Buccaneers: 3 contributors from 2020 that could see a lesser role in 2021
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers have too many running back mouths to feed
Ronald Jones should be the starter to begin the season for the Bucs, but he is only one head of a running back room that will look a lot more like a hydra.
Jones was clearly the best back on the team for the majority of the 2020 season. Finishing just shy of 1,000 yards on the ground was hard to stomach for many fans, but it did plenty to prove that Jones has every bit of talent to be a featured back in the NFL.
Despite the emergence of Jones, the Bucs also have Leonard Fournette and Giovani Bernard to feed as well. Fournette was the best running back in the playoffs last season, and Bernard is likely the best fit for the offense.
Having multiple backs to switch between will open up the Buccaneer offense plenty, but it will likely take the emphasis off each player as an individual.
This could be good news for Jones on an efficiency level, but it does make the prospects of breaking that glass ceiling of 1,000 yards on the ground much more difficult.
It almost seems like a given that the three main running backs will contribute over 1,000 all-purpose yards each, but don’t expect for any one player to get too many touches.
Any player could be the starter based on the matchup, and while this move may be hard to stomach for Jones, it will open up the offense to be one of the best rushing attacks in the league.