Bucs Have No Plan To Restrict Bucky Irving Touches
July 24th, 2025
The beloved fantasy football community will be intrigued by this one.
Second-year running back Bucky Irving was electrifying last year as a 252-touch running back in the regular season.
How much more can Bucky handle at 5-9, 192 pounds? Will the Bucs limit his touches?
Not happening, Todd Bowles said in his sitdown with JoeBucsFan.com before training camp kicked off yesterday.
Obviously, the Bucs don’t want Irving to set a new NFL record for carries and catches, but Bowles was clear that Bucky has a green light from the coaching staff.
“We’re not going to manage him,” Bowles said of Irving. “We’re going to let him go. He’s got young legs. We’re going to let him run.”
Bowles said Irving will have a huge hand in determining his limits.
“He’s a very special player and his workload is probably as much as he can handle,” Bowles said. “Obviously, we have plays for Rachaad [White] as well as Sean [Tucker], and we got three capable backs that can do some things. But if [Irving] gets rolling, obviously you let him go.”
The head coach added that Irving “understands the offense a lot better” this season and is mentally sharper within it, which should only help him.
Yeah, Irving is small, but he’s significantly bigger than Warrick Dunn, the former Bucs great who had back-to-back seasons of 280-plus carries (not counting receptions) when he joined the Falcons. One of those Dunn seasons delivered 1,416 yards (2005); the other had 1,140 yards (2006). And Dunn got those accomplished after he turned 30. Irving turns 23 in August.
Run, Bucky, run!
July 24th, 2025 at 5:24 am
Bigger than Dunn? Probably. Significantly so? Probably not. Either way, use him. And the other guys too.
July 24th, 2025 at 7:03 am
Sounds like a great plan. ALL NFL players are just ONE play away from a serious injury. Even the GOAT missed an entire season with a blown out knee.
As for wear and tear, that’s also kind of tough to predict. We can find plenty of examples like Cadillac and others where it doesn’t go well but other examples like Alstott and Dunn are amazing.
IMHO there is NO right/wrong answer here. There are some parts of being an NFL HC that require “feel” and “artistry”. Let the chips fall where they may and most of all GOOD LUCK BUCKY!
July 24th, 2025 at 7:03 am
Here’s to hoping Bucky has the fortitude to step up during a game and say he needs a breather or a quick break.
He’s clearly our no. 1 RB, but Rachaad and Sean both bring some solid skills to the table as well.
We have a three-headed monster in our RB room. We need to unleash it.
And, we need our no. 1 RB healthy (and as rested as an RB can be) in December and January.
I’d love to see Grizz come up with a few plays that have 2 or maybe even all 3 of them in the formation when the ball is snapped.
July 24th, 2025 at 7:38 am
I hope he has a few more pounds of muscle or five this season.
July 24th, 2025 at 7:40 am
A weapon not in use is a useless weapon. And Bucky is a lethal weapon.
July 24th, 2025 at 7:43 am
Sounds good, but reality makes that hard for 17 games w/o any bumps, bruises and setbacks.
Switch him out by choice, before circumstances force you to do so.
Also, mentioning the other backs leads me to believe this is just rephrasing what Skip Peete said about starting and finishing.
Rotate the roadsters.
July 24th, 2025 at 7:46 am
questions in life: if warrick had it do over would he give back the extra money he made in free agency by going to the falcons to get the 2002 season super bowl ring? was it worth the money to not win the super bowl?! crazy… 28 was an awesome buc and tampa citizen he gave back a lot… sad he did not get the ring
shaun king got the ring as a back up!!
July 24th, 2025 at 8:03 am
Always loved Dunn!
It’s fine not to micro-manage Bucky. Let him do his stuff. The coaches will make sure to check in on him and will make the right decision if he needs a break. They did well when he had the hip/back concern last season.
July 24th, 2025 at 8:07 am
“understands the offense a lot better” What I take from that is the offense won’t change much. Coach Grizz already showing his Ivy league smarts.
July 24th, 2025 at 8:07 am
Bucky’s career is likely over about the time his contract runs out if history is a guide, we just need him to last 4 years
July 24th, 2025 at 10:08 am
Not saying he’s in that class yet but Barry Sanders was 5’8” so this is music that my ears. Feed him the ball 🙂
July 24th, 2025 at 11:20 am
Barry Sanders also ran a 4.37 and never got caught from behind, but understandable
July 24th, 2025 at 1:23 pm
I hate to work a willing horse to death.
July 24th, 2025 at 2:07 pm
20 rushes a game. Not one less
July 24th, 2025 at 4:00 pm
It’s sad that we didn’t keep Warrick until the end of his career, lousy move.
July 25th, 2025 at 1:10 am
Love Bucky. Can he hold Whites Rockstar to protect our QB?
Don’t think so.
Expecting idiots wanting more Bucky.