The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had most of their success when they were able to establish the run under offensive coordinators Dave Canales and Liam Coen. The latter was able to maximize the Bucs running back duo of Rachaad White and Bucky Irving, but when he left for the Jacksonville Jaguars, so did their efficient run game.
On top of losing their effective play caller, they also didn’t get to enjoy a healthy Bucky Irving. The former Oregon Duck made his presence known as a rookie, but ankle and shoulder injuries slowed him down in 2025. The latter was significant enough to require surgery, and on Tuesday at OTAs, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles gave a pretty significant update.
He shared that the timeline for his return is projected to be “Summer or Fall.”
That is a very wide window, four months round about, and now the Bucs will have to rely on their new addition, Kenneth Gainwell. The team also brought back Sean Tucker as another depth piece in the backfield. While Irving will be back eventually, the team will at least get a good look at how talented Gainwell and Tucker can be in the new system in the meantime.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs expect Bucky Irving back sometime in the ‘Summer of Fall’
Reporting by Andrew Harbaugh, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
