Buccaneers Listed as a Contender For Pro Bowl Free Agent Running Back

Could Tampa Bay look to make an upgrade ahead of training camp?

Dustin Lewis | Jul 21, 2023

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are less than a week away from the beginning of training camp. The franchise has undergone a lot of changes throughout the offseason but there is still some optimism that the Buccaneers will remain competitive in a middling NFC South.

Could the team look to make an upgrade ahead of training camp? According to betting odds from DraftKings, the Buccaneers are regarded as an outside contender (+4000) to land free agent running back Dalvin Cook. That ranks behind franchises such as the New England Patriots (+150), Miami Dolphins (+200), New York Jets (+400), Denver Broncos (+1500), Dallas Cowboys (+1500), and Washington Commanders (+1500).

With that being said, there is a clear need for a running mate in the backfield behind second-year player Rachaad White. At this point, the Buccaneers only have White, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Chase Edmonds, Patrick Laird, Sean Tucker (UDFA), and Ronnie Brown (UDFA) under contract at running back. The team signed Edmonds earlier this offseason but the room still has plenty of question marks after finishing second-worst in the league in yards per game last season.

Cook has been taking his time to decide on his next destination since being released by the Minnesota Vikings last month. The four-time Pro Bowler is searching for a combination of money and fit. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him sign a deal with a team after training camps begin. He's one of multiple veteran running backs (Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt) that are still available in late July.

The former Florida State star has totaled 1,282 rushes for 5,993 yards with 47 touchdowns on the ground during his six years at the professional level. He's added 221 catches for 1,794 yards and five more scores.

Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the offseason.

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Published Jul 21, 2023

DUSTIN LEWIS

Lewis joined BucsGameday when it was founded in 2022. He's also the Editor-In-Chief of NoleGameday. A graduate of Florida State, Lewis has worked for NG since 2016.