Will Sean Tucker Become a Starting Running Back?
Third-string running back Sean Tucker became a topic of interest for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Saturday's opening game against the Tennessee Titans. Bucky Irving and Rachaad White led the Buccaneers last season and created a powerful running back duo. Still, Tucker may make his way into this offense.
The Breakout:
On Saturday, Tucker rushed 50 yards and secured the first touchdown three seconds into the second quarter, a performance that stuck out to head coach Todd Bowles: “Like I keep telling the guys on offense, we’ve got to give him the ball more,” said Bowles. This public endorsement from the coach may signal a change coming to the starting lineup of the Buccaneers.
Last season, Tucker attempted 50 rushes for a total of 308 yards and made one rushing touchdown. He was targeted for 12 receptions and completed 9 for 109 yards and one touchdown. After the first pre-season game, Tucker has already made half of his rushing touchdowns as well as achieved his second-most rushing yards in a game in comparison to last season. His best rush of last season was in week six against the New Orleans Saints. Tucker made 14 rushes for a total of 136 yards and one rushing touchdown. While this explosive game may not have solidified himself within the rotation of Irving and White, Tucker has the coming weeks to show the consistency in his runs that Bowles believes he has.
Future Role:
Tucker had been expected to play on the sidelines as star running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White became primary targets for rushing plays. PFF had predicted Tucker to rush only 12.1 yards in the week one opener against the Atlanta Falcons. However, this was with the expectation of Rachaad White still playing.
After suffering a groin injury early in last week's game, White will be sidelined on a day-to-day basis as the team examines his injury. With two more weeks of pre-season, White can be expected to remain off the field in preparation for a strong return in the main season. If the injury becomes more severe and more time off the field is required for White, this will be the opportunity both Tucker and Bowles have been looking for.
Tucker has demonstrated his ability to step up and adapt in-game. “He’s got a very good contact balance, he can break a lot of tackles, and he can naturally find holes,” said Bowles. And that's exactly what the Buccaneers offense needs with White’s future in the coming weeks still blurry.