WATCH: Bucs RB Rachaad White hard at work preparing for 2024 season

Check out Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White has he prepares for the 2024 NFL season

Last year, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White barely fell short of 1,000 yards rushing, but was still one of the most productive running backs in the NFL, tallying over 1,500 yards of total offense.

This year, White has bigger things planned for his third season in the league.

A three-down playmaker who excels as both a runner and receiver, White is doing everything he can to make sure he tops 1,000 yards rushing in 2024, as well as continuing to make a big impact in the passing game.

Here’s video evidence of the preparation White is going through to improve his game and make sure he hits the ground running in 2024:

It’s gonna be a big year for No. 1 in Tampa Bay.

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WATCH: Bucs RB Rachaad White’s top plays from 2023

Check out all of the best plays from Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White during the 2023 NFL season

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have struggled to run the ball consistently and effectively last season, but that didn’t stop running back Rachaad White from having a big impact on the offense.

White finished just shy of 1,000 yards rushing in 2023, but continued to be a valuable member of the passing game, racking up over 1,500 yards of total offense in his second NFL season.

Watch the video above to see all of White’s top plays from the 2023 campaign.

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2024 Bucs offseason preview: Running back

The Bucs found a versatile back in Rachaad White, but they could use someone else to lighten his workload in 2024.

For nearly a decade, the Buccaneers sought a running back who could be a dangerous offensive weapon and a reliable ball carrier. Rachaad White is as close as they have gotten in a long time.

White’s 1,539 yards from scrimmage in 2023 is the most recorded by any Bucs player since Doug Martin in 2015. He managed to do this despite running behind one of the worst run-blocking offensive lines in the league, limiting him to a mere 990 rush yards for just 3.6 yards per attempt.

Overall, the Bucs averaged -0.166 EPA per play when running down, sixth-worst in the NFL, with a league-worst 32% success rate. White is not wholly without blame, as he recorded -110 rush yards over expected, among the worst in the NFL per Next Gen Stats. A pure running back Rachaad White is not.

Instead, White found his calling as a versatile weapon, recording the third-most receiving yards (549), third-most yards per reception (9.6) and the third-highest catch rate (91.4%) among all running backs (minimum 45 targets).

Suffice to say, Rachaad White is entering the 2024 offseason as the incumbent starter in Tampa Bay. That is not likely to change.

However, White’s ascendence does not preclude the addition of more help. White may be a victim of his own success, recording 336 total touches, second-most of any NFL player behind only Christian McCaffrey. That level of work is rarely sustainable and is more likely to shorten White’s career.

The Bucs had little choice but to lean heavily on White as the rest of their running backs were simply unreliable. Chase Edmonds had his moments as the change-of-pace back, but his history of injuries continued in Tampa Bay. Edmonds missed four games despite taking just 63 touches in 2023.

After Edmonds, the Bucs had next to no production at running back. 2020 third-rounder Ke’Shawn Vaughn played his way out of Tampa Bay thanks both to his unwillingness to ride the pine and his total ineffectiveness, averaging 1.8 yards per carry last season.

Undrafted rookie Sean Tucker flashed in training camp, but after averaging 1.5 yards through Week 3, he did not touch the ball for the rest of the season.

The Bucs can ill-afford to go another season hoping that White can power through one of the heaviest workloads in the NFL or that Edmonds and Tucker will provide sufficient depth. More talent is needed.

The draft is the most obvious answer to Tampa Bay’s depth issues. The Bucs need a back who can take some of the grittier carries from White, who thrives in space but struggles with chaotic between-the-tackles running. Washington’s Dillon Johnson and Notre Dame’s Audric Estime are bigger, more powerful backs known for toughness and hard-nosed running, a perfect complement to White’s finesse and speed.

At 5’8 and 195 pounds, Southern Miss RB Frank Gore Jr. would be less thunder to White’s lightning and more of a second bolt across the sky. Gore Jr. has excellent movement skills and was one of the hardest running backs to bring down in college football last year, breaking 67 tackles.

The Bucs are less likely to rely on a veteran to be White’s principal backup, but they could still explore the free-agent market. Damien Harris was a non-factor in Buffalo last year, but his success in New England was not so long ago to be completely forgotten. Harris’ 15 touchdowns in 2021 are a testament to his ability to get tough yards even against a stacked line.

The Bucs could also look at former Packers RB A.J. Dillon, who did not pan out the way Green Bay hoped after taking him in the second round of the 2020 draft. Nevertheless, he was a versatile piece of the Packers offense behind starter Aaron Jones, averaging 8.9 yards per reception in his NFL career.

Regardless of who the Bucs add to the running back room, the real key to improving the run game is improving the offensive line. Such an undertaking does not manifest overnight, so the Bucs still need to pair line upgrades with help for Rachaad White this offseason.

