in the 4th round of the 2024 draft, Irving has carved out his spot on the offense. The biggest issue has been reliability. Irving missed seven games last year after appearing in all 17 his rookie season.
That's a lot of games for a second-year player to miss, and it wasn't just because of one injury. He suffered both a foot injury and a shoulder injury that would later require surgery.
PFF may name him as the team's best asset, but it would be nearly impossible to get value for him in a trade. He has the talent to lift an offense, but coming off an injury will lower his value despite still being on an extremely friendly rookie contract.
On paper, it looks good, especially after his 1,122-yard rookie season. Despite missing time last year, he still produced 588 yards on 173 carries.
One thing fans should keep in mind, though, is that Irving shouldn't be listed as "untouchable." If Licht did receive a call with a reasonable compensation package, he should consider it. He would need to define what "reasonable" is.
Running backs are not the franchise players that they used to be. Teams now take a dual-lead running back approach to their offensive game plans. Finding solid backs in the middle of the draft has become far easier, and teams are no longer giving most of those draft picks second contracts.
That, too, is a problem for Licht, should he even want to consider moving Irving? Teams are not going to give up draft capital for a player that can likely be found with that pick. The biggest takeaway from the PFF list of players is that the Buccaneers don't have better options.