Kenny Gainwell Says He’s More “Between The Tackles” Than Bucky Irving
August 5th, 2026
Shorter but bigger.
Who will carry most of the mail in the Buccaneers’ backfield this season?
Fantasy football players nationwide are yearning for clues.
Perhaps one came last night.
To review the numbers, during the second half of the 2024 season, Bucky Irving averaged 18.5 touches per game. Last year, Irving averaged 20.3 in the 10 games he played. Newcomer veteran running back Kenny Gainwell averaged a career high 11 touches per game last season in Pittsburgh and the Bucs are paying him $7 million per year.
So Joe’s logic says Irving’s touches are coming down and Gainwell’s will be on the rise.
Gainwell chatted with media last night and was asked how he thinks he’s different from Irving.
“I think I’m a big guy in between the tackles; Bucky is, you know, a spread out guy,” Gainwell said.
Gainwell added that he and Irving are very similar in their passing game skills.
“I think it’s just different sizes, body types, But at the same time, we both have to be ready for what’s to come,” Gainwell said. “We’ll go out there and attack it.”
Was Gainwell tipping that he will be more of an early-down, tough-yardage back than Bucky? Would Bucky agree?
The eye test says Gainwell is a near clone of Irving, though Irving seems more slippery and more explosive. Per NFL Scouting Combine measurements, Bucky is a half-inch taller than Gainwell. But Gainwell appears at least 10 pounds heavier.
Remember, Todd Bowles told Joe that Irving is the clear No. 1 running back.
August 5th, 2026 at 10:38 am
Joe … ‘Remember, Todd Bowles told Joe that Irving is the clear No. 1 running back.’
I love your ‘Bottom Lines’ Joe. Admittedly hard for me to tell whether you’re being very trusting or just facetious.
August 5th, 2026 at 10:40 am
As long as Zac doesnt get pass happy this offense should be fine…we have the RBs and O-Line to have a top 5 rushing attack…
Tucker has to be featured too….his game vs the PATS was no fluke…kid is a very solid RB
GO BUCS!!!!
August 5th, 2026 at 10:57 am
I thought one of the reasons they weren’t high on Rachaad White was because he was slightly too slow to go outside?
August 5th, 2026 at 11:19 am
813 I think you’re thinking of the Bills game. 3TDs, 2 by land and 1 through the air.
I’d love to see him start a game and I don’t want to see him used heavily in these preseason games either. Get him some reps and get the others RBs behind our top 3 guys a whole lot of burn.
August 5th, 2026 at 11:35 am
A great positive to having them both is that one of them will likely get nicked up during the season and the other will be there to do the same things.
The Bucs are missing a power runner though, and if they absolutely have to get a yard on 4th and 1 or goal line work it’d be great to have someone who can generate momentum to move the pile forward. Sean Tucker is not that guy, let’s hope there’s one in camp who can claim a roster spot.
August 5th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Bucky and Irving should be interchangeable based on size and skill sets.
I’ve never really gotten the Tucker love. He has had a couple good games when he has gotten some volume but the key there is volume not the player. Not like he was breaking off 40 yard runs and making multiple people miss.
He’s like Devin Culp. Sure you could feed them the rock a bunch and they could put up some numbers but clearly no one around the Bucs thinks they are talented enough to keep other people off the field who could potentially do more with those touches.
August 5th, 2026 at 12:11 pm
If you take one of these guys in fantasy you might as well try to get both just in case.
August 5th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
Great. So now we know what the offense is going to be doing depending upon who’s in the backfield.
Thanks, Kenny.
August 5th, 2026 at 12:19 pm
WBL
Yes Bills game…my bad
GO BUCS!!!!
August 5th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
Pound that Rock Baby !!
Go Bucs !!
August 5th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
“Bucky and Irving should be interchangeable “. I hope so since they’re the same guy!!
😅🤣😂 Thought I was reading one of the articles with is great editing that comes with it🤣 Do you work for the website? Just playing though I know who you meant.
I haven’t seen enough of Gainwell to form that kind of opinion but Bucky and Tucker I have.
