Buccaneers Sign Two 2024 Draft Picks To Rookie Deals

The Bucs have started signing their draft picks ahead of rookie minicamp.

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Bucky Irving (0) against the Liberty / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On the heels of rookie minicamp, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced they have signed two of their seven draft picks to their rookie deals. While there is no immediate rush to do so, with the rookie wage scale that went into place in 2011 the deals are pretty standard for each draft slot and come to getehr pretty quickly. Fourth-round running back Bucky Irving out of Oregon and sixth-round offensive lineman Elijah Klein out of UTEP are the first of the Bucs' draft picks to sign with the team.

The Bucs went into the draft wanting to add depth at the running back position and waited until the fourth round at pick 125 where they grabbed Irving. Here is what I wrote about the rookie running back.

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"Irving displays great contact balance and the ability to make defenders miss with 69 missed tackles last year and 743 yards after contact. He has great vision and footwork, good burst, and is a more than capable receiver with 95 career receptions. However, he is undersized for the position, he’s not going to be a force in short-yardage situations, and he is quicker than fast. Irving finished his junior season with 1,180 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns, adding 56 receptions for 413 yards and two scores."

The 5'9, 192 pound back figures to contribute in a wide variety of roles in the Bucs offense. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen called him a dynamic back that can be utilized in a variety of ways.

“Bucky, he’s pretty dynamic where he gives us the ability in the run and pass game,” Coen said. “The screen game, and then also from a special teams standpoint in the return game as well. I’m actually pretty close with the (offensive coordinator) out at Oregon, Will (Stein). He told me he was his favorite player that he’s ever coached and somebody that’s team first and will do anything and everything he’s asked to do."

Running back coach Skip Peete echoed those sentiments calling him a potential three-down back while mentioning him in the same breath as Tony Pollard.

“I think he’s a young back that’s versatile, he can play on all three downs,” Peete said. “Sudden, good change of direction, and obviously he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Create big plays, that’s the thing that probably excited me the most.”

As for Klien, the big, broad-shouldered, tough-nosed kid out of UTEP should fit right in with the Bucs' current offensive line room. Here is what I wrote about him after he was drafted.

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"Kline has the size and length team covert for an interior lineman. He excels in zone, has a tremendous football IQ, displays great technique and footwork, and is an efficient moving in space climbing to the next level and pulling. Looks to knock someone’s head off. However, he can get a little upright in his stance, doesn’t have elite athleticism, Needs polishing in pass protection, and will need to work on quick adjustments moving inside on passing off defenders."

Coen loves Klein fits not only in the offensive line room but what he adds to the scheme and running game they are building towards in 2024.

"Tough, competitive, mean, just the type of guy we need in that room," Coen said, "He's going to fit in great with those guys. He was jacked up when he got the call to come out here. I just think with the group of guys we have in there already and the things we're trying to implement in terms of the physicality in the run game, playing long in the pass [protection], I think he'll fit in great."

The Bucs have made a concentrated effort to improve their running game this offseason and with the additions of Klein and Irving the team is hoping both can contribute positively to the turnaround on the ground.

You can follow JC Allen on Twitter @JCAllenNFL.

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