Bowles: Buccaneers must split backfield reps three ways
Todd Bowles said the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to split backfield reps among Bucky Irving, Kenny Gainwell and Sean Tucker after Tucker’s limited but impactful appearance in the team’s 17-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 4. Tucker’s touchdown run and a fourth-down conversion in limited action renewed the discussion about distributing carries among the three backs. Bowles said the staff will consider giving Tucker more opportunities when he earns them.
Tampa Bay’s best offensive possessions included a 54-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter and an 84-yard march that ended early in the fourth quarter, and all three running backs contributed to those key moments. Irving led the Buccaneers with 61 rushing yards and carried five of the 12 plays on the 54-yard drive. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels ended that possession with a scrambling third-down pass to Kenny Gainwell, who caught the ball at the first-down sticks and dove into the end zone for his first touchdown as a Buccaneer. Earlier, Sean Tucker tied the game 7-7 with a rugged two-yard touchdown run.
Usage remained uneven, however. Irving started the game and played 37 of the Buccaneers’ 63 offensive snaps on Sunday and has received the bulk of backfield opportunities through four games, totaling 159 snaps. Gainwell played 27 snaps but took only three handoffs, while Tucker had a single three-play series that produced 10 yards, a touchdown and an eight-yard gain to the 11 on fourth-and-one. Prior to Sunday, Tucker had logged just one offensive play this season after missing the opener with a minor hamstring injury.
Bowles said the staff values Tucker’s downhill, goal-line style and wants to find a way to distribute reps more evenly among the three backs when appropriate. He added that Tucker must earn reps and that the split does not need to be equal, but a hot hand should be allowed to ride. Tucker was the de facto goal-line and short-yardage back last season, when he ran 86 times for 320 yards and eight touchdowns and caught eight passes for 34 yards. In 2024 he had 50 carries for 308 yards and two scores with nine receptions for 109 yards; his career average stands at 4.3 yards per carry with 10 touchdowns on 154 attempts.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Keeping Irving as the primary ball carrier makes sense given his snap totals and consistent production, but Bowles’ comments and Tucker’s fourth-down efficiency against Green Bay suggest the Buccaneers will look for ways to get Tucker more early-down and short-yardage work. Gainwell’s role as a receiving option and situational weapon is likely to remain part of a three-man rotation. If Tucker continues to convert on the limited opportunities he receives, Tampa Bay could shift toward a more clearly defined split that keeps Irving in a lead role while leveraging Tucker’s power and Gainwell’s versatility. The coaching staff will balance workload based on performance rather than an equal distribution of carries.