Bruce Arians: The Price For Ronald Jones Will Be Steep
November 2nd, 2021
High price tag, says coach.
A couple of weeks ago, Bucs Super Bowl coach Bucco Bruce Arians was asked for a comment about an NFL Network report that teams are “monitoring” Ronald Jones for a possible trade.
Arians laughed at the suggestion and stated flatly he had zero interest in trading RoJo.
The NFL trade deadline is at 4 p.m. this afternoon.
At the time of the question, Arians smartly pointed out how RoJo was the No. 1 back until he got hurt/caught The Sickness late last season. Playoff Lenny stepped in and helped the Bucs win a Super Bowl.
Arians correctly noted that the very opposite could come true this year if Playoff Lenny got hurt or sick.
Yesterday it was learned that Derrick Henry, the beastly running back and potential NFL Offensive Player of the Year for the Titans, may be lost for the season with a foot injury. So Arians again was asked about RoJo’s status in a potential trade.
Arians, perhaps sensing the Bucs may be able to shake down a team (coughTitanscough), sort of stepped back from his previous adamant stance that RoJo was not on the trade block. If someone wants RoJo, Arians noted, they are going to have to blow Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht’s socks off with an offer.
“It would have to be something really, really special because I love the way he’s running,” Arians said. “It’s just one nick on Leonard [Fournette] and then ‘RoJo’ is the guy again. To me, that’s still a great one-two punch. It would have to be something extraordinary.”
For background: RoJo is in the final year of his rookie contract.
Joe guesses Arians is saying, “Never say never,” but Arians is absolutely correct that RoJo very well may be needed. Running backs take a beating and teams will be playing 17 games this year for the first time.
Now what doesn’t get discussed is Ke’Shawn Vaughn. When he was getting snaps in the curb-stomping of the Bears, the very first thing Joe thought of was, “They are showcasing him.”
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:11 am
I think its being blown up for no reason, Arians probably would say that about any back up, if asked.. KEY WORD: “asked”, they only asked about ROJO.
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:11 am
No Joe, they were seeing what they had in KV.
If any RB gets traded today, it’s Rojo.
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:15 am
Yeah, whatever Bruce. I’m sure everyone in the league already knows there’s a For Sale sign on RoJo.
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:18 am
That trade and an undefeated season was blown way out of Proportion
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:23 am
Also the Titans have now picked up Adrian Peterson so pretty sure they’re not interested in giving up draft value for another running back.
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:39 am
And I thought they were testing him to see if he was good enough to play Rojo’s role.
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:40 am
I thought it was interesting Rojo was given some run attempts early in the N.O. game. It was obvious they were shopping him. Arain’s comments suggest the same. Arains is saying it would take a lot to get Rojo, that’s shopping the player. Not the same as all the you’re not going anywhere’s after last season. The saints had ballance yesterday running 44% of the time. The Bucs rushed 14 times, big reason we lost. So why do you need Gio, Lenny, Vaughn, Rojo, and a back on the P.S. when you only run the ball 14 times in a game? Of course they’d love to unload Jones.
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:47 am
Why would you make all these moves to get everybody back….mortgage some of your future and then trade one of your better players……we need Rojo….there are still 9 games left & the post season…..
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:52 am
He will be a free agent next year, so we may as well get something out of him.
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:52 am
Safe to say Rojo gonna walk after this season. The guy doesn’t want to spend his best years carrying the rock 5 times a game
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:58 am
Why? Because the CBA forces teams to make trade-offs. Every team enters the season with a structural weakness in personnel, and due to the corrosive nature of the game, new structural weaknesses appear as the season progresses. One of the few but pronounced structural weaknesses on this team was CB depth, and then the injuries mounted making it worse. Don’t let the record fool you, this team is vulnerable at CB. People here somehow think clever coaching made up for it… it didn’t, the Bucs were just lucking out by only having to face marginal opposing QBs.
We still don’t know when the injured CBs return, and if their play will be hampered by the previous injury.
This team barely uses RoJo, and has RB depth. RoJo is expendable.
November 2nd, 2021 at 8:59 am
I would trade him for two washing machines and a pack of jaw breakers
Just kidding
I think rojo is a great physical runner. But he is one dimensional and you tip your hand at times when he is in the game . cause he struggles in two big areas.
He cant catch a ball. Even a simple lofted screen pass at times
And he is terrible reading a defense and picking up the blitz which may be an even bigger issue
He just seems disengaged with the game at times. I remember seeing one game this year. It was close game and they showed a picture of sideline and he was only player sitting on bench. Every other guy was standing near sideline watching game.
Not a rojo hater at all but i would pull the trigger if offered anything decent
Lets face it. Lenny is the guy. Gio can fill in when needed even on running plays
And we have vaughn who only gets to run behind backups most of the year and he has looked good at times when getting first team reps
November 2nd, 2021 at 9:05 am
Good to see Bruce is not stupid. If someone wants to actually give up something good, then fine. If someone is willing to part with a legitimate Cornerback, then so be it.
No, do not just do a deal for th]e sake of a deal, but IF and I say IF they can get a good CB. Pull the trigger.
People keep talking about when Davis and SMB come back, but when will they come back, and the #1 big thing is can Davis and SMB stay healthy, can they stay on the field.
We just do not know. Davis missed time last year because of hi s hammy, and it was a problem again this year.
There is nothing that is sure about the Secondary.
Make it happen J Licht.
GO BUCS!!!!
November 2nd, 2021 at 9:10 am
I love the way he runs too. Then he misses something and that great run drops down in stature.
Yes, make him expensive, at this point, but not so much that they hang up on the ZOOM call. I don’t think he will get a contract extension, so he will be cheap then.
