Ronald Jones finally Buccaneers starting running back ten weeks too late

After 10 very long weeks the Buccaneers have finally made the logical shift and have made Ronald Jones the starter for week 10.

The front office of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have finally been one of the first logical moves of the season and have made Ronald Jones the starter for week 10. This move has been a long time coming and should really surprise no one as Jones has been better by almost all metrics. Former starter Peyton Barber has not played poorly but has lacked the explosiveness that Jones possesses and the other tools that Rojo brings.

Ronald Jones has been the Bucs comeback player of the year up until this point after one of the worst rookie seasons in recent history. Jones spent most of his entire rookie season injured or underperforming and made many fans question his being drafted in the second round. Rojo has been able to fully flip this script and had done so very early into the season.

Jones currently has 381 yards on 92 attempts for 4.1 yards per carry and has 124 yards receiving on just 8 receptions for 15.5 yards per reception. Jones has been electric with the ball in his hand and should be on pace for 1,000 total yards from scrimmage after only having 77 total yards in his rookie season. Jones has shown that when he is given touches he can add a dimension to the Bucs offense that has been absent for several seasons.

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Ronald Jones getting the nod at starter should not be seen as a slight to Peyton Barber. Barber has performed admirably during his tenure as a starter but has simply not been flashy enough to be “the guy” that the Bucs need him to be. Barber was 129 yards shy of a 1,000 yard rushing season in 2018 and the Bucs rightfully extended him for one more year, but at this point the Bucs need to see what they truly have in Rojo and see what he can do consistently with 15+ touches per game.

While Jones has been “declared” the starter for week 10 he actually started the game against the Seahawks and didn’t have a bad game. In his first start of the season Jones had 67 yards on the ground, 15 yards through the air, and a touchdown in a hard-fought loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Jones’ stats have long been maligned by penalties against his offense and some less than innovative play calling at times, but the remainder of the season looks very bright for Jones in the starting role.

The Bucs will assuredly try to get the ball in Jones’ hands more often in the hopes that it can lead to more explosive plays on the ground. Rojo has also been very impressive through the air and should start to see more touches on third down scenarios because his numbers through the air have been far better than either of his counterparts.

While his numbers have not been extremely consistent as his touches have been sporadic, this move as a whole will certainly help the Bucs on the ground. Jones has earned this role and has the support of the fans and the front office through his exceptional level of play when given the chance. Look for Rojo to continue breaking off big plays and eventually one will stick without a needless penalty.