The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one step away from losing their season before it started today. The loss of Rachaad White for any prolonged period of time mixed with the inconsistent play at quarterback would've likely given Tampa one of the worst offenses in the NFL-even with one of the best wide receiver rooms in the league.

While many fans and analysts have this team pegged as one of the front-runners to be one of the worst in the league and encourage the team to tank, Todd Bowles would never do such a thing with his job on the line.

If anything else, while the team should be very happy that it didn't lose Rachaad White to an injury today, a scare like this should light a fire under Bowles and his staff to go out and sign the best running back on the market: Dalvin Cook.

Cook would not be an easy get for Tampa, but what choice does the team have?

If you're Bowles, how can you sleep at night knowing the only thing potentially keeping your run game alive is Rachaad White not getting hurt? Even that may not be enough. While White was the best back on the roster last year, even he wasn't enough to make the run, Bowles' obvious favorite part of offense, even mediocre by league standards.

If Bowles really wants to protect his job, his running back room has to built to sustain his style of ball-control football, and the current options behind White inspire little confidence in their ability to play up to a level that won't get their head coach fired.

Chase Edmonds and Sean Tucker are nice, scrappy options to serve as a third back on most rosters, but keeping them as your likely two and three (Ke'Shawn Vaughn has done nothing to show he should keep a job) means you are one injury away from having no run game to speak of.

Cook may be expensive and a bit difficult to count on from an injury standpoint, but how do you say no to his upside in a one-two punch role with White for a team that wants to run the football?

Sure, this may take reps away from White, but fans have to be real. Cook is a four-time Pro Bowler. White has upside, but there are still elements of his game that are largely unproven. Cook coming in may shake up the room, but the only changes it would make in the end are positive.

The Bucs failing to go after anyone else after a wakeup call like they got today would be silly, but it wouldn't be completely unheard of from this staff.

However, if the team really does want to win, the option to add Dalvin Cook should be as simple as any other choice they could make.

Buccaneers get good news on important player

A scary moment could be over.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports