Buccaneers Projected As Trade Destination For All-Pro Running Back

Should Tampa Bay make a play for one of the top running backs in the league? It'll come at a price.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggled to run the ball last season and that's putting it lightly. The Buccaneers finished with the worst running game in the NFL, averaging a mere 76.9 yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry. That was 9.9 yards less than the second-worst rushing team in the league, the Houston Texans.

READ MORE: Buccaneers' Starting Quarterback Battle Likely Ended Against Jets

Tampa Bay turned over the reins to second-year running back Rachaad White after releasing veteran Leonard Fournette earlier this year. With that being said, White only started eight games in 2022, rushing 129 times for 481 yards (3.7 YPC) and a single touchdown. He did record 290 yards and two scores through the air as well.

The rest of the running back room around White doesn't hold a ton of experience either. Chase Edmonds is a six-year veteran but he only totaled 254 rushing yards while averaging 3.6 yards per carry last year, both the second-worst marks of his career. He's been injured during camp and isn't a lock to make the roster. Ke'Shawn Vaughn has only rushed 79 times over three years while spending most of his time as a reserve while Sean Tucker is an undrafted rookie.

If the Buccaneers want to make an upgrade in their backfield, one of the top players in the league is available. The Indianapolis Colts gave All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor permission to seek a trade on Tuesday. Tampa Bay might be a fit after being projected as a potential landing spot for Taylor.

According to Fox Sports' Ben Arthur, Taylor would provide a boost to the Buccaneers' offense and could be valuable for a rookie quarterback to lean on if the team goes that route in the 2024 NFL Draft.

"With underwhelming quarterback prospects this season, the Bucs may have to lean heavily on the run game. And their top back, Rachaad White, didn't touch 500 rushing yards as a rookie last season. Taylor would provide a much-needed jolt in the Bucs' backfield.

Aside from lacking a fifth-round selection next year, Tampa Bay has all of its original picks in the next three drafts to use in a potential trade.

With a strong possibility that the Bucs draft a quarterback next year (Baker Mayfield is QB1 to start this season), it would make sense to have a proven commodity in the backfield like Taylor to take pressure off the incoming signal-caller."

It certainly sounds like an intriguing option on paper. However, trading for Taylor would come at a major price (literally) for the Buccaneers. The Colts are searching for premium draft picks in exchange for Taylor, who is also looking for a new contract with the team that ultimately acquires him.

Tampa Bay is already gearing up to spend big money over the next year with wide receiver Mike Evans, safety Antoine Winfield Jr., linebacker Lavonte David, and linebacker Devin White up for extensions in 2024. The running back position might have to be one of value with the money that will be committed elsewhere.

Plus, there's just no real telling with the shelf life of running backs in this age of football. Taylor set the league on fire in 2021 with a career-high 1,811 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. He earned First-Team All-Pro honors after leading the NFL in rushing.

However, Taylor missed six games this past season after a nagging ankle injury that ultimately landed him on Injured Reserve. He rushed for a career-low 861 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Taylor is currently on the PUP (Physically Unable To Perform) list while continuing to work his way back from the injury. He's been unable to participate in any training camp practices to this point.

The Buccaneers are better off searching for a cheaper veteran option to shore up the running game if help is needed in 2023. Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette, Darrell Henderson, and Dontrell Hilliard are some of the running backs that remain free agents.

---

READ MORE: How The Relationship Fell Apart Between Buccaneers, Kyle Trask

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

Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook