Where Each Bucs Player Can Improve In 2024: QB, RBs

Bucs quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis wants Mayfield to work on improving his footwork this season when throwing the ball. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen wants Mayfield to work on avoiding staring down receivers to reduce the number of batted balls at the line of scrimmage from defensive linemen. But what Mayfield really needs to work on is reducing the number of clunkers he had last year.

Not every quarterback is going to have a great stat line every week over the course of a full season. Sometimes a QB has a clunker – a bad game in terms of accuracy, interceptions and lack of touchdown production. In Tampa Bay – and everywhere else around the league, really – so goes the quarterback, so goes the offense. When Mayfield plays well, the Bucs typically win. And when he doesn’t, the outcome is either a loss or struggling to win a close game.

Looking at Mayfield’s game log last year, it is my estimation that he had seven clunkers out of 17 games, with four of those resulting in losses.

Week 3 vs. Eagles – 25-11 Loss – 15-of-25 (60%) for 146 yards, TD, INT
Week 6 vs. Lions – 20-6 Loss – 19-of 37 (51.4%) for 206 yards, INT
Week 11 at 49ers – 27-14 Loss – 29-of-45 (64.4%) for 246 yards, TD, INT, fumble
Week 13 vs. Panthers – 21-18 Win – 14-of-29 (48.3%) for 202 yards, TD, INT
Week 14 at Falcons – 29-25 Win – 14-of-29 (48.3%) for 144 yards, 2 TDs
Week 17 vs. Saints – 23-13 Loss – 22-of-33 (66.7%) for 309 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
Week 18 at Panthers – 9-0 Win – 20-of-32 (62.5%) for 137 yards

Even though Tampa Bay had wins at Atlanta and at Carolina, Mayfield struggled early in both games. His last-minute drive and last-second touchdown against the Falcons were clutch, but they didn’t erase an off day in terms of Mayfield’s accuracy. And Mayfield had three dropped interceptions in the first half against the Panthers in the season finale that certainly could have changed the outcome of that game and kept the Bucs out of the playoffs if not for some good fortune.

If Mayfield can cut his number of clunkers in half this year to perhaps just three or four bad games, it could result in two or three more wins for Tampa Bay. The result could be the Bucs going from a 9-8 team last year to an 11- or 12-win team in 2024. More reps and chemistry with his teammates will only help Mayfield as he enters his second season in red and pewter.

RB Rachaad White – Hit The Whole Faster, Run With Authority

Bucs running backs coach Skip Peete and offensive coordinator Liam Coen both outlined that White needs to run with a greater sense of urgency at the handoff. Coen wants White to run “like he’s shot out of a cannon.” At times last year, White was too patient and indecisive, but did make strides as the year went on.

In the first nine games of the year, White had 429 yards rushing while averaging 3.3 yards per carry with three touchdowns. But over the final eight games of the season, White produced 561 yards rushing and averaged 4.0 yards per carry in addition to three scores. He only posted five games with 75 yards or more on the ground, including two 100-yard games, and they all came in the final eight weeks of the regular season when he became a more decisive, urgent runner.

White is the team’s biggest back at 220 pounds, and Peete wants him to run with more violence and authority. I agree wholeheartedly. If White can be an angry and more urgent runner, he’ll surely top 1,000 yards rushing in 2024 if he stays healthy.

RB Chase Edmonds – Make The Limited Number Of Carries Count

Edmonds averaged 3.6 yards per carry in the regular season, but just 2.8 yards per carry in the postseason with 31 yards on 11 totes. Edmonds had six games in which he had less than three yards per carry, including a four-game stretch from Weeks 7-10.

As a change-of-pace back last season, Edmonds was brought in to spell Rachaad White – often with fresh legs. But he didn’t bring much juice to the table until later in the year. Edmonds, who brings a lot of value as the lone veteran running back in the room, missed four games in the first half of the season with a knee injury and it took him a while to get back into a groove.

The arrival of Bucky Irving, the team’s fourth-round pick, will only cut into Edmonds’ opportunities in 2024, and he had just 49 carries and 17 targets in the passing game during the 2023 regular season. Edmonds will have to make the most of his limited opportunities this year – or lose even more reps to the rookie. That means having a stronger sense of urgency to make big plays when his number is called, and that begins in earnest in training camp.

RB Sean Tucker – Make The Right Decisions While Making A Good First Impression

Bucs running backs coach Skip Peete said that it wasn’t necessarily Tucker’s sub-par pass protection that kept him off the field last year. It was not hitting the right holes at the right time. Tucker missed all of the Bucs’ offseason last year with a heart condition that cleared up by the time training camp rolled around, but that slowed down his development and understanding of Dave Canales’ run scheme.

To his credit, Tucker actually won the backup the running back job in the preseason, but had a lackluster showing in limited playing time at the start of the season. Tucker didn’t get a single carry after the Eagles game in Week 3, and he totaled 23 yards on 15 carries for a woeful 1.5-yard average for the season. Tucker was inactive for eight games last year, including the final six games of the regular season and both playoff games.

A new offensive coordinator and a new offense will give Tucker a clean slate and the chance to make a fresh start with Liam Coen. The good news is that Tucker is healthy and will be able to take part in all of the OTAs this offseason and the mini-camp. That way, he won’t be behind when he heads into training camp like he was last season. If Tucker can grasp this new offense and work his timing with the offensive line and knowing which hole to hit, he has a chance to climb the depth chart.

The addition of rookie running back Bucky Irving will put the pressure on Tucker to make a big leap this offseason or risk losing a roster spot.