The Tampa Bay Buccaneers boasted the No. 3 offense in the NFL last season, just one year removed from posting the worst rushing attack in the league in 2023.
General manager Jason Licht made a concerted effort to improve that running game in 2025 and hit the proverbial home run with his fourth-round pick (No. 125 overall) out of Oregon, running back Bucky Irving.
Irving immediately made an impact on the ground game and eventually took over the starting role from Rachaad White midseason.
Irving ended the season with 1,122 yards on 207 carries and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.4 yards per carry across 17 games.
That's part of the reason why Irving was named the Bucs' "most underpaid" player after free agency per Bleacher Report.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Bucky Irving
"At a cost to the Bucs of just $978K, the rookie fourth-round pick put up 1,514 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. He's slated to make just $3.8 million over the course of the next three years."
Across three collegiate seasons split between Minnesota and Oregon, Irving posted 2,937 yards on 475 carries with 20 touchdowns and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. He also caught 95 balls for 785 yards with five more touchdowns through the air.
The Buccaneers have utilized Irving's pass-catching ability, too. Irving caught 47 passes for 392 yards and had his first touchdown catch of the season in the team's Wild Card loss to the Washington Commanders in the postseason.
