Let’s discuss Rachaad White, we could?
The extra thrilling durations of the Bucs offseason are over with, as pre-draft scouting, free company, the NFL Draft, OTAs and mini-camps are over. Which means it’s time to settle in for what feels just like the longest of waits earlier than coaching camp will get underway in late July.
The canine days of the NFL offseason are all about storylines for the upcoming season. Media and followers alike spend the times of June and July passing the time with discourse surrounding all kinds of rankings, in addition to the large tales which might be sure to return up when the season begins in September.
So, with that in thoughts, the concept right here is to slim in on among the Bucs’ largest stars and go player-by-player to dive into the large storylines which might be in retailer for the 2024 season. After beginning with quarterback Baker Mayfield and persevering with with large receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, we proceed immediately with operating again Rachaad White.
Bucs Storylines: Rachaad White
Listed here are three massive storylines surrounding Bucs operating again Rachaad White in 2024:
Can Rachaad White Lead The Cost To Revive The Bucs Run Sport?
Bucs RB Rachaad White – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Tampa Bay’s run recreation hasn’t completed within the high half of the league since 2015, when it ranked fifth (135.1 yards per recreation). That was due to a 1,402-yard season from Doug Martin, in addition to a 529-yard marketing campaign for Charles Sims (bear in mind him?). Within the years since 2015, Tampa Bay has completed twenty fourth, twenty seventh, twenty ninth, twenty fourth, twenty ninth, twenty sixth, thirty second (lifeless final) and thirty second (lifeless final once more). So for White because the Bucs’ RB1, it’s largely on his shoulders to revitalize the group’s dashing assault in 2024.
Beneath Dave Canales final 12 months, Tampa Bay was cussed with the run recreation. It was painful early on, however whereas it admittedly by no means reached elite ranges, it improved because the season went on. White averaged greater than 4 yards per carry in 4 straight video games from Nov. 26-Dec. 17 and almost received there once more within the final two common season video games, going for 3.8 and three.9 yards per carry in these two video games, respectively.
There have been a few 100-yard dashing video games alongside the best way, and that resulted within the second-year operating again ending simply shy of 1,000 dashing yards, as he totaled 990 on 272 carries (3.6 avg.).
White confirmed extra encouraging indicators for the run recreation within the playoffs, operating 18 instances for 72 yards (4.0 avg.) towards the Eagles and going for 55 yards on 9 carries (6.1 avg.) towards the Lions.
With new offensive coordinator Liam Coen coming on this offseason, White may very well be in for an enormous leap in dashing effectivity and total effectiveness. Coming from the Sean McVay system, Coen will implement a variety of movement and pre-snap motion out of 11 personnel, and that might give the third-year operating again extra of an opportunity to reap the benefits of his prowess in area.
If all of it comes collectively the best way Coen and head coach Todd Bowles are envisioning, White will probably be main the cost for a run recreation revival in 2024. It’s not as if the Bucs should be fifth in dashing like they have been in 2015. A major enchancment that will get them out of the depths of the NFL (and ideally into the highest half of the league) will work. That may take some stress off quarterback Baker Mayfield and assist the Tampa Bay offense as an entire because it seems to be even higher than it was in 2023.
What Will The 1-2 Punch Of Rachaad White And Bucky Irving Look Like?
Bucs RB Rachaad White and RBs coach Skip Peete – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Enhancing the run recreation received’t be utterly on Rachaad White in 2024. Tampa Bay drafted Oregon operating again Bucky Irving within the fourth spherical of this 12 months’s draft, and he’s anticipated to be the opposite half of the Bucs’ 1-2 punch within the backfield.
That would result in a lighter workload for White, and that’s not a nasty factor. He carried the ball 272 instances in 2023 and caught 64 passes for a complete of 336 touches. It was one thing of a miracle that he managed to play all 19 of the group’s video games with such a heavy workload. With Irving within the combine and veteran Chase Edmonds again — however because the group’s RB3 this time — Liam Coen has some choices inside his backfield.
White remains to be the starter, in fact. However having Irving within the backfield is a profit to the offense in a few methods. There’s the straightforward indisputable fact that the Bucs added one other playmaker to the offense who can break tackles and make folks miss. However what comes with that could be a probability to assist White preserve more energizing legs, and that advantages each him and the offense as a result of the more energizing he’s, the simpler he’ll presumably be each within the run recreation and as a move catcher.
What the cut up seems like between White and Irving (and Edmonds, to a lesser extent) will probably be an fascinating storyline to comply with all through the season. Tampa Bay hasn’t had an efficient 1-2 punch in its backfield for fairly a very long time, as even the duo of Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette in the course of the 2020 Tremendous Bowl season by no means appeared to be rolling on the similar time.
If Coen and his workers can strike the best steadiness with White and Irving in 2024, it’d very nicely assist contribute to that aforementioned run recreation revival the Bucs are searching for.
Can Rachaad White’s Ascension Proceed In 2024?
Bucs RB Rachaad White – Picture by: USA Immediately
Because the Bucs went on their four-game successful streak final December and finally received 5 of their final six video games to three-peat as NFC South champions, White was proper in the midst of the offense’s resurgence. It wasn’t all the time within the run recreation, however that’s when his dual-threat capability actually got here in useful. By the top of 2023, the truth is, Rachaad White was one of many higher dual-threat operating backs within the league.
White’s 1,542 all-purpose yards in 2023 have been the fourth-most amongst operating backs within the NFL, trailing solely Buffalo’s James Prepare dinner (1,567), New York’s Breece Corridor (1,585) and San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey (2,023). Prepare dinner and McCaffrey have been Professional Bowlers, and Corridor was one of many Professional Bowl Video games’ largest snubs.
Even with a gradual begin as Tampa Bay grew into Dave Canales’ offense — White went over 60 yards dashing simply twice within the first 10 video games — the 2022 third-round was proper there with these high all-purpose backs by the top of the season. He had seven video games with 100-plus complete yards and three extra with 99, 98 and 93 yards, respectively. There have been loads of areas that might’ve been higher for him, however the arrow was definitely pointing up by the top of the season.
So the large query for White in 2024 will probably be whether or not he can proceed the ascension that started within the latter phases of 2023 and into the playoffs. A few of it would depend upon how a lot Bucky Irving cuts into his workload, but when staying recent can be sure that White retains racking up yards the best way he did late final season and surpasses his landing complete of 9 (six dashing, three receiving), maybe he’ll work his means into the dialog for his first Professional Bowl choice.
