The Tampa Bay Buccaneers game has left a lot to be desired for this season. They currently rank 31st in the NFL in yards per game totaling a paltry 78.1 yards. Their 3.1 yards per attempt is bottom of the league, and their three rushing touchdowns is only better than the Panthers and Broncos.

While the run game has shown signs of improvement the past two weeks, the Bucs are still looking for their breakout game. Rachaad White is their leading rusher with just 429 yards over nine games. While contributions from backups Ke’Shawn Vaughn, 42 yards, Chase Edmonds, 29 yards, and Sean Tucker, 23 yards, have amounted to basically nothing. In fact, Baker Mayfield, not known for his rushing ability, is second on the team in rushing yards with 134 yards and has the longest run on the team on a scramble for 31 yards.

It’s easy to see that the Bucs need help with the ground game and it appears they realized that as well. After a shocking mid-season release from the New York Jets, running back Michael Carter hit waivers on Tuesday evening. Immediately, Bucs fans flocked to social media begging for Tampa Bay to make a waiver claim on the 2021 fourth-round pick.

And it turns out the Buccaneers did just that, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Only to have him claimed by the Arizona Cardinals who had a higher priority on waiver claims. The Washington Commanders also put in a claim for the former Jet and would’ve landed him before the Bucs’ claim as well had the Cardinals not submitted their claim.

So the Bucs are back to status quo with the room they have and were high on at the beginning of the season. They have started to utilize White in the short passing game as an extension of a non-existent running game and that has certainly helped. Though IF Tampa Bay can make the playoffs having a running game you can rely on becomes a bit more important in the big dance.