Running back Bucky Irving has been a rare bright spot for Tampa's offense so far and has easily re-established himself as the team's top running back.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't had many bright spots over their first two games.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has not played well. He already has four turnovers this season, including three fumbles lost to open the season against the Cincinnati Bengals. Mayfield's underwhelming play has already led to claims that he isn't deserving of his giant contract extension and that the Bucs are already regretting it.
Head coach Todd Bowles is already feeling the heat after the Bucs' miserable start. Calls for his job are growing louder. If his team doesn't turn things around quickly, it is likely his days as Tampa's coach are numbered.
The offensive line, thought to be one of the best in the NFL and the Bucs' biggest strength, has not come close to meeting expectations. Mayfield has already been sacked seven times in the first two games.
Defensively, the pass rush has been a huge disappointment. After adding several free agents and draft picks to the front seven, Tampa has only three sacks through the first two games.
Perhaps the most surprising disappointment has been first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. being completely invisible at the start of his career. Through two games, Bain has been a non-factor, leading to questions about his health.
One player who has been a bright spot and exceeded expectations is running back Bucky Irving. To start the season, Irving has 25 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown.
Irving struggled with injuries last season, missing seven games and not looking nearly as explosive as he was as a rookie in 2024.
The Bucs signed Kenny Gainwell as a free agent this offseason to help lighten Irving's load and keep him fresh and healthy all season. Gainwell had a career year in Pittsburgh in 2025, and many believed the Bucs would split the work between the two backs nearly evenly.
That has not been the case. Irving has dominated touches so far, causing Jeremy Fowler of ESPN to say that Irving has brought clarity to what was a cloudy running back situation.
Roles Clearly Defined
As Fowler mentions, Irving and Gainwell each have had clearly defined roles so far. Irving has been the unquestioned lead back, with Gainwell only receiving 11 touches through two games.
"Despite an 0-2 start, Bucky Irving looks rejuvenated in Tampa Bay. Irving is coming off a down season marred by injuries, and free agent acquisition Kenny Gainwell figured to be a viable backfield option who could cut into Irving's bottom line. But Irving has served as the clear RB1, with 25 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown. His explosion is back. Gainwell was always more of a versatile chess piece than a back carrying a heavy load, but he was the Steelers' team MVP last season, with 1,000-plus total yards and eight touchdowns on 187 touches. But he has only 33 yards on 11 touches so far in Tampa. In an ideal setup, Gainwell enhances his do-it-all profile as a rusher and receiver while Irving remains the lead back."
Final Thoughts
There was some concern that Irving would not be able to regain the explosiveness he showed as a rookie. Last year, he averaged only 3.4 yards per carry, a full two-yard drop from his first season.
Even with the injury-plagued 2025 season, Irving has still been one of the NFL's most explosive backs since coming into the league.
Now that he has the explosion from his rookie campaign back, Irving has easily kept his spot as Tampa's RB1.
The way he is playing, expect the Bucs to lean on Irving even more as Tampa tries to turn its season around before it is too late.
