Gainwell's dual-threat ability unlocks new offensive potential, complementing Bucky Irving to form a formidable Buccaneers backfield.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t have RB depth behind Bucky Irving, and have gotten to work on that gap real quick.
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported Monday that the Bucs were signing Kenneth Gainwell to a two-year deal worth $14 million.
Gainwell is coming off the best season of his career.
After four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles -- which featured two trips to the Super Bowl and a Super Bowl championship in his last season -- Gainwell signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a modest one-year, $1.79 million deal.
In short, the Steelers ended up signing their team MVP for relative peanuts.
Gainwell ended the season with 537 yards rushing (his previous career-high was 364) and 486 yards receiving (his previous high was 253).
His contributions in the passing game were especially valuable to the Steelers, who lacked depth at WR behind DK Metcalf.
Gainwell ended up having more receiving yards than any Steelers wideout aside from Metcalf (for context, the team’s second-leading receiver, Calvin Austin, ended the season with 372 yards receiving).
This versatility could be huge for the Bucs, especially in new coordinator Zac Robinson’s offense.
Robinson comes from the Sean McVay school of offense, which means running backs being used to create mismatches in the passing game is a priority (Todd Gurley and Karen Williams are two backs who have been effective receivers as well).
In Zac Robinson’s two seasons as Atlanta Falcons’ OC, Bijan Robinson became a force in the receiving game.
In 2025, Bijan Robinson had more receiving yards (820) than any back in the NFL outside of Christian McCaffrey.
Robinson also had more than more than 1,400 yards rushing, certifying himself as on of the league’s best running backs, and Tampa Bay currently doesn’t have an RB with that pedigree on the roster.
But Gainwell doesn’t have to be Bijan Robinson to thrive in Zac Robinson’s scheme.
Only four running backs had more receiving yards than Gainwell did last season, and all four of them were named to the Pro Bowl (Jahmyr Gibbs and De’von Achane being the other two).
The Bucs don’t need Gainwell to be a Pro-Bowl performer, since they already have that type of back in Irving.
Injures limited Irving to 10 games in 2025, but in his only full season (2024), he eclipsed 1,100 rushing yards.
Irving is also effective in the receiving game. He had nearly 400 yards receiving as a rookie, and even in his abbreviated 2025 campaign, still went for 277 yards and three touchdowns.
With Rachaad White thought to be walking out the door and the Bucs deciding to make Sean Tucker an unrestricted free agent, addressing the backfield was a priority.
If Gainwell can do what he did in 2025, he’ll be one-half of a dynamic duo at best and, at worst, give the Bucs a reliable option should Irving falter.
ㅤ
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!