Inside The Ronald Jones Departure
May 21st, 2022
It’s the time of year that Joe can relax, crack open a Big Storm beer and dive into the fantasy football world to prepare for August.
And sometimes the exercise leads to Joe learn more about our beloved Bucs.
Lots of fans and pundits like to ramble about how much more the Bucs will check the ball down and/or throw to running backs with Tom Brady on the roster.
Well, that hasn’t happened in any significant way.
The fantasy site 4for4.com dove into the numbers and produced the graphic below that explains how often the Bucs throw to running backs. It’s obvious that the needle has moved little since Brady arrived — and his influence within the offense grew.
| 18 (pre-Arians/Leftwich) | 14.3% (31st) | 88 targets | Jacquizz Rodgers (45) |
| 2019 (pre-Tom Brady) | 19.3% (19th) | 116 | Dare Ogunbowale (46) |
| 2020 | 19.8% (13th) | 120 | Leonard Fournette (47) |
| 2021 | 20.0% (17th) | 134 | Leonard Fournette (84) |
So what does that all mean? Well, for starters it lays out how beastly the Bucs’ receiving/tight end corps has been. Tampa Bay led the NFL in passing yards and passing attempts, and that ball was going to receivers/tight ends at a high rate, even in the face of injuries.
Also, as 4for4.com detailed with data, it could mean former Bucs running back Ronald Jones was so deficient in the passing game the Bucs were held back in that area and rookie third-round pick Rachaad is poised to thrive.
Whatever it all means, nobody can really claim Tom Brady likes to throw to running backs more than Bucco Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich.
May 21st, 2022 at 5:23 pm
I thought you had no use for Fantasy Football Joe.
May 21st, 2022 at 5:57 pm
Again, rojo a great runner
How can you not catch a toss From qb. You should catch a lofted screen a 100% if you have a chance. He has stone hands in year 4. Never tried hard enough to do the other. Picking up a blitz? Liability
If you watch all the coverage. Brady breaks down a defense at snap. Half fields. With rojo he broke it down to no throw at all
Rachard has hands. Hope he becomes the nice compliment
May 21st, 2022 at 6:32 pm
He also used to have no use for craft beer. People change
May 21st, 2022 at 6:54 pm
Good stuff Joe. Let GOB bolster your claim. From 2016 through 2019, Brady ranked 9th in passes thrown under 10 yards. Conversely in the same time frame, Brady ranked #1 in passes thrown over 10 yards. This proves his tremendous ability as an intermediate and seam thrower. Also during that span, Brady had the highest completion percentage on throws over 10 yards. The notion that Brady is a check down Charlie is complete bunk.
May 21st, 2022 at 7:14 pm
This was all done without Edelman in 2017 (torn ACL) and without Gronk for 2019 (retired)
May 21st, 2022 at 7:31 pm
Brady likes to throw to any Buc receiver who is open….
Jamies liked to throw to any player whichever team…..
SB
I thought you’d be out by your Montana lake/river with your kids & your gun.
May 21st, 2022 at 7:34 pm
So Joe – you try to make the case for why Brady doesn’t throw to RBs….
Yet ignore the fact that Fournette was LEADING THE LEAGUE in RB pass catching through 14 weeks or whatever week it was that the dirty ass, bounty hunting Saints took him out for the remainder of the season….
If Brady has good hands available coming out of the backfield – he will utilize that option as or more often than any other QB in the league…..
Which is exactly why the Bucs let Rojo walk and drafted Rachaad White.
Now all 4 of Tom’s RBs (Lenny, Vaughn, Gio and White) have good to very good pass catching skills and won’t be tipping the play call to opposing defenses when they come onto the field as was usually the case when Jones was lined up in the backfield.
May 21st, 2022 at 7:40 pm
RoJo was the best runner of all of them. We can look back and argue the billion factors behind the “problem” and not get far. Was his pass catching “problem” laziness, lack of concentration, eyesight, hang nails or what? Was his problem blocking laziness, fear, lack of toughness, or what? How much was coaching? How much was his chemistry, or lack of, with coaches, players, etc. Did Brady put him on his s itlist, which he does to players “he doesn’t trust”? Did the Bucs even know how to utilize him best?
I will not be surprised to see RoJo doing much better in a new gig. You may even see him catching passes and blocking, better than he did with the Bucs.
May 21st, 2022 at 7:54 pm
It’s what I tried to convey to everyone on this website, that Fournette was a major upgrade over RoJo. Brady loves to passing to RBs as they get mismatches on slower LBs. The problem was that RoJo stank at pass protection (a Fournette strength) and he had wooden planks for hands, an area that Fournette was better at and improved in his time with the Bucs.
The tragedy is that RoJo was the best runner, but he wasn’t able to strengthen his deficiencies. His mental lapses didn’t help his cause either.
May 21st, 2022 at 7:57 pm
steele, after listing all the problems with Jones, you’re still mystified? If you’re not all in with Brady, you might as well be toilet paper. Backs like Jones are as easy to find as nickels on the street. His mental mistakes made him quickly expendable. It’s true that once you’re outside the Brady circle of trust, it’s difficult to get back in. They gave him plenty of opportunities. LF was just a superior back, and I think Jones couldn’t handle it.
