Jason Licht: Ronald Jones Is “Most Impressive”
April 16th, 2019
There’s a lot of positive head-nodding and warm hearts around One Buc Palace when it comes to the guy who had Bucs employees and fans pulling their hair out last year.
The No. 38 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, running back Ronald Jones, is not looking like the epic bust he appeared to be.
Still just 21 years old, Jones is turning heads at team headquarters, per general manager Jason Licht’s media chat this morning. And Licht wasn’t asked about RoJo.
Joe asked Licht to note what’s different, if anything, in the evaluation of running backs now that Bucco Bruce Arians is in the building.
Licht said little has changed and then served up love for Jones.
“Right now the guy that we’re all collectively most impressed with is RoJo, just his attitude, his willingness to do extra. You can just see the confidence rising in him,” Licht said.
Joe asked Licht to clarify “collectively” and he said that meant “the coaching staff, the scouting staff, the players.”
Perhaps Dirk Koetter represented a giant dark cloud for Jones and he’s feeling liberated by a fresh start and all those rookie jitters in his past. Hey, Joe can hope. But Joe still wants the Bucs to draft a running back on Day 2 of the draft.
All kinds of beer specials flowing!!!! $3.00 shots.
April 16th, 2019 at 12:10 pm
Show me, don’t tell me.
April 16th, 2019 at 12:16 pm
Coaching was always the problem.
April 16th, 2019 at 12:17 pm
Thanks for the laugh this morning Joe. RoJo … attitude, willingness, confidence. Wow! Great descriptors by good old Jason Licht, the GM who drafted RoJo. Now if only he could pass block, catch the damned ball & run with it once he’s got it.
@Joe … “But Joe still wants the Bucs to draft a running back on Day 2 of the draft.” Hmmm, so maybe RoJo’s prognosis isn’t all peaches & cream after all Joe?
April 16th, 2019 at 12:17 pm
They need to draft oline on day two rather than rb. Rojo would take off if he was actually given even the smallest hole to run through and not limited to two carries a game which basically screamed to the oposing defense” HEY GUYS RONALD.IS GETTING THE BALL NOW”!!!!!!
COMMON SENSE HERE PEOPLE CMON GET WITH THE PROGRAM!!!!
April 16th, 2019 at 12:20 pm
Whenever an NFL GM offers up unsolicited information about a player, it is for a hidden agenda. News was leaked that the staff wanted to keep McCoy and D Jax. D Jax is gone and McCoy is on his way out. The Giants leaked that they aren’t drafting a QB because they are looking at pass rushers. You can bet they will take a QB with one of their 1st round picks.
April 16th, 2019 at 12:20 pm
Jason Licht is the best at throwing ppl under the bus and telling how great his 5-11 picks have been…a 2nd round guy who did jack squat in the pre-season where players should do well and a player who CANNOT catch a football in a throwing league. PS Jason you have passed on at least 8 RBs who are current legit studs in the NFL
April 16th, 2019 at 12:24 pm
But Dusthty, “he’s only 21 years old!” LOL!
April 16th, 2019 at 12:34 pm
Give me an o lineman than rb in the second. Fix the bigger problem, THE O LINE!!!
April 16th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Dirk “you have to block first before you run” Koetter, is a master at holding young RB’s down. ROJO could still turn out great, but I’d have chosen Guice or traded up for Chubb (my #1 back)
April 16th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
I hope this kid has a great year. He as taken a beating so far. I’m cheering for him…
April 16th, 2019 at 12:51 pm
I think having Justin Watson as his roommate is making a huge difference in RoJo’s confidence.
April 16th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
BucEmUp Says:
April 16th, 2019 at 12:16 pm
Coaching was always the problem.
Wow. You are in for a rude awakening. These players are not good. No amount of coaching will fix stupid.
Battered Fan Syndrome.
April 16th, 2019 at 12:55 pm
I’m with u Marine, Go Rojo !!
April 16th, 2019 at 1:02 pm
Who still believes a word out of Licht’s mouth?
April 16th, 2019 at 1:03 pm
“Ronald mommas boy Jones is a BUST
No physicality, bell cow? Lol!
