Rachaad White
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White.
After several years of speculation, we’re about to find out what the market is for Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White in free agency.
All signs point to a payday that ain’t what it was made out to be.
NFL insider Matthew Berry listed White among the potential targets for the Arizona Cardinals … as their RB2 option. Which is the same role he’s occupied with the Buccaneers for the last 2 seasons.
“Arizona is expected to release James Conner,” Berry wrote. “And unless they re-sign Conner for a cheaper deal, they will likely go into the season with Trey Benson and a ‘lower end’ free agent RB to pair with him and have them be a (running back by committee). Think someone like Rachaad White or Tyler Allgeier.”
Rachaad White Took Backseat to Bucky Irving
White lost his starting position to rookie Bucky Irving late in the 2024 season and was expected to be in a complementary role in 2025 — albeit 1 that would have gotten plenty of touches.
What the Buccaneers got was something much different.
Irving missed 7 games with a shoulder injury and mental health issues. White, thrust into a role as the featured back and with the offensive line missing starters for big chunks of the season, was valiant in his effort but struggled as well.
The Buccaneers finished 21st in the NFL in rushing just 1 year after they surprised everyone by finishing 4th and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Market Value for Rachaad White Takes Massive Hit
One look at the open market projections for White shows he’s not valued like he once was — by his team or other teams.
Toward the end of the 2025 regular season, Spotrac projected White was in line to land a 2-year, $15 million contract in free agency. Just in the last few months, White’s value has plummeted to something in the range of a 2-year, $6 million contract.
In other words, White is bleeding money.
“White, 27, is a versatile back who’s averaged just over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 50 catches a year in Tampa,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote in January. “He took a backseat to Bucky Irving and won’t be returning, but could be the lesser end of a nice 1-2 punch. The Bucs have lost enough offensive coordinators that he could follow any of them, from Dave Canales in Carolina to Liam Coen in Jacksonville and Josh Grizzard in Philadelphia. Anything over $5 million a year feels like too much — of 35 backs with 500-plus carries since 2022, he ranks 34th in yards/carry, ahead of only Kareem Hunt.”
White Made Intentions Clear Following Season
Following the Buccaneers’ elimination from the postseason after the Atlanta Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints in Week 18, White wrote “Uno out … thank yaw forever for da past 4 years,” on his Instagram stories along with a picture of himself sitting in the Buccaneers locker room in full uniform.
White, a 2022 third-round pick, just played out his 4-year, $5.82 million rookie contract but ended up bringing home approximately $10.3 million with NFL performance bonuses added in.