One of many greatest speaking factors surrounding the Bucs coming into this season is how the offense is coming collectively. It begins with getting quarterback Baker Mayfield on monitor, however it extends to how the group’s huge receivers and operating backs might be utilized.
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson spoke earlier than Tuesday night time’s observe and had lots to say about the place the operating again room stands, particularly Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell.
Zac Robinson Says Bucky Irving “Is An Explosive Play Waiting To Happen”
What stood out most about Zac Robinson’s feedback on the Bucs operating backs is what he needed to say about Bucky Irving.
Regardless that Irving had a disappointing 2025 season, wherein accidents led to a decline in efficiency, Robinson sees extra of the 2024 Irving who rushed for 1,122 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per carry.
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
“Bucky is a stud,” Robinson mentioned. “Watching him in 2024, he’s an explosive play ready to occur. Clearly, you guys noticed it up shut each single sport. He’s simply acquired such an awesome perspective and an awesome spirit about him. He’s a group man and all the time has a smile on his face. Simply the individual has been cool to get to know… Bucky has been nice.
“Obviously, the talent speaks for itself. The way he runs the football, his feet are always in the ground, so he’s always able to change direction and, obviously, that keeps him so balanced to be able to break tackles. The versatility he has in the pass game and the run game – he’s done a great job. It’s been a blast seeing him cut some of these runs and you start seeing it.”
What Robinson will try and keep away from is operating Irving into the bottom. Former offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard emphasised getting him the ball early and sometimes final season, a call that coincided with Irving’s declining effectivity when he may have used a breather.
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Between Irving lacking time with foot and shoulder accidents, the offensive line struggling accidents throughout the board, and a scarcity of schematic run sport innovation, it was not shocking to see Irving solely common 3.4 yards per carry and fail to construct on a sensational rookie yr.
With Robinson drawing from Liam Coen’s system, lots of the ideas that fueled Irving’s rookie season in 2024 ought to carry over.
Retaining Irving contemporary could also be one of many greatest causes Tampa Bay focused Kenny Gainwell in free company.
Kenny Gainwell Will Resurrect Bucs “Pony Package” Seems, Gives Versatility
One of many extra notable observations of Bucs coaching camp to date is what Zac Robinson has accomplished with Kenny Gainwell. After a profession yr with the Steelers in 2025, Gainwell has the same versatile skillset to Bucky Irving, though he profiles extra as a receiving again.
That has been on show all through the primary two weeks of practices.
“He has not been utilized a lot as a operating again. As an alternative, Zac Robinson has made him the protection valve and he has gotten numerous work as a receiver out of the backfield. That has come on numerous flat routes that haven’t been explosive…
Gainwell’s function has been one of many extra intriguing developments of coaching camp. Whereas the complete imaginative and prescient won’t be revealed till the common season, he did share that the horse package deal, which is a two-back set, is again. He has been the favored receiver from that personnel grouping, as famous above.
“There is a couple of packages where we will be on the field at the same time,” Gainwell mentioned. “We have our pony package that people have been seeing for a couple days. There will be a bunch of packages.”
That doesn’t imply Gainwell gained’t get his share of carries, however the early impression is that Robinson values his fingers out of the backfield.
Bucs RB Kenneth Gainwell – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
“The complement between [Irving] and Kenny…Kenny has done a great job since the spring,” Robinson mentioned. “Obviously, he got the bulk of the reps there and got a good feel for it. Then ‘Tuck’ (Sean Tucker) obviously made a lot of plays, and Josh Williams has had a great camp as well. We have some backs that are exciting and have a versatile skill set. We’ll just kind of keep taking it where it goes, but those guys are a great group of guys, man. Bucky gives me a smile every time I look at him. He’s a stud.”
Robinson went again to mentioning Irving, and based mostly on his phrases, he’s the lead again within the room proper now. Given how Arthur Smith utilized Gainwell in Pittsburgh, it won’t be shocking to see him get a excessive quantity of touches in several methods. Bijan Robinson turned a deadly receiver in Atlanta beneath Zac Robinson’s watch, together with in 2025 when he had 79 catches for 820 yards. Gainwell’s versatility offers Robinson one other weapon to maneuver across the formation as he finds methods to maximise his talents.
Gainwell made one other attention-grabbing assertion discussing how the duo will play off one another.
Robinson and the remainder of the offense haven’t been shy discussing the implementation of the huge zone operating scheme coming into this season. Given Irving’s elusiveness in house, it feels like he would be the greatest beneficiary.
“I think I’m a big guy between the tackles, Bucky is a spread-out guy, and both of us do basically the same thing when we get ready to run routes and stuff,” Gainwell added. “So, I mean, it’s just different sizes [and] body types, but at the same time we both have to be ready for what is to come and go out there and attack it.”
Bucs RB Kenneth Gainwell – Picture by: IMAGN Photos – Barry Reeger
How does Robinson see the veteran again’s function throughout the offense?
“He’s super versatile,” Robinson mentioned of Gainwell. “He’s nice with the ball in his fingers. He’s very sensible. He’s an awesome cross protector. There’s actually nothing on the sphere the place you may’t put him in a scenario. It looks as if you coach him up one time on one thing and, growth, he’s acquired it. So, that’s been a luxurious to have. We’ll proceed to search out out the place we are able to put him in the perfect spots, together with the remainder of these guys, with Bucky and the remainder of these guys.
“Kenny is really smart. Obviously, you see it on tape when you watch guys. You get a good feel for just how smart and instinctive they are, how they see the game, then you get to talking to them and you’re like, ‘Okay, that matches up with how he plays.’ He’s another one that’s just got an energetic spirit about him. He’s been a blast to work with, and I’m looking forward to continuing this thing going.”
The return of the horse package deal is just one wrinkle that Robinson is bringing to the 2026 Bucs offense. As his imaginative and prescient involves life, the expectation as of now’s that Irving will shoulder the majority of the carries, whereas Gainwell ought to carve out a big function as a receiver and change-of-pace weapon. The truth that Irving can catch passes and Gainwell is snug operating between the tackles provides one other layer that might maintain defenses off guard.
If Zac Robinson can maximize Bucky Irving’s explosiveness whereas utilizing Kenny Gainwell as a movable chess piece, Tampa Bay’s backfield may develop into one of many league’s most versatile offensive weapons. That doesn’t preclude Sean Tucker from making an impression, both. Coaching camp has solely supplied glimpses, however the early blueprint is changing into more and more clear.
