On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Bucs displayed a formidable offensive display in their game against the Washington Commanders. With Liam Coen guiding this group, they reflected during the winter on what the Bucs would prefer, and they performed flawlessly throughout the 37-20 triumph. But since the conclusion of the previous season, the running game has been at the center of controversy.

When Tampa Bay lost in the playoffs in January, they didn’t have the solutions, but the 2024 NFL Draft in April might have the key. Rookie running back Bucky Irving wowed on the ground in his first NFL regular season game, accumulating nine carries for 62 yards at an average of 6.9 yards per carry. The Bucs’ running game was not very impressive overall; they gained 112 yards on 30 carries, or 3.7 yards per carry. Rachaad White managed just 31 yards on 15 touches, while Mayfield accounted for 21 of those yards on three scrambles.

Irving underscored the significance of his addition to this offense in the second half by lifting the final score on a 31-yard run. Even though White had trouble getting going on the ground, he is no longer solely responsible for making a huge play when it matters. There is someone else who can give him that spark. It consequently greatly improves this backfield’s caliber. Related: In Week 1, Baker Mayfield Shows 2023 Was Not an Outlier

Irving underscored the significance of his addition to this offense in the second half by lifting the final score on a 31-yard run. Even though White had trouble getting going on the ground, he is no longer solely responsible for making a huge play when it matters. There is someone else who can give him that spark. It consequently greatly improves this backfield’s caliber. Related: In Week 1, Baker Mayfield Shows 2023 Was Not an Outlier