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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chris Ivory a worthy backup plan

By Kevin Parvizi

Dec 27, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Chris Ivory (33) runs with the ball during the first half of their game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Chris Ivory (33) runs with the ball during the first half of their game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /
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Since the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that there are a minimum of six teams interested in Doug Martin, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the very real possibility of losing their best player from the 2015 season. Now, they’d still have plenty of other weapons on offense in Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, and Charles Sims around Jameis Winston, but losing Martin would likely force them to sign another workhorse-type back on the free agent market.

To their credit, Jason Licht and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers front office are already zeroing in on one replacement, as they are one of three teams with known interest in New York Jets running back Chris Ivory, per the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson. The other two interested parties are the Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders, with the former showing interest in Lamar Miller and the latter in Martin.

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Ivory has trouble staying healthy, because despite carrying the ball a career-high 247 times in his breakout 2015 campaign, he did miss some snaps and one full game with nagging injuries. He could be in-and-out of the lineup for whichever team he signs with in 2016, but when he is on the field, Ivory is one of the NFL’s most hard-nosed rushers.

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Last year, Ivory helped the Jets improve by leaps and bounds, as he eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time of his career. Able to gain more than the blocking in front of him with his physicality and underrated elusiveness, Ivory averaged  4.3 yards per carry and over 70 rushing yards per game.

Newday’s Kimberley A. Martin reported that Ivory is looking for $6.5 million per year and would like to receive at least a three-year contract, but I highly doubt either of those happen. There will be a market for Ivory’s services, but it’s hard to see a team giving a player with his history of nagging injuries that kind of a deal.

If Ivory does get a three-year contract, I highly doubt he would receive any guaranteed money in that third season. He still has about three good years left on him as a 27-year-old, but Ivory just isn’t established enough to make $6 million. That’s Lamar Miller-type money, and Ivory doesn’t have as much upside as the 24-year-old Miami Dolphin either.

That said, Ivory is a talented back, and the Jets were at their best when the fed him a steady diet of carries at the beginning of the 2015 season. Ideally, the Buccaneers would keep Martin, but with so many teams interested in the two-time 1,400-yard back, they might have to settle for Ivory.

As far as backup plans go, Ivory is a solid one. He would form a nice backfield tandem with Charles Sims, so there wouldn’t be too much pressure on either of them. Sims could be the playmaker and hoard passing-down touches, while Ivory would be the hard-nosed, early-down back who handles most of the goal-line touches.

Oct 4, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) runs for a first down during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. Carolina won 37-23. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) runs for a first down during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. Carolina won 37-23. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

An Ivory-Sims backfield would match two different skill-sets, and the Buccaneers offense would still tick on the ground, giving Winston plenty of support. Ivory isn’t as durable, as well-rounded, or as talented of a runner as Martin, but he might be just as good in between the tackles and can also make defenders miss, albeit in a more violent manner.

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I like the fact that the Buccaneers are looking into the fourth-best free agent RB on the market behind Martin, Miller, and Matt Forte, in that order of preference, and Ivory would fit them well. Of course, Miller would be a trendier pick as a potential replacement for Martin, but with so much interest in him, the Bucs might not get a chance to add Miller either. Ivory is an easier catch as a veteran “Plan B”, but hopefully the Buccaneers wouldn’t listen to his forceful asking price of $6.5 million per season. I mean, I doubt anyone would even pay him close to $5 million per season.

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