Buccaneers running back Rachaad White had a solid rookie campaign in 2022. White posted nearly 800 yards from scrimmage while adding three touchdowns. Not a bad start to a career, and obviously enough to convince the Bucs to move on from Leonard Fournette.
The Buccaneers are reportedly moving on from Fournette at the beginning of the league’s new year. Because of this, the Bucs are seen as a team that is in the market for a running back in this year’s draft. And one name that consistently comes up is Texas running back Bijan Robinson.
White recently spoke with the guys over at PewterReport.com where the Bijan Robinson topic came up.
“I don’t have no problem with Bijan. The thing is, at the end of the day, what I have learned even though I’m young — [from] my agent and what people in my circle taught me — it’s a business, we all know that. Tampa Bay has to do what’s best for Tampa Bay. My coaches have to do what’s best for my coaches. Everybody has a little selfishness in them — you have to. Me, I’m selfless. You can draft Bijan, you can draft whoever, at the end of the day, I’m going to win that job, that’s just what I’ve always done.”
White continued,
“That’s what I always did with my track record, no matter what. No problem with Bijan or whoever Tampa drafts. Obviously you have to draft a guy, it’s the league. I don’t have any problem with that, the only problem I have is people saying, ‘We don’t know if he can be Kenneth Walker – if he could be a budding star.’ Kenneth and I are like close friends in real life, we talk a lot. I’m just saying if you give me 200 carries in a season – if you give me the opportunity and I don’t make anything out of it, then you can say we don’t know if he can be a budding star. When I only got [129] carries [last season], it’s hard to say somebody could be a budding star and live up to this when you’re not getting the same opportunity,” White stated. “That’s what life is about. It’s about situational opportunities.”
White’s confidence is refreshing and to an extent justified. As mentioned he posted solid numbers as the 2nd back in last year’s offense. And judging by his comments, he isn’t afraid of competition.