TAMPA, Fla. – New Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales held four different positions on Seahawks head Pete Carroll’s staff from 2010-2022.
With the level of talent at the skill positions on Tampa Bay’s roster, Canales’ approach could open the doors to allowing a depth of play calling. This will get several players involved inside the offense and with matchup advantages depending on matchups in a specific game.
“Pocket movement and just getting the defense running side by side, it’s just a well-balanced offense to me,” said Buccaneers running back Rachaad White after a workout at the team’s mini-camp this week.
White emerged as Tampa Bay’s change-up back to Leonard Fournette last season. Now, he will likely be the starter as the Bucs released Fournette, so the competition will emerge between White and Ke’Shawn Vaughn.
“The feel I get for me right now is that it is much more balanced,” commented White. “They harp on it all the time. Coach Bowles and Coach David (Canales) – ‘You’ve got to be able to run. You’ve got to be able to do both.’”
Offensively, the Buccaneers struggled in Tom Brady’s last season as they averaged 3.4 yards per carry with only five rushing touchdowns. Consider that along with 386 rushing attempts for only 1,308 rushing yards and the Buccaneers finished last in the NFL in all four of those statistics in 2022.
“With the running back position and how it is, we’re guys trying to go with it,” explained White. “It’s great to be asked to do everything and have guys behind you like Ke’Shawn (Vaughn) and Chase (Edmonds).”
Ironically, White went over 100 yards once last season and that was when he ran for 105 yards on 22 carries against the Seahawks, who was Canales’ employer for the past 12 seasons.
“Every day, you pay attention to 1,000-yard rushers,” said White. “It’s been eight years or so since Doug Martin, so I pay attention and read up on all that type of stuff.”
Martin rushed for 1,402 yards in 2014 as he is the last Buccaneers running back to eclipse 1,000 yards. He also had 11 rushing touchdowns as a rookie in 2012.
QB Battle in Tampa: One of the most interesting quarterback battles in any training camp this summer will occur at Advent Health Training Center where veteran Baker Mayfield will try to hold off former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask as the Buccaneers’ starter.
Mayfield had a strong 2020 season when he led the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs where they defeated Pittsburgh, 48-37, before losing to Kansas City.
At 6-5, 236, Trask is built to be an NFL quarterback as he threw 69 touchdown passes with 15 picks in three seasons as the Florida quarterback.
“Sometime during this training camp or right after camp, there will be a decision made,” said Bucs head coach Todd Bowles. “It’s still a quarterback competition right now. I am not going to award anybody in shorts and t-shirts.”
Depth at Wide Receiver: In posting a pair of talented wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Buccaneers can pose matchup problems in the passing game. The key will be getting consistency at quarterback.
Both Evans and Godfrey put up over 1,000 receiving yards last year to bring an end to quarterback Tom Brady’s legendary NFL career in Tampa. Russell Gage will be back from injury and will be key in developing depth in the passing game.
“I like that he’s taking notes,” said Bowles. “He’s a good pro. He’s watching everything.”
Tampa Bay drafted former Nebraska wide receiver Trey Palmer, who started at LSU before finding his way to the Cornhuskers. He set the receiving record with 1,043 receiving yards on 71 catches for Nebraska and he appeared on special teams.
The wide receiver position is deep as of now with several players in the mix trying to provide depth and consistency for Mayfield or Trask.
“Route-wise and intelligence-wise, they are about the same,” noted Bowles of his wide receiver group. “It’s completely different in pads when they are getting re-routed.”
