Bucky Irving Injury Update Today: Ruled Out for Week 8, Foot and Shoulder Issues Persist, Bye Looms Next

Bassyonni

ago 6 hours

Bucky Irving Injury Update

Tampa Bay’s backfield will remain without Bucky Irving in Week 8. The second-year running back has been ruled out for Sunday, October 26, against New Orleans as he continues to rehab foot and shoulder injuries. It’s the fourth straight game he’ll miss, and with a team bye in Week 9, the earliest realistic target for a return shifts to Week 10, contingent on how he responds to treatment over the next two weeks.

What the decision means right now

Team staff shut down the question early in the practice week: Irving won’t suit up, and he isn’t expected to log meaningful practice work ahead of the Saints game. That clarity allows the offense to plan a clean running-back rotation for New Orleans without day-to-day uncertainty. It also reduces the risk of a setback that might have lingered if the team tried to rush a limited version of Irving onto the field.

How the Buccaneers will cover the workload

With Irving sidelined, Tampa Bay leans on a committee, fronted by Rachaad White as the volume option. Short-yardage and special-teams backs will round out the group, with coaches mixing in situational carries and pass-protection assignments based on down-and-distance. Expect:

Early downs: White to handle the bulk, with occasional change-of-pace touches to keep legs fresh.
Passing downs: Running backs tasked to chip and release; screen game likely stays in the plan to slow the pass rush.
Red zone: Power looks and motion to manufacture crease angles behind pulling guards, rather than asking backups to replicate Irving’s one-cut acceleration.

Timeline and what’s next

Week 8 (Oct 26 at Saints): Out.
Week 9: Bye week, a pivotal recovery window.
Week 10: Monitoring for potential return if pain and strength benchmarks are met; no firm timetable beyond “week-to-week.”

If Irving can ramp up in the bye—moving from side work to limited, then full, practice—Week 10 becomes viable. If any soreness lingers, the staff can extend the runway without sacrificing a roster spot, as the team has not placed him on injured reserve.

Performance context: from breakout to pause

Irving followed a standout rookie season with a quieter start before the injuries hit. Through four games in 2025, he logged modest rushing production while still flashing his trademark burst on perimeter concepts and angle routes. The current pause is about protecting long-term availability, not a shift in organizational belief. Coaches value his decisive cuts, after-contact balance, and receiving utility—traits that translate in late-season weather and playoff-style football.

Strategic ripple effects vs. the Saints

New Orleans’ defense is built to squeeze interior gaps and punish indecision at the mesh point. Without Irving’s immediate acceleration through small windows, Tampa Bay may:

Lean on duo and counter to create downhill lanes for White.
Expand RPO/quick-game tags to keep linebackers honest.
Use jet motion to simulate the edge speed Irving often provides, forcing safeties to widen pre-snap.

Field position and turnovers will magnify every possession; a steady, ball-secure run game—even at lower explosiveness—can still meet the brief if Tampa Bay wins on third down.

Fantasy/DFS note (entertainment only)

Treat Irving as out this week with a hold recommendation through the bye. If you’re stashing, the calculus hinges on roster depth: his Week 10 upside is meaningful if he returns to a 1A/1B share. Managers in shallow leagues needing immediate points can pivot to short-term volume backs, but deep-league formats should preserve the bench spot unless negative updates surface next week.

Bottom line

Status: Out for Week 8 (Oct 26 at Saints).
Injuries: Foot and shoulder; fourth straight missed game.
Roster move: No IR designation; day-to-day through the bye.
Next checkpoint: Practice participation following Week 9 bye to gauge Week 10 availability.

The conservative approach aligns with the calendar. By resisting a rushed return before the bye, Tampa Bay gives Bucky Irving a cleaner path to rejoin the offense at full speed—when his cut-and-go style can again change drives in a single snap.