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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account this week in the Bucs Mailbag. Submit your question to the Bucs Mailbag each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag. Here are the Bucs questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.

QUESTION: Is there any real chance Sean Tucker takes RB2 role. He looked fantastic against the Bengals.

Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: USA Today

ANSWER: Is there a chance? Sure. The Bucs have plans for Bucky Irving to be the backup running back behind Rachaad White. That’s why the team drafted the Oregon product in the fourth round this year, and that’s why he’s gotten the majority of snaps in training camp practice, especially after Chase Edmonds got injured on the first day. But plans can change, and if Sean Tucker continues to average a gaudy 6.8 yards per carry, he will certainly give head coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Liam Coen and running backs coach Skip Peete something to think about.

What Tucker accomplished on Saturday night in Cincinnati when he rushed for 68 yards on 10 carries and caught both the passes thrown his way for eight yards is staking claim to a roster spot. Currently, he’s in line to make the 53-man roster, possibly as RB3 behind White and Irving and ahead of Edmonds – if the team even decides to keep the oft-injured veteran. Tucker has had a solid training camp, and has been getting better each week and breaking off more explosive runs in practice with greater regularity.

If Tucker winds up leading the team in rushing in the preseason and has a much higher rushing average, he will be in consideration for getting some reps on game days. That may come at the expense of Irving, but the rookie did have a nice NFL debut against the Bengals, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown. It will be interesting to see how Tucker fares against the Jaguars in the joint practices this week and versus Jacksonville in Saturday night’s preseason game.

One area he does need to continued work in is pass protection. Tucker has been a bit slow in identifying which defender he needs to pick up and then getting in the right position and using the proper technique. He allowed Kyle Trask to get hit on two occasions against the Bengals as he was throwing, while Irving did a much better job in pass protection.

QUESTION: Bucky Irving looked very good in the preseason opener, continuing his awesome training camp. Do you believe he will be a threat to Rachaad White for RB1 status at some point this year?

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

ANSWER: Bucky Irving will cut into Rachaad White’s workload this year, but that’s by design. Last year, White rushed for 990 yards and six touchdowns on 272 carries, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. The team would love to see White become a more effective and efficient runner and average 4.0 yards per carry – or more – with fewer carries. In 2023, the Bucs running back with the highest amount of carries after White was Chase Edmonds, who rushed for 176 yards on 49 carries (3.6 avg.). That’s a big discrepancy between 272 carries and 49 carries.

Tampa Bay would like to see White, who also sees plenty of work in the passing game as a three-down back, get 220 carries yet still top 1,000 yards like Rams running back Kyren Williams did last year. Williams made the Pro Bowl in 2023 after rushing for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns on 228 carries (5.0 avg.). That’s the type of year the Bucs would love to see their veteran running back have in 2024. White’s 272 carries were tied with San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey for the second-most in the NFL last year.

Irving – and perhaps Sean Tucker – will cut into White’s workload this year by design. The Bucs were fortunate that White was able to start all 19 games, including the postseason, despite such a heavy usage in 2023. But will Irving supplant White as a starter this year? I don’t see that happening unless White gets hurt or really struggles. White is having a very good training camp and seems to be adapting to Liam Coen’s offense quite well, so I doubt he struggles after the confidence and experience he gained last season in his first full year as a starter.

White will be entering a contract year in 2025, so it will be interesting to see what happens with his future in Tampa Bay. How Irving progresses – and produces – could play a role in the team’s level of interest in re-signing White, or perhaps moving on from him after next season.

QUESTION: What are the chances the Bucs roll with Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker and move on from Chase Edmonds? Hard to find a real role for Edmonds anymore that won’t be done better by one of the other three guys.

Bucs RB Chase Edmonds – Photo by: USA Today

ANSWER: I do not see the value in keeping Chase Edmonds on the 53-man roster this season, especially with the drafting of Bucky Irving in the fourth round and the reemergence of Sean Tucker, who dazzled in Saturday night’s game in Cincinnati, showcasing his speed on a game-high 26-yard run. Edmonds is 28 years old and has dealt with a lot of injuries in his career. He had trouble staying healthy last year and missed four games, going on short-term injured reserve due to a knee injury he suffered in Week 2 against Chicago.

