Proposed Bucs trade helps them go all-in on Bucky Irving and add draft picks

One expert thinks the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should pull off a trade that would increase running back Bucky Irving’s workload.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp | Julio Aguilar/GettyImages

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to enter the 2025 season with one of the best backfields in the NFL. With Bucky Irving emerging as a rookie last season with 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns, he became the leader of a unit that also has Rachaad White, who contributed 613 rushing yards last year. They both led the way for a dominant rushing team and overall great offense.

While it makes sense to run things back with the productive duo, one analyst thinks the Buccaneers should break the room up and go all in on Irving. In a recent ESPN piece, Seth Walder proposed five win-win training camp trades. One of the proposals included Tampa Bay and two other teams, making it a win-win-win trade.

Walder proposed the Buccaneers receive a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Chicago Bears, Chicago gets Rachaad White and a 2027 seventh-round pick from the Los Angeles Chargers, and L.A. gets D'Andre Swift and a 2026 sixth-round pick from Chicago.

ESPN says Buccaneers should move Rachaad White for a draft pick ahead of 2025 season

While that proposal has a lot of moving parts, Tampa Bay’s part of it is simple: Rachaad White in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Walder acknowledges White’s role in Tampa, but argues the team could afford to move on considering the Bucs have Irving, and other depth pieces.

"White is a useful player for Tampa Bay, but Bucky Irving took the starting job from him and is a strong receiver in his own right. With Sean Tucker also on the Bucs and White in the final year of his deal, the latter becomes a logical trade candidate."
Seth Walder (ESPN)

As Walder highlighted, this is a contract year for White, so it’s likely that he leaves the team next offseason anyway. With that in mind, it would be understandable if Buccaneers wanted to pick up an extra pick before he walks out the door. With Sean Tucker returning, after a season where he ran for 308 yards on 50 carries, he could step up into the RB2 role.

Ultimately, this is a move that seems unlikely to happen, but it is one that would make sense for the Buccaneers.

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