Published on 2 days ago

When will Buccaneers RB return?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved to 5-1 following their 30-19 win over the San Francisco 49ers last week, but did so without some of their top contributors on offense once again.

Baker Mayfield is playing at an MVP-level and has led the Bucs to an excellent start in 2025. Tampa Bay is the lone five-win team in the NFC and has a matchup on the road with the Detroit Lions (4-2) on “Monday Night Football” in Week 7. It’s a clash for early season supremacy in the conference, but the Buccaneers will likely be without multiple weapons on offense.

Running back Bucky Irving was forced to miss his second game after suffering foot and shoulder injuries ahead of Week 5 and is in danger of missing his third game.

Irving had amassed a team-high 237 rushing yards before his injury, and the absence of his explosive playmaking ability has been a significant blow to the Buccaneers offense.

Tampa Bay looks like a strong contender in the NFC, especially with Mayfield playing so well. They’ll need players like Irving to recover quickly, as his health is vital to their success moving forward.

Here’s the latest on the Buccaneers’ second-year running back:

When will Bucky Irving return?

Irving has been ruled out for Week 7 with foot and shoulder injuries. The Buccaneers travel to Detroit for “Monday Night Football” to take on the Lions and will be without Irving for the third consecutive week.

The 23-year-old running back was seen wearing a walking boot before Week 5 and did not take part in practice leading up to today’s game against Detroit. He has failed to practice in any capacity since Week 4.

Tampa Bay has not placed Irving on injured reserve (IR), which would have required at least four games missed. Tampa Bay has a bye in Week 9which suggests that if Irving’s injury were long-term, the team would have likely placed him on IR to recover during that time. Instead, it gives Irving a chance to return next week ahead of the bye.

However, there is a chance the team opts to give Irving one more week of rest to recover and come back healthy after the bye. His status for Week 8 has not been announced.

Like many teams around the NFL, Tampa Bay is dealing with many injuries across its roster. Chris Godwin is set to miss his second straight game as well, while Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka are considered game-time decisions tonight.

Buccaneers RB depth chart

Here’s a look at who the Buccaneers will have at RB without Irving on Monday night:

Veteran running back Rachaad White, who is set to become a free agent, has performed well as the Buccaneers’ lead back in Week 5. He rushed for 41 yards and scored two touchdowns in Week 5 and followed it up with 65 rushing yards and a score against the 49ers. He’s added seven receptions for 51 yards in Irving’s absence.

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