Guessing The Depth Chart
May 9th, 2018
Leader of the pack?
It’s way too early to figure out who is going to start when the lights shine bright in the Superdome in New Orleans to open the 2018 season.
But it is still fun to try.
Jenna Laine of ESPN takes her stab at the depth chart before the rookies gather later this week for rookie minicamp.
And despite being a Day 2 draft pick, and despite arguably being the most talented Bucs player at his position, Laine believes running back Ronald Jones will have to fight Peyton Barber for touches. At least as we sit here in early May.
Barber will enter offseason practices as the starting running back, but if Jones performs the way he did at Southern California, he can step into the starting role. Rodgers is a three-down back, while Sims is more of a third-down back.
Joe will just get this out of the way now: Cool cat and Bucs preseason TV voice Chris Myers termed Sims perfectly when he refers to Sims as a “receiving back.”
Joe doesn’t have an issue with Barber being ahead of Jones on a depth chart. But if Jones tears things up in training camp and preseason, Joe hopes Bucs coach Dirk Koetter gives him a fair shake to get carries in the regular season whether he can block or not.
May 9th, 2018 at 12:11 am
Nothing wrong, when a new arrival has to earn his spot on the team. If you want to be the bully beat the bully.
May 9th, 2018 at 12:48 am
Rodgers is a three-down “hit the wall and fall” back. I think I’ve only seen him one time use a shifty move to get out of a jam. I was flabbergasted.
May 9th, 2018 at 12:54 am
I remember one year we opened up in the Superdome and we lost went on to win the Super Bowl that year though! Tampaaaaa!
May 9th, 2018 at 1:17 am
Jones will be Roy! Mark it down fantasy players. I’m not just saying this because I’m a die-hard Bucs Fan but if you watch the tape on all 5 top running backs Jones truly does look like the best even better than Barkley.
May 9th, 2018 at 1:37 am
hey Bucco, you must be getting senile. The year we won the SB we opened at Ray Jay vs Saints and lost in OT.
May 9th, 2018 at 1:57 am
UDFA Shaun Wilson and tryout RB Jordan Huff all look better than Jacquizz Rodgers. Time for Rodgers to go! We need home run hitters.
May 9th, 2018 at 2:18 am
I think he’ll win the starting spot but he’s gotta earn it as I’m sure he knows. I like the 1 2 punch of Rojo and Barber how ever it pans out. I’d kinda like to see Shaun Wilson squeeze in there and beat out Rogers tbh. Sims could still be serviceable we’ll see; I do believe he’s very good receiving out of the backfield.
May 9th, 2018 at 3:20 am
Lambchop,what he said
Plus I want another Alstott, instead of some dancer
May 9th, 2018 at 4:23 am
I just hope Koetter doesn’t find a way to make Jones 3rd or 4th on the chart.
May 9th, 2018 at 4:27 am
Localjoker. – I’m looking forward to seeing how those 2 new Rbs preform. Hopefully Shawn Wilson makes it to training camp. Here’s his highlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IFczggn2BY
May 9th, 2018 at 5:30 am
To me it’s not so much a matter of who gets to be lead dog, but rather what does each bring to the table, what does the situation at the time call for, and how does the OC choose to respond. Assuming that they both stay healthy, Barber & RoJo will BOTH get plenty of touches (just as Ingram & Kamara did for the Saints).
I’m convinced that a couple of Dirk’s goals this year will be to become LESS PREDICTABLE and to create a BETTER RUN/PASS BALANCE. We’ve got room for FIVE weapons out there (plus Jameis) … I fully expect there’ll be times when we’ll see TWO RBs on the field this year. Last year we ran only 37.7% of the time. That’s not at all what Dirk Koetter wants. In 2016 we ran 42.5% of the time, and in 2015 we ran 44.7% of the time. My bet is that this year Bucs will be running 43%-45% of the time. Barber, RoJo & Sims (or his replacement) will all see a lot of time on the field.
May 9th, 2018 at 6:18 am
Its going to be just like Ingram and Kamara. They will both get carries and push each other. It would just be dumb to cut Barber out of the mix all together. He was a good bet for 4 yards every carry.
It will work itself out
May 9th, 2018 at 6:29 am
I’m personally bout to go on a tear for P. Barber to be our bellcow starter. Im just in love with his size and burst. RoJo ain’t bad and I think change of back off the bench is an ideal role for him. Rodgers will come off the bench again in case of injury. Rodgers has surprisingly made a living for the team in that role and hasn’t dissatisfied either.
May 9th, 2018 at 6:58 am
Peyton Barber has earned the right to go into camp as the starter. Jones compliments him very nicely
May 9th, 2018 at 7:03 am
I defer to the first sentence of this post……
May 9th, 2018 at 7:27 am
I hope we didn’t draft a guy high in the second round to sit the bench.
May 9th, 2018 at 7:56 am
ROJO and Barber is a decent combo.
Their running styles are different enough that both should get their fair share of snaps this year.
Doesn’t really matter who the “starter” is – as long as both get their chances,
May 9th, 2018 at 8:14 am
Barber/Jones could be very similar to what the Saints have in Ingram/Kamara…..Ingram wore defenses down, Kamara took advantage
May 9th, 2018 at 9:36 am
LOL @ Tom Edrington
I’ll defer to the 1st 4 words honestly
May 9th, 2018 at 10:14 am
Jenna did not include any UDFA on her depth chart, and I wouldn’t be surprised if 1 or 2 make the team, especially Godwin Igwebuike at safety. Some had him ranked higher than our 4th rounder Whitehead. I don’t think she’s right about Sweezy as starting RG. Cut that dead weight.
May 9th, 2018 at 11:27 am
Stan- Just watched the highlights of Jordan Huff- man I was excited about Wilson (in one highlight-danced right around our MJ Stewart) but Huff looks pretty special too. Maybe both will make it and Quizz and Simms will be sent packing. Not because I don’t like them but both of these guys look like younger versions of them.
May 9th, 2018 at 11:34 am
i don’t care who runs the ball just as long as we run the ball!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
May 9th, 2018 at 1:45 pm
Dang Pickgrin…..it’s like you read my mind. “Starter” is just a term. I think these back clearly have complementary skill sets and will represent a change in style and pace when they substitute for each other.
I remember those Carolina games with two RB’s just running it down our throats!
I hated those games. I hope this year we can do some of that running.
Our defense totally loaded up with run stuffers from our first round picks to Philly’s DL…and JPP is here for pass rushing but he’s good on run defense as well.
Perhaps at last other teams will not run through us effortlessly.
May 9th, 2018 at 4:01 pm
If Peyton Barber is the starting RB in Week 1, the Bucs did not draft well. Nothing against him. I wish all of them the best.