The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty of problems to address after starting the season 0-3.
Baker Mayfield is injured, the offense has struggled, and Todd Bowles is facing enormous pressure. However, one offensive decision stands out as particularly difficult to understand.
The Buccaneers Are Leaving a Weapon on the Sideline
Sean Tucker has not received a single rushing attempt through three games.
That is becoming increasingly difficult to defend.
Tucker Has Proven He Can Contribute
Tucker played all 17 games for Tampa Bay in both 2024 and 2025.
He recorded at least 300 rushing yards during each season and scored nine touchdowns across that span. He was expected to remain part of the rotation entering 2026.
Instead, the Buccaneers have essentially removed him from the rushing equation.
That decision is especially questionable because the team’s running game has hardly been dominant.
The Results Make the Decision Look Worse
Tampa Bay has struggled to establish the run through the first three weeks.
Only eight teams have averaged fewer rushing yards than the Buccaneers during the 2026 season. Yet Tucker has watched from the sideline without receiving a single carry.
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have continued searching for answers in the backfield.
That makes Tucker’s lack of involvement feel less like a deliberate rotation decision and more like a missed opportunity.
Robinson Admits the Buccaneers Need Tucker
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson recently acknowledged that Tucker needs to become part of the gameplan.
“100%, we’ve got to get Tuck going,” Robinson said via pewterreport.com. “He is special with the ball in his hands, as you guys have seen from his time here. That’s on us as coaches to find spots to mix him in.”
That statement puts the responsibility directly on the coaching staff.
Robinson knows Tucker can make plays with the football, yet the Buccaneers have not found a single rushing opportunity for him through three games.
At 0-3, that is a luxury Tampa Bay simply cannot afford.
The Buccaneers Need to Correct This
Tampa Bay will now have to play without Mayfield while turning to a backup quarterback.
That should make establishing the running game even more important.
Instead of continuing to leave Tucker uninvolved, the Buccaneers need to find out what he can provide. The team already knows its current approach has not produced enough.
Keeping a proven contributor completely out of the rushing game while the offense struggles is a failure by the coaching staff.
The Buccaneers have no guarantee Tucker would transform the offense, but they should at least give him the opportunity to prove what he can do.
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