A great running game is one of the best foundations an NFL quarterback to ask for, and as Baker Mayfield enters the 2026 season without a new contract in hand, he has a huge point to prove not just to Jason Licht and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization, but to the entire league after his Bucs fell short of the playoffs last season despite playing in the NFL's worst division.
One of the biggest things that hurt the Bucs offense last season was the injury - well, plural injuries - to feature back Bucky Irving. After touching double digit touchdowns and easily clearing 1,000 yards in his first season as a true franchise running back, Irving fell apart as his health failed him in the 2025 NFL regular season.
Now with Kenny Gainwell breathing down his neck, some are optimstic that Irving will put together a big season under the same offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson, who got the goods out of Bijan Robinson. But others don't see Irving anywhere near the elite cream of the crop of running backs like Bijan and are predicting a down season.
Bucky Irving may benefit from the motivation
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Rondé Barber seems to think fantasy football owners are headed for disappointment with Bucky Irving next season, mostly because of the presence of Gainwell. Not only does he think the talented Gainwell will eat into his touches, but speaking on his radio show, via Joe Bucs Fan, he also doesn't think Irving can hold up enough to be a bell cow back, invoking last season's injury woes.
Barber said that Irving and Kenny Gainwell will split touches in the Buccaneers backfield, and while he still predicts 1,000 rushing yards for Irving, he thinks that Emeka Egbuka will get to 1,000 receiving yards first, implying a greater importance to Chris Godwin Jr.'s partner in crime and Baker Mayfield's No. 2 wideout.
There was a children's book named "Frindle" where the teacher was the villain, except she was only pretending to discourage her student, knowing it would only motivate him further. Maybe that's what Rondé Barber is doing here, pulling a little bit of reverse psychology to try and set low expectations for Bucky after a tough 2025 so that Irving runs even harder and tries to make the most out of his touches, even if they do inevitably fall with a great No. 2 - or, really, as Jason Licht says - 1B back on the roster now.
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