Aloof mentality , angry runner? mommas boy
No upper body strength , no stiff arm
No stop and go quickness, burst
No juke no shake, no moves
No lower body strength
*top 4 to win Kenny Bell participation award this year
199lber jones
Nowhere spence
Mj stewert
Alan cappa
April 16th, 2019 at 1:16 pm
I guess I should come read the comments section at JBF if I wanna get depressed.
Go do something with your lives. The sun is shining… it’s a beautiful day.. now get out there and be somebody.
April 16th, 2019 at 1:17 pm
WHY ALL THE PEOPLE THINKING WE’RE DRAFTING A RB IN THE FIRST THREE ROUNDS ARE SOOO OFF.
You think Licht’s going to take a chance in the early rounds on what could be another complete bust (still giving RoJo time to show up) in a weak RB draft??? Not to mention we have so many other gaping holes at other positions and BA said he loves Peyton Barber who was just resigned.
April 16th, 2019 at 1:22 pm
sometimes these quotes are really stupid.. He Has DONE NOTHING
April 16th, 2019 at 1:27 pm
During many of Jones’ runs the Bucs O-line used their “matador” training…yelled ole and were proud the D-line didn’t lay a hand on them.
April 16th, 2019 at 1:30 pm
JUSTFIXTHEDAMTRENCHES
April 16th, 2019 at 1:31 pm
That proves my point that RoJo is worthless. If Licht thinks he is impressive I wonder what he would say about a quality running back. Keep Licht away from draft board or we are screwed again.
April 16th, 2019 at 1:32 pm
HEY GUYS RONALD.IS GETTING THE BALL NOW”!!!!!!
Yep….The video doesn’t lie……3 guys constantly hitting Rojo in the backfield….
April 16th, 2019 at 2:06 pm
We have the highest paid O-Line in the NFL and it’s been mediocre at best. In my heart i really feel that there is a ton of talent on this team. I haven’t cared for the coaching for the past several years. Frankly… IT HAS SUCKED!!! I am praying with the new coaching comes new attitudes, more desire, and better reults!
April 16th, 2019 at 2:07 pm
D. Rules, you forgot “learn the playbook”.
“The guy has a rocket up his a$$.” -Gump
…Maybe that’s why he can’t run, catch or block.
Hope he proves me wrong.
April 16th, 2019 at 2:11 pm
T-REX not smart to call people stupid who are likely better at life than you. ROJO made it to the nfl which took a lot of hard work and effort something you should put to use, that’s just a lazy take on a 21 yr old kid. He’s stupid and can’t learn after one year really? Stupid to say the book is out on any young guy who played under dirk, he doesn’t deserve that kind of credit to say if a player isn’t good for him he’s no good. Get a grip hater that act is old
April 16th, 2019 at 2:11 pm
Kobe is 100% wrong on Rojo.
Everything he said is the exact opposite of the truth right there…
In due time, Rojo will be a Beast, not a bust.
Mark my words
April 16th, 2019 at 2:24 pm
I’m with those who support and hope ROJO has a breakout year. Rookie jitters and the former coaches sh*t locker went a long way to hurt this kid.
April 16th, 2019 at 2:30 pm
Kobe Faker: best comment today so far!
I agree!
Kenny Bell award-LOL!
April 16th, 2019 at 2:40 pm
I watched every preseason run / regular season touch. For one it’s a super small sample and 2nd it was basically the worst run blocking sample size I’ve ever seen.
I re-watched his game tape against Alabama, OSU, and others and he looked like a top 2 round back and a top 5 back from that draft still. He has elite burst/change of direction when there is a hole to exploit. He does not go down on first contact often at all and he is typically the fastest human on the field when in space.
Hell even last year he had more yards gained AFTER contact, than he did in general for the regular season. Not sure what kind of more f*cked up stat you need to see/
For context – Adrian Peterson’s 2012 season was a top 2 season in YAC on average gained by a back with 100+ carries over 2007-2017, and he gained 1400 of his 2100 yards after contact, meaning he still got 1/3 his yards before anyone touched him; and that was a historical season of yards gained after contact by an all time great.
Saquon Barkley got 56% of his yards after contact last year and he’s considered a god at the position.
Ronald Jones was at over 100%. 47 yards after contact vs 44 yards on the season.
