Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3 Winners, Losers of the 2019 NFL Draft
By Cory Kinnan
Winner(s): Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber
The second winner, or should I say winners, are running backs Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber. After signing a one-year extension with the Buccaneers, Barber will have the chance to once again be the lead back after the team opted not to add another running back to the mix in the draft.
Jones, after being selected in the second round one year ago and struggling as a rookie, gets a clean slate in 2019 and looks to have plenty of opportunity in a rather slim room. The coaching staff has expressed confidence in these two backs, Barber and Jones, and their draft shows they were not bluffing; a collective sigh of relief from the two running backs currently on the Buccaneers’ roster.
Barber was close to the 1,000 yard mark in 2018, a mark he hopes to hit this year. Jones hopes to improve upon his horrendous rookie season where he averaged under two yards per carry last season. While Barber will get the first crack at being the lead back, both will have plenty of opportunities moving forward.
After a draft where these two running backs had to hold their breath to see if a player who could take playing time away would be selected, Barber and Jones can now rest easy knowing they are still the guys in the Buccaneers’ backfield in 2019.