3 free agent moves Buccaneers can make to be scary good in 2024

Sign some help for Rachaad White

You want to talk about risks? Is there a bigger risk on the free agent market than J.K. Dobbins right now? This guy is a definition of a trap, but it might be a trap worth falling for.

When healthy, Dobbins has been one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL. 5.8 yards-per-carry and a quality blocker in pass protection is just about everything the Bucs would like to add to their running back room.

However, that 'when healthy' was more substantial than most would think at first glance.

Dobbins came into the NFL in 2020, played well as a rookie, got hurt, missed the 2021 season, and then played nine games total between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The results are clear; Dobbins is an excellent running back, but he is also one of the biggest injury risks in the league.

So, what harm does it really do for the Bucs to throw a limited, incentive-laden deal at Dobbins? The answer is basically none.

The Buccaneers don't have much to speak of behind White, and, to be truthful, they don't need it if he stays healthy. White is a 1,500-yard guy that can play 75-80% of snaps every week and not lose a step. However, any injury to White leaves the Bucs without a run game.

Dobbins would serve as a way to hedge that bet and also give the Bucs a shot at a sneaky-dynamic running back room. Dobbins would be the thunder in the pair, but this season would be a massive win for the young back if he could stay healthy on seven or eight carries a game while staying close to five yards per carry.

This move would give a bit of relief to White, Dobbins a chance to prove himself over a full season, and Todd Bowles the best shot at a quality run game that he has had since taking over as head coach. All it would cost is a little gamble that has next to no downside if it doesn't work.

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