November 2nd, 2021 at 9:20 am
Might as well try to get something for him, he is gone next year. I think he is tired of the head coach that acts like Uncle Buck. I think many players are feeling this to. He doesn’t correct he just bitches. Brady won’t tolerate many more.games like Sunday. I know he threw the pick but his DNA is built on discipline.
November 2nd, 2021 at 9:24 am
Bird and 1976,
Agree.
November 2nd, 2021 at 9:57 am
These coaches don’t know how to set up a running game anyway. We’ve got two guys averaging over 4 yards a carry and Gio Bernard who explodes every time he gets a touch and these simpleton’s can’t figure out how to take some pressure off of the passing game.
For as many weapons as they have, they sure make moving the chains look hard way more than it really should. How does this team end up in so many 2nd and 3rd and longs? Drives me nuts.
November 2nd, 2021 at 10:18 am
Bernard doesn’t explode EVERY time he touches the ball.
November 2nd, 2021 at 10:19 am
They are not showcasing the only rb they have on contract next year for a trade lol that’s just silly not to mention Arians seems to really like keshawn
November 2nd, 2021 at 10:48 am
Normally I agree with you TBBF but we NEED CB help!
November 2nd, 2021 at 10:50 am
Gio was running better than Lenny against the saints. Don’t know why they didn’t keep him in there more. Poss pass pro but he was running better and a better receiver out of the backfield
November 2nd, 2021 at 10:52 am
steep for a RB who can’t change the game
November 2nd, 2021 at 11:11 am
“Something extraordinary” translates to a 1st round pick, or 2nd and 4th round picks, or a starting caliber cornerback- not likely. RoJo is more valuable to the Bucs than anywhere else.
He’s still a back that will average 4.5 ypc if given the opportunity, and although his playing time will be limited as long as Fournette continues to produce, trading him for a 5th or 6th round future pick would make the Bucs a lesser team.
I think you might get a corner for Fournette and Bucs would be ok with RoJo , Bernard and Vaughn, but I don’t like that either.
The D is ok until injured come back if the offense doesn’t screw up and they score or hold onto the ball a long time- even with big plays given up by secondary.
November 2nd, 2021 at 11:20 am
In trade, RoJo would probably fetch a fourth or fifth round pick. The Bucs aren’t looking to trade him for a pick, they’re looking for CB help.
November 2nd, 2021 at 11:45 am
What you’re missing …
The Bucs will receive a 3-4 round pick if Rojo leaves in free agency. He has value in the offseason.
November 2nd, 2021 at 11:49 am
We rarely pull off any trades so I don’t expect it again this year.
However……
I do see the logic in trading a player that’s going to be a free agent and probably isn’t in our plans moving forward.
I would think if a quality CB can’t be had in a player for player trade, then we should take a 4th round or higher and be happy.
I like Rojo, but we have enough talent and depth to run up the middle on first down for the rest of the season.
Then, after BL gets his HC gig, you know…. because it’s been predetermined…
we can get an OC that hopefully can develop a real running game.
November 2nd, 2021 at 11:50 am
Sly,
His maximum value for us in trade is now.
November 2nd, 2021 at 12:01 pm
RoJo will never yield a third round compensatory pick. No way, third round comp picks are for the minor stars or play a big buck position like a defensive EDGE or QB. RoJo is a backup RB, and RBs are categorically a depreciated position in the NFL. Very few RBs make big money as free agents, and the ones that do are big names, not backup RBs who flashed but never delivered a 1000 yard season. For a frame of reference, look at Fournette’s contract, and bear in mind Fournette’s draft status, quality late season charge, and the fact that single year contracts tend to be rich since the team isn’t committing to a multi-year deal.
Honestly, RoJo probably is a fifth round comp pick.
November 2nd, 2021 at 1:21 pm
Meh. I don’t think they’ll trade any RB during the season.
November 2nd, 2021 at 2:14 pm
nobody wants a runningback that can’t bust through on the 1 yard line, there are multiple example of his lame attempts
November 2nd, 2021 at 2:29 pm
you may think your “merchandise” have high value, important is what the buyers think??!!!!
and like to many things, he is NOT a good valuator.
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““It would have to be something really, really special because I love the way he’s running,”
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you have to give some really, really special too, right??
he thinks is the smart one, and the rest just waiting what they can get..
Wrong, you don’t have anything special, and you are…. just a retiree thinking you are competing with young-real-HCs-generation.
So since you “love” the way he is running, keep him.
November 2nd, 2021 at 2:31 pm
Saw another site say that the Ravens are very much after him
November 2nd, 2021 at 3:34 pm
Rojo is an incomplete running back, but he can be damn good in spurts. We’d be fortunate to get a fourth round pick for him, but he’s worth more to us than that this year.
November 2nd, 2021 at 3:53 pm
Derrick Henry ran like 350 times last year, only caught 17 passes
November 2nd, 2021 at 4:26 pm
We’ve passed the trade deadline. While sometimes a trade is announced after 4PM, it looks like the Bucs are going to have to fight with what they’ve got on the roster.
November 2nd, 2021 at 10:43 pm
The problem is that all three backs are flawed.
Rojo is by far the most explosive runner, the most natural of the bunch and a game breaker, but he’s inconsistent, poor at receiving, and fumbles.
Fournette has also been inconsistent most of his career. Not consistently physical, even soft at times, not fast, but has improved recently but he’s still got a lot to prove.
Gio. Useful but not great. Designating him as “the pass catcher” limits his usefulness. He showed in this game that he can make runs, so why not use him more creatively?
As a committee, they’re okay,but I would not be comfortable if any of them went out with an injury. I wish there were a more reliable feature back on the roster, and they should address this at some point. I sure don’t like the idea of losing Rojo right now.