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Buccaneers Free Agent Decision Report: Jacquizz Rodgers

By Alan Schechter

Dec 4, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) runs the ball during the second half against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Tampa Bay won 28-21. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) runs the ball during the second half against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Tampa Bay won 28-21. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 4, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) carries the ball as quarterback Jameis Winston (3) blocks during the second quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) carries the ball as quarterback Jameis Winston (3) blocks during the second quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /

The Pros

When Rodgers was signed on September 13th, after the season had already started, nobody really knew what to expect. The guy wasn’t in any camp, literally signed off the streets. Was he going to add anything more than depth? Admittedly, it was hard to tell.

Well, he was called on to provide more than depth and he responded, leading the Bucs with 560 yards rushing. Let’s look at the numbers a little bit more in depth by going game by game.

Rushing Receiving
Date Week Tm Opp Result Rush Yds Y/A TD Tgt Rec Yds Y/R TD Ctch% Y/Tgt TD
2016-09-18 2 TAM @ ARI L 7-40 2 29 14.50 0 1 0 0 0 0.0% 0.00 0
2016-09-25 3 TAM LAR L 32-37 5 15 3.00 0 1 1 8 8.00 0 100.0% 8.00 0
2016-10-02 4 TAM DEN L 7-27 6 25 4.17 0 2 1 4 4.00 0 50.0% 2.00 0
2016-10-10 5 TAM @ CAR W 17-14 30 101 3.37 0 6 5 28 5.60 0 83.3% 4.67 0
2016-10-23 7 TAM @ SFO W 34-17 26 154 5.92 0 1 1 9 9.00 0 100.0% 9.00 0
2016-10-30 8 TAM OAK L 24-30 19 69 3.63 1 1 1 9 9.00 0 100.0% 9.00 1
2016-12-04 13 TAM @ SDG W 28-21 7 29 4.14 0 1 1 21 21.00 0 100.0% 21.00 0
2016-12-11 14 TAM NOR W 16-11 2 0 0.00 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% 0
2016-12-24 16 TAM @ NOR L 24-31 15 63 4.20 1 2 2 15 7.50 0 100.0% 7.50 1
2017-01-01 17 TAM CAR W 17-16 17 75 4.41 0 1 1 4 4.00 0 100.0% 4.00 0

The back to back 100 yard performances jump out, but it’s more than that. In the five games when Rodgers carried the football at least 15 times, he averaged 92.4 yards per game. Project that over 16 games and it becomes 1,478 rushing yards. As he was given the football he got better.

He would be far from the first running back that got better the more he got the rock.

Rodgers was the best running back on the team in 2016. Doesn’t that earn him at least one more year?

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