Kenneth Gainwell’s contract details raise a serious question about Bucky Irving’s future with the Buccaneers
Gainwell is getting paid starter-level money. What does it mean for Irving?
Two years ago, Bucky Irving took the NFL by storm and immediately became one of the top players on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, his future role is in question after the Buccaneers and running back Kenneth Gainwell agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal on Monday.
Because in NFL terms, $7 million per year may not seem like a whole lot of money, but it’s a hefty chunk of change for running backs and automatically puts Gainwell in line for a significant role in 2026. For instance Javonte Williams, the Dallas Cowboys’ primary back, signed a deal averaging $8 million per year. Tony Pollard, the Tennessee Titans’ main back, averages $7.250 million per year, himself. Overall, Gainwell’s yearly average ranks 22nd out of all running backs, per Spotrac.
Right now, in the early-goings, the best bet is Gainwell takes over the main role in the passing game. He showed last year he can be a very effective weapon by logging 73 receptions for 487 yards and three touchdowns.
That’s not all, though. He showed strong ability on the ground, too, rushing for 537 yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries, which went for 4.7 yards a pop. Gainwell’s 1,023 yards from scrimmage, eight total touchdowns, and 5.5 yards per touch were easily a career-best for the former fifth-round pick.
Sure, Irving is used to giving way to Rachaad White and he’s not the kind of workhorse back that is going to command 90% of the touches out of the backfield. At the same time, however, Gainwell is set up to be the primary back, or else it’s a severe overpay by the Buccaneers in a free agency period where they need to allocate every dollar in the smartest and most efficient way, possible.
Are the Bucs taking on a big risk with Gainwell taking the reins?
There is certainly risk, here. Like Irving, Gainwell has never been a No. 1 back, mainly due to his 5-foot-9, 200-pound frame (Irving is 5-foot-10, 195-pounds by comparison). Last year was the first time he’s played more than 500 snaps in his career and he’s played 1,889 total snaps over the course of 83 games, averaging 22.5 snaps per game.
Interesting enough, Irving averages around 37 snaps per game and he actually saw his count increase by an extra 12 snaps per game, from 30 to 42, in 2025.
Yes, Gainwell was brought in to help Irving mitigate the risk of injury by staying on the sideline. He doesn’t need to average 42 snaps per game like he did last year, either.
But again, Gainwell’s price point screams more than just a “reliever”, so to speak. He’s clearly going to be a big part of the Buccaneers’ game plan on offense and will eat into Irving’s production.
As for the trickle-down effect over the next two seasons, which coincidentally happen to be the last years of Irving’s rookie contract, it’s unknown what happens.
One can easily argue Irving is the more explosive player and deserves to be on the field more, even in the passing game where Gainwell is at his best. For instance, Gainwell has never averaged more than 7.7 yards per catch in a single season, while Irving has never averaged less than 8.3 yards in one season.
Either way, there are some questions surrounding Irving’s future and how it all plays out will be fascinating to watch.
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