Broncos Trade Pitch Lands Buccaneers Running Back

Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos have a few clear positions of need. Denver can add players in the draft, but there are still options in free agency and the trade market. This trade pitch has the Broncos calling up an NFC South team to pick from a crowded backfield.

For this trade pitch, the Broncos call up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for running back Rachaad White. With Bucky Irving breaking out in his rookie season, and Sean Tucker being a good complementary back, White becomes an expendable piece. 

The Broncos would trade just a sixth-round pick for White, who is in the final year of his rookie deal. Tampa Bay would save over $3 million in cap space and net a draft pick while doing so. White's looming free agency and the Buccaneers' crowded backfield make this trade work for both sides.

White, the 91st overall selection in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, has played all three years with the Buccaneers. He had a solid 2023 season, running for 990 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 272 carries, all career highs.

In 2024, he took a step back due to Irving's emergence. White finished with 613 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 144 rushing attempts. While his overall numbers were down, his efficiency jumped forward, as he ran for 4.3 yards per attempt, .6 yards more than his previous career high. 

White is also a potential 'joker' option for Sean Payton, as he can work out of the backfield as a receiver. White never had fewer than 50 receptions in a season, and in 2024, White finished with six receiving touchdowns.

His value is not just as a running back but also as a receiver. Pairing White with a rookie running back and Audric Estime would be a strong running back room. White would allow the Broncos to be patient with their rookie while also getting good production from a running back in 2025.

Denver acquiring White for just a sixth-round pick would be a significant boost for Bo Nix and the offense in 2025. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers would gain additional draft capital, clear up $3 million in cap space, and allow Irving to take the reins in the backfield. This trade would benefit both the players involved and each team overall.