There are few guarantees for Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White moving forward in his NFL career, save for one — as long as he’s with the Buccaneers there are going to be rumors about him being traded.
It’s been that way since about midway through the 2024 season, when rookie Bucky Irving started to show he could not only handle the full load in the rushing game but could elevate it.
That’s not to say White still doesn’t have value to the Buccaneers or, more importantly, to another team in need of a starting running back.
Before the 2025 NFL draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Buccaneers viewed White as an “expendable” trade asset.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport named White as Tampa Bay’s “Top Trade Candidate” on June 2.
“The issue for White is that while he averaged a career-high 4.3 yards per carry last year and topped 1,000 total yards, he also ceded lead-back duties to rookie Bucky Irving, who eclipsed 1,100 yards on the ground and averaged a whopping 5.4 yards per tote,” Davenport wrote. “That sets up 2025 as the last in Tampa for White. But as we have been over (more than once), some teams could use more punch in the backfield, and camp injuries could blast holes in other backfields.”
White Has Familiar Face in Own Division
The best home for White in a trade might be in his own division and with a familiar face in Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales, who was the offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers when White had over 1,500 yards of total offense in 2023.
White also had over 1,000 yards of total offense in 2024 despite losing his starting spot to Irving late in the season.
The Pewter Plank’s Josh Crysler floated the Panthers as a possible trade destination for White, who was a third round pick (No. 91 overall) in the 2022 NFL draft out of Arizona State.
“If the rival Carolina Panthers aren’t content with their running back depth after this season, head coach Dave Canales could look to acquire White’s services and pair him with Chuba Hubbard,” Crysler wrote on May 13. “White had the most productive season of his career in 2023 under Canales with over 1,500 total scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns, making the Panthers a natural fit.”
Irving Might Already Be One of NFL’s Best RBs
Davenport called Irving the NFL’s “Most Underrated Player” at his position headed into 2025. As a rookie, the Oregon product turned the Buccaneers from the NFL’s worst rushing offense the last 2 seasons to one of the best.
“Irving didn’t enter the NFL with a ton of fanfare,” Davenport wrote on May 20. “The 5’10”, 195-pounder was the 125th overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft. But by the end of the season, he had established himself as one of the more promising young runners in the league.”
As a rookie, Irving finished 10th in the NFL with 1,122 rushing yards at 5.4 yards per carry and was second in the NFL in 2.7 yards after contact per rushing attempt. He also had 47 receptions for 392 yards on just 52 targets.
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