Sounds like a lil pew pew thrown Bucky’s way. He should watch Bucky’s high lights. He is as fearless going up the gut as anyone I’ve seen. His bounce outs happens mostly because he sets up his blocks or he just has great vision and cutting ability. He is not a gadget player like many other small rbs have been as he proved in 2024 however he and the coaching staff do have to learn how to protect him some because of that size.
The one back that I and I know many Buc fans want to see get more is Shawn Tucker. Hopefully he didn’t stand pat on the work he put in on pass protection but continued to get stronger. His running and receiving ability should never be in question. He is a great combination of size, speed and strength who can leave people holding his jock or lower his pads to get that needed extra yard or two. He is truly a triple threat in the backfield. All rbs make mistakes here and there. He got put in people’s dog house for different reasons they need to keep him out. It will work itself out. Our offense is much better with him AND it will help keep Mayfield healthier as well.
August 5th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
@Bartow is right
Pound the rock!
More 6 and 7 offensive line formations too!
Get Chukwuma more reps at LT and put Wirfs at outside LT.
I wanna see more 6 lineman formations!!!
August 5th, 2026 at 1:32 pm
Tucker run between the tackles well.
August 5th, 2026 at 2:00 pm
We have good RB group
August 5th, 2026 at 2:01 pm
Kenny is going to have a BIG year. O4.5 on his tds.
August 5th, 2026 at 2:08 pm
Both Irving and Gainwell have blistering cutting ability. Tucker has blistering speed. Bring Tucker in when you plan to gap run. He’s a one cut, hit the hole and take it to the house back. The other two can magically make something from nothing. The good news is, with this line we won’t have a lot of trouble on 4th and 1 running any of the three of them! 🙂
August 5th, 2026 at 2:14 pm
2 TE set,plus Gainwell! The receivers!Plenty of toys for a qb that can throw TD’s ! Mayfield with a healthy Oline! I’ll put him up against any qb in the league ! Plus he can make play with his legs! So looking forward to this season! Definitely GoBucs!!
August 5th, 2026 at 2:16 pm
@Boy Buc ..A guy whose slung 190 + Td’s the last few seasons i hope he airs it out!
August 5th, 2026 at 2:21 pm
Video out there of Gainwell squatting 495lbs. !!
August 5th, 2026 at 2:24 pm
I can’t find any stats for 2025, but here’s the numbers for 2024…
Bucky averaged 5.5 yards per carry on rushes outside the tackles (fifth-most among running backs, minimum of 50 such carries) and 5.3 yards per carry on rushes inside the tackles (second-most among running backs) this season.
Also…
Irving gained an additional 609 yards after forcing missed tackles in 2024, second-most in the league behind only Derrick Henry (753) per Next Gen Stats.
Irving, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs were the only running backs in the NFL to average over 5.0 yards per carry on rushes to each direction in 2024 (minimum of 50 rushes each direction).
August 5th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
Stpetematt Says:
August 5th, 2026 at 2:08 pm
Both Irving and Gainwell have blistering cutting ability. Tucker has blistering speed. Bring Tucker in when you plan to gap run. He’s a one cut, hit the hole and take it to the house back. The other two can magically make something from nothing. The good news is, with this line we won’t have a lot of trouble on 4th and 1 running any of the three of them! 🙂
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Tucker should be better suited to wide zone imo Matt for the reason you stated = 1 cut and go. Wide zones seek to get D linemen moving laterally while the back picks his hole and hauls as$ = 1 cut and go. If our guys can master wide zone blocking Tucker should house a few long TDs.
August 5th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
If Tucker was as good as you people think, someone would have signed him to an offer sheet. No one did. He has zero vision and can’t block – that’s why he’ll always be nothing more than a #3 RB.
And I’m fine with him as a #3 RB, but people act as if he could start for anyone. That was disproven with the lack of interest this offseason.
BTW, I still laugh that during last years first preseason game, when Tucker finished the game 2nd in rushing for the team – again in the first preseason game – someone said the Bucs wouldn’t even take a 1st for Tucker, that’s how good he is. I laughed so hard when I read that, and it still laugh to this day about that. And yes, they were serious.
August 5th, 2026 at 3:07 pm
Damn the typo I meant 90,crap 190! I must have been thinking tom bradys stats the 3 seasons he was in tampa!! My bad!