At times I wonder if the Bucs would consider trading Rachaad White. He’s entering the final year of his contract, and the team has two other promising backs. Bucky Irving will be their starter; he had a terrific rookie season. And Sean Tucker looks promising. In the Bucs’ playoff game last year, White hardly got on the field (with Irving elevated into a workhorse role).
So I suppose the Bucs would listen in the event some other team was interested in throwing something their way for White. But I don’t think this will happen, given the valuation of the running back position nowadays. I don’t think there would be a team willing to offer enough that Tampa Bay would be willing to move down to only two reliable options at the position. (And that’s assuming Tucker is as good as he’s seemed to be at times.)
White hasn’t made a big splash as a runner, averaging only 3.8 yards per attempt, but he’s been really good as a pass catcher. He’s been in the league for three years, and he’s caught over 85 percent of the passes thrown his way every season.
In the 32-team era, only 30 running backs with at least 50 targets have caught over 85 percent of the passes thrown their way. White is the only guy who’s done it three times. Only eight other active running backs (tagged with dots) have done this.
| RUNNING BACKS CATCHING 85-PLUS PERCENT (2002-24) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Tgt | No | Yards | Avg | TD | Pct |
| 2010 | Felix Jones, Dall. | 52 | 48 | 450 | 9.4 | 1 | 92.3% |
| 2013 | Pierre Thomas, N.O. | 84 | 77 | 513 | 6.7 | 3 | 91.7% |
| 2023 | Rachaad White, T.B. | 70 | 64 | 549 | 8.6 | 3 | 91.4% |
| 2024 | • Bucky Irving, T.B. | 52 | 47 | 392 | 8.3 | 0 | 90.4% |
| 2012 | Jacquizz Rodgers, Atl. | 59 | 53 | 402 | 7.6 | 1 | 89.8% |
| 2024 | • De'Von Achane, Mia. | 87 | 78 | 592 | 7.6 | 6 | 89.7% |
| 2024 | Rachaad White, T.B. | 57 | 51 | 393 | 7.7 | 6 | 89.5% |
| 2023 | • Samaje Perine, Den. | 56 | 50 | 455 | 9.1 | 0 | 89.3% |
| 2014 | DeMarco Murray, Dall. | 64 | 57 | 416 | 7.3 | 0 | 89.1% |
| 2018 | Dion Lewis, Ten. | 67 | 59 | 400 | 6.8 | 1 | 88.1% |
| 2005 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | 50 | 44 | 337 | 7.7 | 1 | 88.0% |
| 2022 | Leonard Fournette, T.B. | 83 | 73 | 523 | 7.2 | 3 | 88.0% |
| 2016 | LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 57 | 50 | 356 | 7.1 | 1 | 87.7% |
| 2002 | Curtis Martin, NYJ | 56 | 49 | 362 | 7.4 | 0 | 87.5% |
| 2023 | • Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 86 | 75 | 466 | 6.2 | 1 | 87.2% |
| 2024 | • Kenneth Walker, Sea. | 53 | 46 | 299 | 6.5 | 1 | 86.8% |
| 2014 | Benny Cunningham, St.L. | 52 | 45 | 352 | 7.8 | 1 | 86.5% |
| 2002 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | 81 | 70 | 672 | 9.6 | 3 | 86.4% |
| 2013 | Danny Woodhead, S.D. | 88 | 76 | 605 | 8.0 | 6 | 86.4% |
| 2018 | • Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 124 | 107 | 867 | 8.1 | 6 | 86.3% |
| 2010 | Jason Snelling, Atl. | 51 | 44 | 303 | 6.9 | 3 | 86.3% |
| 2022 | Rachaad White, T.B. | 58 | 50 | 290 | 5.8 | 2 | 86.2% |
| 2010 | Brandon Jackson, G.B. | 50 | 43 | 342 | 8.0 | 1 | 86.0% |
| 2019 | Royce Freeman, Den. | 50 | 43 | 256 | 6.0 | 1 | 86.0% |
| 2002 | Fred Taylor, Jac. | 57 | 49 | 408 | 8.3 | 0 | 86.0% |
| 2010 | LeSean McCoy, Phil. | 91 | 78 | 592 | 7.6 | 2 | 85.7% |
| 2024 | • James Conner, Ari. | 55 | 47 | 414 | 8.8 | 1 | 85.5% |
| 2008 | Marion Barber, Dall. | 61 | 52 | 417 | 8.0 | 2 | 85.2% |
| 2019 | • Austin Ekeler, LAC | 108 | 92 | 993 | 10.8 | 8 | 85.2% |
| 2004 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | 60 | 51 | 483 | 9.5 | 0 | 85.0% |
I’m not sure that White will ever be a good starting running back, but I think he could stick around a long time as a contributor and third-down specialist.
Three years into his career, he’s caught 89 percent of the passes thrown his way. That’s a lot better than any other player at his position.
In the 32-team era, 109 other running backs have seen at least 100 targets in their first three seasons. All of them are under 85 percent (on catch rate), and only 17 are above 80.
Irving should be Tampa Bay’s best back (he was also strong in the passing game as a rookie). Maybe Tucker moves up into the No. 2 spot this year. But White has something to offer, particularly in the passing game.
| RUNNING BACK CATCH RATES (first 3 yrs) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasons | Player | Tgt | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Pct |
| 2022-24 | Rachaad White, T.B. | 185 | 165 | 1,232 | 7.5 | 11 | 89.2% |
| 2023-24 | De'Von Achane, Mia. | 124 | 105 | 789 | 7.5 | 9 | 84.7% |
| 2011-13 | Jacquizz Rodgers, Atl. | 149 | 126 | 931 | 7.4 | 4 | 84.6% |
| 2022-24 | Jaylen Warren, Pitt. | 154 | 127 | 894 | 7.0 | 0 | 82.5% |
| 2008-10 | Steve Slaton, Hou. | 118 | 97 | 805 | 8.3 | 5 | 82.2% |
| 2018-20 | Jaylen Samuels, Pitt. | 100 | 82 | 550 | 6.7 | 4 | 82.0% |
| 2017-19 | Kareem Hunt, K.C.-Cle. | 142 | 116 | 1,118 | 9.6 | 11 | 81.7% |
| 2022-24 | Kenneth Walker, Sea. | 125 | 102 | 723 | 7.1 | 2 | 81.6% |
| 2017-19 | Dalvin Cook, Min. | 128 | 104 | 914 | 8.8 | 2 | 81.3% |
| 2017-19 | James Conner, Pitt. | 110 | 89 | 748 | 8.4 | 4 | 80.9% |
| 2017-19 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | 196 | 158 | 1,676 | 10.6 | 14 | 80.6% |
| 2017-19 | Joe Mixon, Cin. | 134 | 108 | 870 | 8.1 | 4 | 80.6% |
| 2011-13 | Roy Helu, Was. | 108 | 87 | 675 | 7.8 | 1 | 80.6% |
| 2020-22 | Antonio Gibson, Was. | 154 | 124 | 894 | 7.2 | 5 | 80.5% |
| 2017-19 | Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 302 | 243 | 2,068 | 8.5 | 10 | 80.5% |
| 2004-06 | Steven Jackson, St.L. | 189 | 152 | 1,315 | 8.7 | 5 | 80.4% |
| 2002-04 | Brian Westbrook, Phi. | 148 | 119 | 1,121 | 9.4 | 10 | 80.4% |
| 2020-22 | Jonathan Taylor, Ind. | 130 | 104 | 802 | 7.7 | 3 | 80.0% |
Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com
—Ian Allan