Using some quick math he had similar YAC rate as Barkley (meaning more OL protection where he got average or similar yards BEFORE contact); then we’re looking at 23 carries for 84 yards – or ~3.7 YPC.
Not great but no where near as abysmal as people think of him as; and we’re still talking a stupidly small sample size of 23 carries where he was destroyed in the backfield 90% of the time. With that little of carries, a single 30 yards run would push his YPC to almost 5 lol.
April 16th, 2019 at 2:43 pm
Rushing for 22 yards on 28 carries in the preseason should have opened some eyes. Instead, the usual suspects ignored it and thought it would fix itself.
April 16th, 2019 at 2:47 pm
Dirk Koetter is notorious for being shi**y to his running backs. He ALWAYS prefers a veteran no matter how much promise they show.
Granted Fred Taylor did well in 2007, MJD could have been featured more in his sophomore year.
In 2008, Koetter fed Taylor WAY too many carries when MJD should have taken over as the bell cow.
In 2009, MJD had Koetters trust, but he proceeded to run him into the ground when Rashad Jennings showed great promise any only got 39 touches and averaged 5.2 YPC while MJD had 312.
2010, Jennings looked better than MJD almost every time he touched the ball. Had over a full yard better YPC at 5.2 and only 1 less TD on *215* less carries. Yet, he still stuck hard to MJD.
2011, he goes to AtL and has a 29 year old Michael Turner and he’s in heaven with his old RB. His future crush on Jacquizz starts because he’s literally the only other running option as a rookie. Turner still has 301 carries.
2012/2013 he rides Turner/Steven Jackson as they have two uninspiring years and he gets more addicted to the passing game.
2014, he finally gets a great rookie RB in Devonta Freeman. What’s he do after Steven Jackson just played barely average the year prior? You guessed it, give Steven Jackson 125 more carries then the fresh legs out of FSU as a 31 year old.
2015, he comes to Tampa and jumps for joy at a non rookie RB in Doug and runs him almost 300 attempts.
2016/2017, Doug looks like literal absolute shit and he refuses to figure something out. In 2017 when Barber looks better, he still doesn’t give him as many touches.
2018, he never really ever seemed like he’d be willing to give RoJo a chance. It’s almost like he gave him preseason carries because he had to. As an already immature rookie trying to learn a playbook your coach should be hyping you. But, from Dirks history, he never intended to let RoJo loose. The regular season carries he DID get were so freaking obvious it was going to him with no innovation or run blocking.
All that to say, RoJo was never set up to succeed and held back by a coach notorious for being unfriendly to rookie RBs. His college tape is WAY too good for him to be a bust.
Arians will get through to this young man, because it’s all mental. And one thing I can absolutely guarantee with our run game… you will notice an insane difference in our YPC due to how Arians has the WRs focusing on blocking on designed runs.
April 16th, 2019 at 3:09 pm
Ronald Jones impressive? Put down the GD pipe Licht!
One things for skippy..If he does not produce Arians will have him
packing bags.
April 16th, 2019 at 3:24 pm
Did he learn to read?
April 16th, 2019 at 3:27 pm
“Still just 21 years old”
The most important words from this post.
April 16th, 2019 at 3:36 pm
Kobe Alvin Kamara is none of those things you listed an he still kills it
April 16th, 2019 at 3:37 pm
BUCEM
I agree…..
coaching has been a major problem….
BA wont abandon the run game in the 1st quarter and he’ll use better play design….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
April 16th, 2019 at 3:51 pm
Bad employee waxing also known as rep talk
April 16th, 2019 at 3:52 pm
Give me a break, people. It had nothing to do with Dirk Koetter or coaching. Some players just need a year or so to acclimate. Most of you like to pretend that;s not the case…but it is.
Just ask Warren Sapp.
April 16th, 2019 at 3:53 pm
813bucboi Says
“BA wont abandon the run game in the 1st quarter and he’ll use better play design….”
Bruce Arians himself said that if the team is behind, he will abandon the run…which is exactly why Koetter abandoned it.
April 16th, 2019 at 3:54 pm
I suspect many fans will be surprised at how similar this team will play to how Koetter did things during games.
April 16th, 2019 at 3:55 pm
The difference is that we’ll have better players on defense. I hope.