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Every NFL team’s rushing leader from the 2023 regular season

Here is every team’s leading rusher from the 2023 campaign

A Carolina Panther led the entire NFL in rushing this past season!

Oh, wait . . . our apologies . . .

A former Carolina Panther led the entire NFL in rushing this past season!  So, congratulations to Christian McCaffrey, who is also just days away from playing on the game’s biggest stage.

Now, as we continue to put a bow on the year, let’s look back at each team’s leading rusher from the 2023 regular season.

What went right, what went wrong for the Bucs in 2023

It was a mixed bag for Tampa Bay in their 9-8 season — see what the Bucs did well and what they can improve on going into 2024.

Very few anticipated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to reach the heights they did during the 2023 NFL season. When QB Tom Brady announced his second retirement after the Bucs’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the 2022 Wild Card round, it triggered a complete reset of the offense. Trying to return back to a division-contending level-of-play while also dealing with several personnel changes was a large task to overcome as Tampa Bay looked ahead to the 2023 season.

Despite all odds, the Bucs won the NFC South for the third consecutive season and reached the NFC Divisional round, where it fell 31-23 to the Detroit Lions. There were several things that went right during Tampa Bay’s transition year. However, there was plenty that could’ve been improved upon. Before we get to what went wrong, we’ll highlight some of the good from the Bucs’ 2023 season.

WATCH: Rachaad White takes a screen pass 12 yards for a touchdown

Rachaad White doing damage in space is no surprise at this point — watch his touchdown against the Lions.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell behind late in the third quarter to the Detroit Lions, but they made sure to respond to the call.

Tampa Bay engineered another scoring drive with their back against the wall. This drive leaned heavily on Cade Otton, who caught multiple footballs with some great grabs to get the Bucs to the 12-yard line. It looked as if Tampa Bay might let the opportunity go to waste after two straight incompletions, but running back Rachaad White came in to save the day. He took a 12-yard screen pass to the house, tying the game up at 17-17 as the third quarter ended.

Check out the play below:

Baker Mayfield beats blitz, throws TD pass to Rachaad White

The Lions and Bucs headed to the fourth quarter tied at 17

The Detroit Lions dialed up a blitz and Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay  Buccaneers had the perfect call to beat it.

Mayfield threw a short pass to Rachaad White, who rolled into the end zone from 12 yards out.

After the PAT, the NFC Divisional Round game on Sunday at Ford Field headed to the fourth quarter tied at 17.

Eagles eliminated from playoffs after 32-9 loss to Buccaneers

Eagles eliminated from playoffs after 32-9 loss to Buccaneers

The Eagles are set for a dramatic overhaul following the team’s shocking 32-9 loss to the Buccaneers in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs.

Philadelphia was 0-11 on third and fourth downs combined, tallying 268 total yards on ten offensive drives in a sloppy affair that saw missed tackles and no answer for the Tampa blitz as the Eagles were held to 38 rushing yards on the night.

Baker Mayfield outplayed Jalen Hurts, going 22-36 passing for 337 yards, three touchdowns, and 0 interceptions with a 119 quarterback rating.

Rachaad White was strong on the ground, rushing 18 times for 62 yards on the night.

The Eagles will now head into an uncertain offseason, having lost six of the final seven games played, and an overhaul could include head coach Nick Sirianni with the likes of Jim Harbaugh, Bill Belichick, and others available after mass changes around the league.

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Eagles Twitter reacts to humiliating 32-9 loss to Buccaneers in wild-card round

We’re looking at the social media reaction from Philadelphia fans after the Eagles loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round

The Eagles are set for a dramatic overhaul, and there’s nobody safe outside of Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jalen Carter following the team’s shocking 32-9 loss to the Buccaneers in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs.

Philadelphia was 0-11 on third and fourth downs combined, tallying 268 total yards on ten offensive drives in a sloppy affair that saw missed tackles and no answer for the Tampa blitz as the Eagles were held to 38 rushing yards on the night.

With a long offseason set to begin, here’s how Twitter reacted to the madness.

Eagles vs. Bucs: 10 takeaways from first half as Tampa leads 16-9 in NFC wild card game

We’re looking at then takeaways from the first half as tthe Buccaneers hold a 16-9 lead over the Eagles in the NFC wild card game

The Eagles were nearly run out of Raymond James Stadium, but after some timely drops by the Buccaneers and a renewed effort on defense, they trailed 16-9 at halftime.

Julio Jones had three catches in the first half for 22 yards before exiting with a concussion, and Philadelphia held Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to a combined two catches for 30 yards on seven targets.

With the second half set to begin, we’re looking at takeaways from a hard-fought first half.