Not that it should surprise anyone, but Tom Brady and Julio Jones are forming a magical connection that is going to win games for the Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers have a well-constructed depth chart with an obvious hierarchy during the start of camp: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin when healthy, and then everyone else is competing for the third role. Russell Gage looked like that guy, but Julio Jones quickly shifted the status quo.
Many people doubted Jones as he arrived in Tampa. Why would the Bucs bring him in after paying Gage so much money? Can he stay healthy?
A lot of these questions are similar to what people asked about both Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown as they arrived in Tampa. Both signings worked out by ending in a ring, and Jones is now in a great position to take over reps that would’ve been going to both players if they stayed on the team.
Jones’ arrival at camp and last few practices have put most of the doubts to bed. The future Hall of Fame wide receiver is fast, large, and still able this freaky combination to dominate any defensive back in the league.
Everyone that is present at camp can see just how much Jones has left in the tank. This doesn’t look like a guy that has missed so much time in the past. Jones is playing like a guy that can sustain eight or nine targets per game and make a massive impact on the stat sheet.
With Mike Evans dealing with hamstring issues and Chris Godwin slowly coming back from his own injury, Jones has been the most talented Buccaneers pass-catcher on the field and healthy for the Bucs; a trend that can continue into the regular season.
Expect this to lead to an immediate influx of chemistry with Brady like we saw with Brown. Much like Brown, Jones may not lead the team in targets or yards, but there is a great chance that his growth with Brady will lead to him being the most efficient receiver on the roster in short order.
Buccaneers fans and Tom Brady are in for a major treat.
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