Kicking game will be just as bad though, unless we get a better one in there.
April 16th, 2019 at 3:57 pm
I think overall Jason Licht gets too much hate. Yes, his free agent signings have been really awful and he has made mistakes in the draft, but overall his undrafted free agent hits and draft choices have been above average.
However, singing the praises of Ronald Jones after what he did last year seems borderline insane.
April 16th, 2019 at 4:04 pm
Load up on OL day 2, skip RB and see what Peyton and RoJo can do
April 16th, 2019 at 4:04 pm
First, BA brags about Peyton Barber, even though nobody asked about Barber.
Then, Licht brags about Rojo, even though nobody asked about Rojo.
Why do they call the pre-draft days “Lying Season?”
They are disguising their desperation to draft a RB (Henderson) in the 2nd round.
April 16th, 2019 at 4:25 pm
Looking forward to watching all the RoJo haters on here (there are a ton of you) cheering and rooting for him as he breaks several long runs this year. I have hinted many times in these comments that RoJo needed time….his history tells you that if you just peek at it going back to HS.
April 16th, 2019 at 4:42 pm
My comment never posted but Rojo had more than 100% of his yards AFTER contact. 47 yards after contact vs 43 yards total.
For comparison Saquon Barkley – easily a top 3 RB last year – got 56% of his yards after contact.
If Rojo was getting some holes where he got average yards BEFORE contact, we’re looking at basically double the YPC; and that’s still on the terribly small sample size where we’re assuming he breaks no big run.
Avg yards before contact via better blocking + a single 15 yards run = all of a sudden ROJO = 5 YPC back.
My main concern is mental with him not physical. If he can’t get the nuance of the game / play book / route running / pass blocking / etc. Then that’s a mental miss in the draft. The tape is still good against elite schools.
April 16th, 2019 at 4:52 pm
Dang Joe I put a lot of work into that comment. Why on earth would you moderate it?
April 16th, 2019 at 4:52 pm
I root for Rojo to do well but I simply can’t help it:
Rojo to Arians, “Coach, I learned the playbook”
Arians to Rojo “Ronald, that’s Koetter’s playbook”
April 16th, 2019 at 5:10 pm
Bonzai, I will gladly bet you that the defense looks NOTHINGl like it did under Koetter.
Please reply with the amount you’d like to lose…
April 16th, 2019 at 5:25 pm
More PR crap out of one buc. I hope if this blows up in their faces the bucs hire somebody who knows football to run their organization. If we are stuck with Taking White at 5 and using Rojo and barber combo again I’m going to sit this season out in disgust.
April 16th, 2019 at 5:47 pm
I hope it’s true Jason ……..
April 16th, 2019 at 7:15 pm
Licht drafted a guy that cant catch, can break tackles, and plays timid.
I’m gonna need some evidence that anything has changed with Ronald Jones
April 16th, 2019 at 7:36 pm
Coaching had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with RoJo sucking last year. He was beaten out by Undrafted Shaun Wilson for Chrissakes.
RoJo looked awful because he was/is a bad NFL RB and it’s a lot easier to gain yards in the PAC-12 with USC lineman than to break tackles against grown men. If RoJo manages to learn how to even be mediocre in year 2 I’ll be shocked. The only thing that kept him on the roster last year was his draft status and everyone knows it. He’s the RB version of Roberto Aguayo until proven otherwise.
April 16th, 2019 at 8:15 pm
First round should be Josh Allen! Second round should be best offensive lineman available. Move back up into second round and select a safety.
April 16th, 2019 at 9:19 pm
I think that is some big wishful thinking by Licht. He has to hold out hope that he didn’t miss that bad again. That ship has sailed. Rojo sucks until he shows up in a game.
April 16th, 2019 at 9:38 pm
I don’t buy it. Kid was a wrong pick.
April 16th, 2019 at 9:58 pm
It’s funny how most of you all are probably couch potatoes or never played football in your life. Let’s get serious! Now you can’t blame the run game on RoJo. How well did Barber or Rodgers do? And they vets! Y’all know the o-line needs some work for anyone to run through. That’s where our draft picks need to be. Hell Martin couldn’t do it. The o-line breaks down too quickly for both of the QBs to run a damn play. You can’t do what RoJo did at SC and not be a good back. Let’s remember he broke Reggie’s record and the old cats too. You acting like PAC 12 is trash or something!
