ClutchPoints
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the middle of a fascinating transition. No longer clinging to the Tom Brady era but not quite in full rebuild mode, the franchise has reshaped itself around Baker Mayfield and a collection of rising stars. Mayfield’s resurgence has breathed life into a team many expected to fade into mediocrity. Of course, that’s in addition to the emergence of playmakers like Bucky Irving and the arrival of first-round pick Emeka Egbuka. Now, Tampa Bay looks like a legitimate contender in a wide-open NFC South. Well, that’s only if the front office makes the right roster decision before Week 1.
Mayfield enters 2025 riding the momentum of a career year. He set personal bests in completions, yards, and touchdowns. Even with offensive coordinator Liam Coen departing for Jacksonville, there’s plenty to like about Tampa Bay’s outlook. Irving’s breakout campaign and the arrival of first-round pick Egbuka from Ohio State have injected fresh firepower. They give the Buccaneers every reason to believe they can control what looks like a wide-open NFC South.
So far, the preseason results have backed up that optimism. Tampa Bay sits at 2-0, opening with a dominant 29-7 win over the Titans before edging the Steelers 17-14. The defense set the tone against Tennessee with three takeaways. Meanwhile, Kyle Trask efficiently guided the offense in the opener. In Week 2, the Bucs stormed ahead 14-0 behind touchdowns from Irving and Egbuka, before Chase McLaughlin’s late field goal secured the win. Through two weeks, Tampa Bay looks sharper, deeper, and more balanced than many expected heading into the season.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the last-minute trade that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers must make before Week 1 of 2025 NFL season.
One reason Tampa Bay appears so dangerous is the meteoric rise of Irving. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Irving quickly developed into one of the league’s biggest surprises. He rushed for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. He gave the Bucs a backfield weapon with both burst and toughness. Just as importantly, Irving proved capable of handling a workhorse role, making the coaching staff increasingly comfortable with him as the centerpiece of the run game.
His success, however, has created an awkward situation for Rachaad White. Once viewed as the team’s long-term answer at running back, White now finds himself playing second fiddle. With an expiring contract and Irving firmly in control of the starting role, the question is no longer whether White fits into Tampa Bay’s future. It’s whether the Buccaneers can get value for him before he walks away for nothing.
Make no mistake that White is a solid player. In 2023, he nearly cracked the 1,000-yard mark with 990 yards and six touchdowns. He’s also one of the NFL’s better pass-catching backs. White has soft hands and good route-running skills that allow...