Edmonds is injured once again and has missed all but the first day of training camp practice. While disappointing, his injury has been a blessing in disguise for Irving and Tucker, who have gotten more reps in practice as a result and taken the ball and run with it (pun intended). With Edmonds signing a one-year deal again in Tampa Bay, he is not a part of this team’s future. It would be a shame if the Bucs used a roster spot on him rather than a promising young running back like Tucker if the team keeps three backs, or a rookie like Ramon Jefferson, who scored the game-winning touchdown against the Bengals.

If the Bucs value Edmonds’ role as the veteran leader in the running backs room, they should sign him to the practice squad. The Bucs had quarterback John Wolford in a similar role last year, in addition to veteran wide receiver David Moore. Both Wolford and Moore were signed to the active roster late last year when a spot on the 53-man opened up. That way, Edmonds could still serve the team’s younger backs in a mentor role and share his experience, but without taking away a roster spot for a more promising young runner.

QUESTION: How has Chase McLaughlin looked during training camp? He looked very shaky in Cincinnati.

Bucs K Chase McLaughlin – Photo by: USA Today

ANSWER: Kicker Chase McLaughlin has fared well in Bucs training camp thus far. Has he made every kick in practice? No, but he’s likely hitting greater than 80 percent of his field goals – perhaps more. There isn’t a kicking competition this year with McLaughin being entrenched as the starter thanks to his new three-year contract, so there are fewer field goal reps taken in practice as a result.

I know that McLaughlin had a 51-yard field goal doink off the right upright in Saturday night’s preseason opener at Cincinnati. And his last extra point attempt in the fourth quarter narrowly snuck inside the left upright. I don’t think it’s anything to be worried about just yet. It’s preseason for everyone right now – even established veterans.

McLaughlin had a fantastic year in Tampa Bay last season, hitting 29-of-31 field goals and his 93.5% field goal percentage was a new Bucs single-season record. He also was perfect on all 33 of his extra points. Even if McLaughlin doesn’t attain those lofty stats again this season, he’s still a very reliable kicker as long as he comes close to reproducing those numbers.

QUESTION: When will the Bucs officially cut ties with Randy Gregory? Seems like this whole thing was a waste of time and energy for the Bucs.

Bucs OLB Randy Gregory – Photo by: USA Today

ANSWER: This is a great question, as veteran outside linebacker Randy Gregory has not shown up for work since signing a one-year, $3 million contract with the Bucs on April 4. Gregory missed the voluntary OTAs as well as the mandatory mini-camp, and he was fined close to $150,000 for missing those three days.

The Bucs were hoping he would show up to training camp, but he failed to report on July 23 and has now missed 21 days of training camp. As a result, Gregory has been fined $50,000 for every day he’s missed camp. As of Monday, August 12, Gregory has accumulated 21 days worth of fines at $50,000 per day. So he’s now been fined just over $1 million. For CBA fining purposes, training camp runs from the mandatory reporting date through the Sunday before the first regular season game, which is September 1.

Plus, Gregory has been fined for missing the first preseason game in the amount of $75,833.33. That is 1/18th of his base salary. Should Gregory miss the next two preseason games, he will be fined a total of $227,500, including his absence for the preseason opener in Cincinnati. The Bucs will be attempting to recoup the $1.125 million bonus the team gave him when he signed on April 4. When that occurs, Gregory will owe the Bucs an additional amount, which is already over $1.1 million for the missed camp dates and the missed preseason opener.

Simply put, the Bucs are actually making money from the Gregory signing with the fines he’s accumulated. Gregory does not count against the Bucs’ training camp roster number, nor would he count against the 53-man roster as he’s on the did not report list, so the team is no hurry to release him. And because he’s never been to a single practice, Gregory is not causing a distraction to the team because none of the Bucs players have even met him.

Tampa Bay was hoping that he could provide the young outside linebacker room with a veteran presence. But since Gregory decided not to show up to the mandatory mini-camp or training camp, the Bucs seem content on seeing Gregory accumulate a hefty fine, which will be his penalty for not showing up for work and letting the team down.

Watch The Pewter Report Postgame Podcast Following The Bucs’ 17-14 Preseason Win