Overview
- Irving was present but limited at Tampa Bay’s OTAs and worked on the side with running backs coach Skip Peete while team medical staff monitored him, a status reported during practice this week.
- Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters the running back is expected back “sometime back in the summer or the fall,” a broad window that offers little certainty for the start of the regular season.
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter has a narrower projection that Irving should be ready later this summer and is not expected to attend mandatory minicamp but could return during training camp.
- The Buccaneers added Kenneth Gainwell on a two‑year deal and carry Sean Tucker and Josh Williams on the depth chart to cover early snaps if Irving’s rehab extends into the season.
- Irving’s rehab matters because he was a rookie breakout in 2024 and missed seven games in 2025 after shoulder and knee trouble, so his availability will shape Tampa Bay’s run game, Baker Mayfield’s workload, and fantasy projections.