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Is A Breakout Season Coming For Rachaad White?

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By: Matt Matera

Going into his second year in the NFL, Rachaad White will get his first opportunity to be the top running back in the Bucs’ room.

In a limited role last season behind Leonard Fournette, White dazzled when given opportunities to the point where many pushed for him to have a bigger role. He eventually split time with Fournette, starting the last eight games down the stretch.

Rachaad White Is The Top Guy

No depth chart is set yet for this season, but heading into it, White looks to be RB1 with Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Chase Edmonds and Patrick Laird following behind. There’s also a good chance that undrafted free agents Sean Tucker and Ronnie Brown could crack the 53-man roster or make it onto the practice squad. With that said, this is White’s room.

Bucs RB Rachaad White Photo By: USA Today

White rushed for 481 yards on 129 attempts for an average of 3.7 yards per rush and one touchdown in his rookie year. He also recorded 50 catches, 290 yards and two receiving touchdowns in the passing game. The best is yet to come for White,  who had his breakout game in Germany against the Seahawks, going for 105 yards on the ground on 22 rushes and an average of 4.7 yards per attempt.

If that was a breakout game, what about a breakout season? White already got the attention of Good Morning Football as he won the “Angry Runs” scepter from Kyle Brandt for a stiff arm he had in the Germany game. And earlier this week, he popped up on GMFB’s radar again with Peter Schrager anointing him as the breakout running back of the 2023 season this week.

Schrager Gushes Over Bucs RB White

Schrager had a lot to say about Rachaad White and his potential for a breakout year in 2023.

“I love this guy’s game,” Schrager said. “And I love the message that the Bucs have made through free agency and through the draft. What did they do? Well, Leonard Fournette’s no longer with the squad, Rachaad White is and everyone thought that they would draft a running back on Day 1 or Day 2, no. This is our guy, Rachaad White’s our dude.

“They beefed up their offensive line, in a lot of ways, we know we love the big boy Cody Mauch, who’s going to be next to Ryan Jensen now and they’re going to be blocking and making holes for this guy. Rachaad White is my breakout running back. I would expect him to be in the top 10 when it comes to NFL rushing later this season.”

Schrager brings up great points about the fact that Tampa Bay moved on from Fournette and didn’t go with a replacement in the draft. He also mentions taking Cody Mauch to play him at offensive guard, but I’d take it a step further with the entire revamping of the Bucs’ offensive line.

Bucs Enter 2023 With New Run Game

Bucs OC Dave Canales

Bucs OC Dave Canales – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

They had the league’s worst rushing attack last season, but the Bucs aren’t sitting idly by.

The left side of the offensive line is going to be massive with Tristan Wirfs moving to left tackle and the 6’6″ Matt Feiler playing left guard. You also have an influx of youth on the right side, with Mauch at right guard and Luke Goedeke going back to his natural position of right tackle along with great depth on the interior offensive line.

But maybe more than anything else, the most important change will be offensive coordinator Dave Canales and his commitment to the run game. The Bucs are going to run it a lot more this season, but creatively. No more predictable first down rushing attempts. Tampa Bay will throw it on first down to set up the run on second.

Canales will also implement a zone blocking attack that might just be better suited for this roster. He loves White, who he called a “violent runner” as a running back. There’s a lot to be excited about with a new run game for the Bucs, and White’s going to be the beneficiary of it.

The post Is A Breakout Season Coming For Rachaad White? appeared first on Pewter Report.

Originally posted on Pewter Report