Leading into Friday night's preseason finale against the Miami Dolphins, Buccaneers' second-year running back Sean Tucker ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing with 100 yards on the ground. Following his performance against Miami, Tucker moved into the third slot. In the preliminary exhibition, Tucker also elevated the Bucs' screen game. He quickly cutback to the edge and accelerated to top post-catch, eating up yardage for a 27-yard gain. Tucker brought the Bucs to first-and-goal and Tanner Knue cashed in with a touchdown on a back-shoulder fade.
"I got out with a screen play, got the ball and my blockers were out in front of me," noted Tucker. "I saw the open lane to the outside, so I used my speed as best I could to get a touchdown for the team."
Throughout the offseason workout program, Tucker has been a bright spot in Liam Coen's retooled attack. With superb contact balance, lateral elusiveness and an instinctual feel, Tucker has helped ignite Tampa Bay's balanced attack throughout the preseason slate. The Bucs' offensive linemen are firing off the ball and imposing their will at the second level, which has extended lanes for Tucker and company.
"He [Coen] likes the mentality of speed in this offense," said Tucker. "I feel like that goes with my game a lot and the attributes that I bring. I am always trying to work on my speed. Being fast is something that I pride myself on. I like that the offensive line is getting off the ball and they are moving guys and that is creating gaps and holes on the backside that allows me to use my speed, and I am able to cutback."
Entering the 2024 season, Tucker emphasized the details to level up his game and the work paid off. Tucker, who originally signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent in April, rushed for 23 yards on 15 carries last year and has already far surpassed that mark in this year's campaign. He has capitalized on opportunities and Tucker has raised his stock. Tucker improved his acceleration, and the coaching staff has praised his ability to get downhill. In a high-stakes environment on Friday night, Tucker jumped off the tape with a momentum-shifting play in the fourth.
