Rachaad White is the Bucs’ best RB, and it’s time for them to act like it

Leonard Fournette is the veteran with the big contract, but rookie Rachaad White needs to the the Bucs’ starter in the backfield

When Tom Brady announced he was coming back for another season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got to work retaining some of his most important weapons on offense.

One of them was running back Leonard Fournette, who was coming off an impressive 2021 campaign, which the Bucs rewarded with a three-year contract extension.

A month later, the Bucs would add some reinforcements to their offensive backfield, spending a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Arizona State running back Rachaad White.

As Tampa Bay embarks on the second half of the 2022 season, it’s time for them to admit that White should be the starter over Fournette.

There might not be anything in the box score that backs up this assertion, but a closer look at the film shows that White brings traits to the table that give the Bucs a better chance to win if he’s on the field more often.

While Fournette has always excelled as a downhill runner thanks to his impressive blend of size and power, he’s struggled with other key traits like vision, patience, and lateral agility, even going back to his time as a star at LSU. Despite his bigger frame and more powerful running style, Fournette has struggled mightily in short-yardage situations this year, thanks in large part to the absence of those other traits.

White, on the other hand, has an impressive blend of that trifecta, which he put on display every week for the Sun Devils before flashing the same well-rounded skill set in limited work for the Bucs so far this season. His upright, smooth style of running drew predraft comparisons to prime Le’Veon Bell, and it’s hard to argue with the resemblance.

Not only does White have abilities that make him a more effective runner than Fournette, but he also excels as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, and has improved his pass-protection skills as the season has moved along. He’s quickly developed into a true three-down back who is deserving of a featured role.

White is already showing the leadership of a seasoned veteran, too.

During last week’s dramatic win over the Los Angeles Rams, Fournette was reportedly frustrated about being on the sideline for a particular drive, while White was in the game instead. It was the rookie who was doing his best to provide encouragement to his more experienced teammate, per Tracy Wolfson of CBS Sports:

It’s hard to tell a more experienced, more highly paid veteran to take a back seat to a rookie, but considering how much the Tampa Bay offense has struggled this season, they need to make sure they have the best 11 players on the field at all times.

That means making White the starter, and seeing just how much better the offense can be with his more complete skill set at Tom Brady’s disposal.

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