There is no doubt that sophomore RB Rachaad White will be the workhorse on the Bucs’ offense this upcoming season, but adding another starting-caliber running back is something the team should look into according to Bleacher Report.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine made a list of every free agent addition each NFL team should look into, and tagged former Browns RB Kareem Hunt as the best available free agent for Tampa Bay.
Here’s what he said about Hunt:
“The 28-year-old has been the secondary back to Nick Chubb for the last four seasons and had one of his best seasons in 2020 when he [and] Mayfield thrived. Mayfield went 11-5 as a starter that season, and Hunt led the team with five receiving touchdowns. He put up 1,145 yards from scrimmage as a dual-threat back. Hunt might not have that kind of performance in him anymore, but he could still be an upgrade over Chase Edmonds behind Rachaad White.”
The Bucs running back room is certainly unproven — other than Edmonds, who has five years of experience and has played with three different organizations.
Bucs rookie RB Sean Tucker will be playing in his first season and RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn has three years of experience in the NFL but has started just one game in his entire career.
Adding another veteran presence to the locker room could be valuable for Tampa Bay, but cap constraints might decide otherwise.
The Bucs estimated cap space is $-3,165,539, according to Spotrac. Signing an additional running back likely wouldn’t make much sense as the team waits to see how its backup players will develop throughout the season.
Hunt’s asking price is also higher than many free agents who remain in the market. He has received four different offers from NFL teams over the last two weeks, according to Tom Pelissero. Despite the several offers, Hunt is yet to sign with a team.
