The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had two young running backs shine in the team’s first preseason game on Saturday against the Tennessee Titans. Sean Tucker and Owen Wright are stuffed down on the depth chart behind Bucky Irving and Rachaad White currently, but could be flipping the script.
In 2024, the Buccaneers had tons of success on the ground, finishing the year with 2536 rushing yards, good for fourth in the NFL. The efficiency of the running back room was what shone through, averaging the second-most yards per attempt in the league (5.3).
Irving and White project to have big roles in the offense once again, but Saturday’s preseason game showed that Tucker and Wright are valuable depth pieces that can make a difference if they’re given an opportunity.
An opportunity may be opening at the perfect time for the young rushers, with White exiting Saturday’s game with a groin injury. The severity of the injury is unknown currently, but if he’s unable to suit up at any point, Tucker and Wright want to ensure they’ve earned the trust of the coaching staff.
Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster included just three running backs in 2024, which could be the same this year. With five backs currently on the roster (Josh Williams being the fifth), there will be a battle to earn a spot after cuts happen to begin the regular season.
Tucker is looking to build off a productive year as the RB3 in 2024
Sean Tucker was an exciting prospect back during his college days at Syracuse, tallying over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final two seasons of collegiate competition. The 23-year-old went undrafted due to a heart condition back in 2023, but has made the most of his opportunities to this point.
2024 saw Tucker slot in as the third running back on the depth chart for the Buccaneers, a role in which he finished with 308 yards on 50 carries (6.2 average), and two touchdowns. In the only game where he saw considerable playing time, Tucker totaled 192 yards and two touchdowns.
In his first game opportunity of 2025, Tucker put together a solid night, gashing the Titans for 50 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. One of his attempts went for 23 yards, showcasing his speed and strength, much to the delight of head coach Todd Bowles.
“[Tucker] brings us another explosive runner,” Bowles said. “He’s a game breaker for us. He’s got very good contact balance, he can break a lot of tackles and he can naturally find holes. Like I keep telling the guys on offense, we’ve got to give him the ball more.”
Wright makes sense as an insurance option with White’s injury
After spending the first two seasons of his career off-and-on with the Baltimore Ravens, Owen Wright signed a one-year, $840k contract with the Buccaneers this offseason. The 26-year-old has put together a solid camp, capped off by a great preseason performance.
On Saturday, Wright saw 18 carries, putting together a nice night en route to a league-high 87 yards on the ground with a touchdown. His touchdown came from 15 yards out and showcased a strong stiff arm, after reaching the endzone twice before and having each rush called back due to penalties.
Wright went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft after tallying 1,446 yards across five years of college. His fifth collegiate season featured a 99-yard run, as well as 17 total touchdowns for Monmouth.
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