April 16th, 2019 at 10:39 pm
Licht telling on himself for not having any prudent oversight of his football team !!!
Licht kinda like a Govt , wants someone else to do the job and take all the credit when it’s good and duc responsibility when he’s fully responsible . And And and thinks everyone is too stupid to notice !!! Don’t forget about his d line that was going to beat everyone one up , what a dork statement !!!
April 16th, 2019 at 10:55 pm
Second year in the league and only 21. He had a rough year the amounted to injuries and bad looks. He could bloom into a great change of pace/screen back ( here’s to hoping ) The bucs haven’t had a true household backfield since Alstott/Dunn – Thunder/Lightning. I don’t want to jinx what I think they might do; because I hope they do it, but you can pull a few top 100 picks if you move back 5-10 rounds.
April 16th, 2019 at 10:56 pm
Lord Corn, Thank you for your clarity on this as usual. We can shut down the comments on this topic until we get into regular season football with our new coaching, strategy and hopefully some GD Run Blocking! The kid had no shot.
April 17th, 2019 at 8:09 am
Duh Joe. Jason was the one that drafted him and there is no way in h*ll he is going to admit that he maid a bad high end pick. Bad read.
April 17th, 2019 at 10:10 am
Unbelieveable. Licht you are so full of crap. Nobody believes your BS. The best thing you can do, other than leaving is keeping your pie hole closed.
April 17th, 2019 at 10:14 am
Lord Cornelius Says:
Well done.
I have done a similar analysis on RoJo as I did with Doug Martin. My criteria was how often first contact with a RB is at least one yard behind the LOS.
With Martin it was something like 43%.
With RoJo it is almost 100%!
A second observation: these hits behind the LoS are almost always on zone-blocking stretch plays, especially to the left.
I remember when casual fans and some pundits blamed the run game woes on Martin, opining that getting rid of Martin and inserting Barber would fix the run game. Well, the run game was barely better under Barber than Martin, the difference being adding Jensen at C and moving Marpet at LG. THAT was the difference, not the player.
The difference was not the RB.
I will not claim that Jones is the be-all at RB. But I *will* cut the kid some slack because of the crap line play and overall coaching they got, and some poor situational run calls lacking creativity by Koetter.
I ~hope~ Licht’s words are sincere and not pre-draft Liar’s Poker. The proof of this will be if the Bucs draft a RB (I think they will to cover their bets) and in what round. If it’s round 5 or higher, it means they have some faith in Jones.
I swear, sometimes I wonder if I’m watching a different Buc team than many others.
April 17th, 2019 at 10:26 am
Yes, ROJO is most impressive in shorts and a t shirt. Maybe one day with all these safety changes, the game will be played in shorts and a t shirt and ROJO will be good then.
April 17th, 2019 at 10:32 am
Anyone remember when Jason Licht crowed about how good Doug Martin looked playing in a sandbox? 🤨
April 17th, 2019 at 10:41 am
Cobraboy Says:
“I swear, sometimes I wonder if I’m watching a different Buc team than many others.”
~~~~~~~~
What I CAN tell you, Cobraboy, is that your input is always valued. Whether agree or disagree, your points are always well thought out and expressed, and done eloquently. You are an appreciated member of PFT for sure. GoBUCS
April 17th, 2019 at 12:46 pm
(Hat Tip @ Tampa Bay Demon)
An issue I had vis-a-vis Jones, is EVERY TIME he stepped on the field you KNEW he was getting the ball, pass or run.
If I can see that on television in another country, I would imagine a $ million DC in the NFL would also know it…and plan accordingly.
I’ll have to go back and look at film, but was RoJo ever used as a decoy?
April 19th, 2019 at 4:29 pm
Only way I want the Bucs to draft a RB is if we trade RoJo for a pick & then draft one. Other than that I don’t want to base his season on the hands of the last staff. I’m sorry but since Dirk was here, outta 4 yrs one season we ran the ball good. That’s not a coincidence & Joe if we agree the offensive line is solid then we can’t overlook that.
I think RoJo can be better in this scheme. Let’s give him a chance & move on if he can’t do it this yr.