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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the middle of a fascinating transition. No longer clinging to the Tom Brady era but not quite in full rebuild mode, the franchise has reshaped itself around Baker Mayfield and a collection of rising stars. Mayfield’s resurgence has breathed life into a team many expected to fade into mediocrity. Of course, that's in addition to the emergence of playmakers like Bucky Irving and the arrival of first-round pick Emeka Egbuka. Now, Tampa Bay looks like a legitimate contender in a wide-open NFC South. Well, that's only if the front office makes the right roster decision before Week 1.
The Buccaneers’ Preseason So Far
Mayfield enters 2025 riding the momentum of a career year. He set personal bests in completions, yards, and touchdowns. Even with offensive coordinator Liam Coen departing for Jacksonville, there’s plenty to like about Tampa Bay’s outlook. Irving’s breakout campaign and the arrival of first-round pick Egbuka from Ohio State have injected fresh firepower. They give the Buccaneers every reason to believe they can control what looks like a wide-open NFC South.
So far, the preseason results have backed up that optimism. Tampa Bay sits at 2-0, opening with a dominant 29-7 win over the Titans before edging the Steelers 17-14. The defense set the tone against Tennessee with three takeaways. Meanwhile, Kyle Trask efficiently guided the offense in the opener. In Week 2, the Bucs stormed ahead 14-0 behind touchdowns from Irving and Egbuka, before Chase McLaughlin’s late field goal secured the win. Through two weeks, Tampa Bay looks sharper, deeper, and more balanced than many expected heading into the season.
Here we'll try to look at and discuss the last-minute trade that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers must make before Week 1 of 2025 NFL season.
The Emergence of Bucky Irving
One reason Tampa Bay appears so dangerous is the meteoric rise of Irving. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Irving quickly developed into one of the league’s biggest surprises. He rushed for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. He gave the Bucs a backfield weapon with both burst and toughness. Just as importantly, Irving proved capable of handling a workhorse role, making the coaching staff increasingly comfortable with him as the centerpiece of the run game.
His success, however, has created an awkward situation for Rachaad White. Once viewed as the team’s long-term answer at running back, White now finds himself playing second fiddle. With an expiring contract and Irving firmly in control of the starting role, the question is no longer whether White fits into Tampa Bay’s future. It's whether the Buccaneers can get value for him before he walks away for nothing.
Why a Trade Makes Sense
Make no mistake that White is a solid player. In 2023, he nearly cracked the 1,000-yard mark with 990 yards and six touchdowns. He’s also one of the NFL’s better pass-catching backs. White has soft hands and good route-running skills that allow him to stay on the field in passing downs. However, he isn’t exactly special, and he certainly isn’t indispensable. With fewer than 550 career carries, White still has plenty of tread left on his tires. That makes him an appealing trade candidate for a team that needs immediate backfield help.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, have no incentive to sink a big second-contract payday into a player they no longer view as a starter. If they can recoup a mid-round draft pick, they should take it. This is exactly the type of pragmatic move a team with playoff aspirations has to make: cut emotional ties and turn surplus talent into assets.
The Perfect Trade Partner: Chicago Bears
Trade Proposal: Rachaad White to the Chicago Bears for a 2026 fifth-round or sixth-round pick
The Chicago Bears make almost too much sense as a landing spot. While D’Andre Swift is currently entrenched as the starter, the depth chart behind him is thin. Rookie Kyle Monangai has promise, but as a seventh-round pick, he’s still far from being a proven contributor. Chicago is in the middle of revamping its offense under new leadership. As such, adding a versatile, reliable back like White would give them exactly the kind of insurance they need.
From offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s perspective, White’s skill set is a perfect fit. He can run inside or outside, catch passes out of the backfield, and block well enough to stay on the field in high-leverage situations. Yes, he may never develop into a franchise back. That said, he offers stability. That's something Chicago’s offense could use as it continues to find its identity.
Why the Bucs Must Pull the Trigger
For Tampa Bay, the trade accomplishes several things. It clears a path for Irving to take full command of the backfield and adds draft capital that could be flipped into more depth down the line. It also sends White to a team where he’ll have a legitimate opportunity to play. That would avoid the awkward optics of letting a useful player rot on the bench.
Yes, it’s tough to move on from a homegrown player. Yes, White still has value in a committee role. Still, keeping him only delays the inevitable. The Buccaneers have a chance to deal from a position of strength and fortify their long-term outlook without sacrificing their 2025 playoff chances. In fact, making this move now signals decisiveness, vision, and a commitment to maximizing this roster’s potential.
A Smart Business Decision
The Buccaneers are in a good place heading into 2025. Mayfield is thriving, Irving looks like a star, and the defense is opportunistic. However, the NFL rewards forward-thinking front offices, not sentimental ones. Trading Rachaad White to Chicago for a draft pick is the type of proactive move that prevents headaches down the road. It also gives Tampa Bay the flexibility to keep building around its core.
It won’t grab headlines like a blockbuster quarterback trade, but sometimes the small, calculated decisions make the biggest impact. If the Buccaneers want to stay in control of their destiny in the NFC South, this is the move they must make before Week 1.
