The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a long list of offseason tasks to take care of, and it extend beyond the obvious.
No matter what happens with the team's top three free agents, both the offensive line and the run game need proper attention either through free agency or the draft. Todd Bowles said as much at the NFL Combine this week, noting that he'd like to see the team add another running back at some point over the next few months.
That addition could come from the draft, as pairing a young back with Rachaad White and Chase Edmonds is an intriguing idea. It could also mean the Bucs look at the free agent market and go bargain shopping for someone who fits the mold of what the offense needs and the general vibe of the team.
5 running backs Buccaneers could realistically target in free agency
Cam Akers
One potential budget option for the Bucs could be a guy who new offensive coordinator Liam Coen is already familiar with
Coen's time with the Los Angeles Rams overlapped with Cam Akers' in 2020 but the former was spending his time in the quarterback room. When Coen took over as offensive coordinator in 2022, Akers saw his production increase to career-best totals, as he finished the season with nearly 900 total yards and seven touchdowns.
Injuries played a role in tanking his numbers, but he managed just 167 rushing yards in 7 games last season between stints with the Rams and Vikings. Not for nothing, Akers best season was coming off an Achilles tendon tear, putting him in an almost identical spot this year after suffering the same injury with Minnesota.
One thing that could complicate matters is his free agency status. Akers is a restricted free agent, which means the Vikings can match an offer that he gets from another team. He's a bit on the price end of the bargain section, with a market value around $4.1 million and a multi-year contract projection.
Akers has a lot to prove, though, which could bode well for the Bucs. Not only would he be a potential fit in the system by reuniting with Coen but he'd be in a situation to revive his career on a short-term deal and cash in next offseason if all goes well.
Market Value: $4.1M
Ezekiel Elliott
After the Dallas Cowboys moved on from Ezekiel Elliott, the Bucs were consistently tossed out as a potential landing spot. It made sense on paper, as Zeke would have filled the Leonard Fournette role as a burly back who compliments Rachaad White's style and offers a dynamic to the backfield.
It would have also meant a reunion with running backs coach Skip Peete, who helped turn Elliott into part of the league's most productive duos with Tony Pollard -- who mimics White in a lot of ways.
The main problem with the plan was the Bucs' lack of cash to spend, something that won't be an issue this offseason.
Not only did the salary cap historically increase, but Tampa Bay already had over $30 million more in cap space than it had when this conversation came up last year. All of the reasons the pairing made sense a year ago still make sense now, if not more so. Zeke proved in New England that he can slide into a complementary role but still has enough in the tank to be productive.
Tampa Bay still needs to fix its run game, and everyone is hoping that the third time is the charm with Liam Coen. Despite being part of a pretty bad Patriots offense, Elliott managed nearly 1,000 total yards and five touchdowns. He wasn't the vulture everyone thought he might be, but that's more of a reflection on New England than it is Zeke.
While there will be more attention on him in free agency than last year, he's still a mid-tier option the Bucs could bring in at a reasonable price to help play Robin to White's Batman.
Market Value: $2.7M
A.J. Dillon
If the Bucs want someone like Elliott but with some more tread left on the tire, AJ Dillon could be an intriguing option.
He played a similar role to what he'd do in Tampa Bay up in Green Bay alongside Aaron Jones. Both Rachaad White and Jones are excellent pass-catching running backs, with Dillon being more of a chain mover than a dual-threat out of the backfield. He's younger than Elliott but he's also more expensive and is coming off a much worse season.
Last year was Dillon's worst since his rookie season, and arguably the lowest output he's had in a full season of work. He only played in 11 games back in 2020 and since then he's worked his way into the rotation more consistently. That's why finishing with fewer than 700 yards and just a pair of rushing touchdowns is a rough look, but it could mean he's forced to take a discounted rate in an already gnarly running back market.
Much like the other NFC North running back the Bucs could target, Dillon could return to Green Bay and help Matt LaFleur run things back -- although he's not a restricted free agent. It's unclear how much the Packers actually value him or if they'd rather replace him with someone like Derrick Henry who takes them closer to Super Bowl contention.
If that's the case, Dillon would head to free agency with a chip on his shoulder which seems to fit the vibe down in Tampa Bay.
Market Value: $3.5M
Zack Moss
Unlike what Dillon or Elliott might bring to Tampa Bay, Zack Moss is closer to what the Bucs have in Rachaad White as a dual-threat back.
Last year in Indy, Moss finished with 986 total yards and seven touchdowns. Most of his production came on the ground but he did show flashes of being able to spark the Colts offense with some great catch-and-run plays. He'd essentially be a younger version of Chase Edmonds, who has a lot of the same qualities as Moss right up to their size and stature and backs under 6'0".
He's also established himself as a purely complementary back, which isn't as much of an insult as that may seem. He played a secondary role in Buffalo but did so by logging almost 1,200 total yards and ten touchdowns over the course of two seasons and change in Buffalo (he played five games for the Bills in 2022 before being traded).
That depth role is what the Bucs brought Edmonds in to do last year, although an injury wiped out most of his season. Moss is a bit on the pricey end, but he'd offer a younger upgrade to Edmonds. He could even be signed as an RB3 if the Bucs don't believe Sean Tucker can be that guy next year, which would give Tampa Bay a pretty strong running back room.
Market Value: $4.6M
J.K. Dobbins
It's hard to believe that J.K. Dobbins is already entering his fifth year in the NFL because it feels like we've hardly seen him play. Injuries have devastated his career so far, with an ACL tear wiping out his 2021 season and an Achilles year in Week 1 last year ended his season after just eight carries.
He's set to hit free agency with a checkered injury history but a ton of upside since he's seen so little action since being drafted out of Ohio State back in 2020. Outside of his rookie season he hasn't played more than eight games and has appeared in just nine total, which makes him a potentially perfect reclamation project for the Bucs to take on.
The situation with Baker Mayfield wasn't so intense, but there are parallels to draw between the two players. Like Baker, Dobbins could use a stint with the Bucs to finally get his career on the track it appeared to be on when he rushed for 805 yards and nine touchdowns just five years ago. That's just scratching the surface of his potential, and putting hin the same backfield as Rachaad White could help him tap back into the guy who was so electric in college.
It's a gamble, but the Bucs aren't afraid to take those when it's the right call. Dobbins, if healthy, could be a top back in the league and pairing him with White might take Tampa Bay's run game to places it hasn't been in years.
Market Value: $2.1M