Rachaad White is heading to Washington. The running back agreed to a one-year deal with the Commanders on Thursday, according to multiple reports, arriving in the nation’s capital one day after Chris Rodriguez Jr. departed for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The signing gives Washington a proven backfield piece while also reuniting White with quarterback Jayden Daniels, his former teammate at Arizona State.
White, 27, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being selected in the third round of the 2022 draft. He appeared in 67 career games for Tampa Bay, starting 48 of them, and missed just one regular-season game over four years due to a hamstring injury.
White’s best football came in 2023
His most productive season arrived in 2023, when he carried the ball 272 times for 990 yards and six touchdowns while adding 64 catches for 549 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. The combination of volume rushing production and pass-catching ability established him as one of the more well-rounded backs in the conference.
His role shifted in 2024 after the Buccaneers selected Bucky Irving in that year’s draft. Irving broke out quickly, and White transitioned into more of a change-of-pace role, finishing that season with 613 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns and 51 receptions for 393 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry across his final two seasons in Tampa Bay.
In 2025, White started eight games and finished with 572 rushing yards, four touchdowns and 40 catches for 218 receiving yards before hitting free agency for the first time. He was among the more notable backs available on the open market this offseason, joining Travis Etienne and Kenneth Walker as running backs who changed teams during the free agency period.
The Washington fit makes sense on several levels
White’s passing game skills are what make him a natural fit for the Commanders’ offensive system. He has consistently been a reliable pass protector and a capable receiver out of the backfield throughout his career, and those qualities complement what Washington wants to build around Daniels.
The college connection adds another dimension. White and Daniels played together at Arizona State before each entered the NFL draft in separate years. That existing relationship tends to shorten the adjustment period for backs working within a new offense, particularly one as pass-heavy as the Commanders ran in Daniels’ first season as the starter.
Washington’s backfield also has more depth questions than its skill position group elsewhere on the roster. Rodriguez’s departure to Jacksonville created a void that needed to be addressed, and White fills it with the kind of dependable, dual-threat production the Commanders were looking for without requiring a long-term financial commitment.
Tampa Bay is also active in free agency this week
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have been making moves of their own since the negotiating window opened. Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million with Tampa Bay Today, joining linebacker Alex Anzalone as the second former Detroit Lions defender to sign with the Buccaneers since Monday.
Muhammad had a breakout 2025 season for Detroit, recording career highs in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hits while playing alongside Pro Bowl edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. His 11 sacks made him the 11th player in Lions franchise history to reach double digits in a single season. Tampa Bay gets an established pass rusher on a one-year deal as it rebuilds its defensive front following White’s departure to Washington.