May 21st, 2022 at 8:13 pm
I didn’t want him from the beginning. Didn’t mind them taking White but I thought they probably could’ve waited on taking a RB & TE until a little later & I thought they should’ve kept going D. Especially when they’ve already got Fournette, Bernard & Vaughn there. They definitely should’ve taken another CB though, too! Although Zyon was somebody I would’ve considered drafting. Just thought they should’ve addressed the D a little more then they did.
May 21st, 2022 at 8:23 pm
Hey.. RoJo had plenty of support and chances. RB is one of the easiest positions to transition into as a rookie. There was something always a little been off in his play and progress as a contributor in the Bucs offense.
I wish him the best but it’s time to move on with another young RB.
I think we already have an improvement in the next guy up.
His college highlights are tantalizing and he interviews well.
May 21st, 2022 at 8:30 pm
Other than being unable to catch the fade, crossing routes, much less run a route properly, or pass block, RoJo was “awesome” in the passing game.
May 21st, 2022 at 8:47 pm
SB, amen
May 21st, 2022 at 8:54 pm
I didn’t want him from the beginning. Didn’t mind them taking White but I thought they probably could’ve waited on taking a RB & TE until a little later & I thought they should’ve kept going D. Especially when they’ve already got Fournette, Bernard & Vaughn there. They definitely should’ve taken another CB though, too! Although Zyon was somebody I would’ve considered drafting. Just thought they should’ve addressed the D a little more then they did.
May 21st, 2022 at 8:55 pm
They definitely should’ve taken two CBs.
May 21st, 2022 at 9:06 pm
SB & GOB – Both of you took the words out of my mouth ! RoJo thought he was good enough already and didn’t need to improve. As where Lenny stayed after hours and worked on his craft with Brady ! RoJo will never be any better because he doesn’t want to be better. That’s what separates the Good from the GREAT !! Go Bucs !
May 21st, 2022 at 9:19 pm
@TampabayDJ82, exactly!! We all remember how Lenny struggled. It seemed like every other ball was bouncing off his helmet. Instead of whining about it, he turned himself into the most targeted back in football. Instead of focusing on his weaknesses, and improving, Jones melted. Glad he’s gone. Brady has no time for dudes like him.
May 21st, 2022 at 10:21 pm
@TBBF……….It has been a LONG winter here. Was snowing yesterday.
I am chomping at the bit to go fishing. Just ordered two new Rod and Reels for Father’s day today.
It is not August yet so I need to do those things.!
May 21st, 2022 at 10:31 pm
Ronald who???
May 21st, 2022 at 10:36 pm
SB, where the hell are you, Antarctica? I’m in Maine and have been trout fishing for weeks now.
May 21st, 2022 at 11:22 pm
Licht drafted RoJo to run and then changed gears , Another bad 2 nd round pick………RoJo can run ask t Mathieu but he was drafted to the wrong team………Licht mentally wants 2 nd round picks to be his mechanical brevada but he really doesn’t spend the time understanding a pure 2 talent vs a place kicker …… trade down ,develop ,spend twice the time as my true 2 talent and I want to be a hero ( oh Jason is so smart) NOPE …….. not bad but not necessary , Licht loves to be a sports genius which equals a recliner Dumb ass !!! He drafted RoJo and Roberto don’t blame me ……….. Btw what ROUND ???
May 21st, 2022 at 11:33 pm
Tampabaybucfan . You are worng about Jamies . Jamies had 15 touchdowns and only 3 picks . Jamies went to a better coach and organization and you see the difference in Tampa and New Orleans when it comes to being a good franchise. Jamies did that with trash receivers. Now let’s see if Tampa can develop Trask and if they do then you can talk bad about Jamies . Otherwise just shut up because next year Brady is done then who will be the next scapegoat ??
May 22nd, 2022 at 12:12 am
Thanks Joe, more evidence that the offense did not change as much as fans thought it did upon Brady’s arrival except that Brady is just supremely more efficient than Jameis Winston.
The 20% passing to running backs compared to 19.3% the year before Brady shows that there were lots of similarities to the BA offensive philosophies even without Brady.
May 22nd, 2022 at 6:13 am
@Oneilbuc We will see but if you look deeper in his stats it tell a different story Jameis had 161 pass att. for 1170 yards that come out to under 8 yards an att. I think the Saints did not trust Jameis, played small ball in the pass game and leaned on Alvin Kamara as more of a running team.
May 22nd, 2022 at 8:01 am
The NFL average is 19%, so this stat is meaningless. It especially has nothing to do with Ronald Jones. In 2020 when Jones was seeing most of the work in the backfield the Bucs gave the RB’s a 19% target share. Minnesota has the immortal Dalvin Cook that Joe has feverish dreams of, and they targeted their running backs the identical 20% that the Bucs did in 2021.
The Saints lead the league at a 27% of their targets going to running backs. They have Alvin Kamara at RB and …..????, nobody to speak of at TE/WR in 2021.
The Bucs by comparison had Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Rob Gronkowski running routes, and they still checked it down a whopping 20%, 1% point over the league average. If anything, they may have targeted the RB position too much given the other available options.
As far as Rachaad White is concerned in all of this, he’ll barely see the field unless there’s an injury. If there is a veteran player available that Brady knows 100% will be on the field where he wants them to be at any given moment, that’s who will play.
May 22nd, 2022 at 8:39 am
Watch him excel at catching the ball and getting yards this year…
May 22nd, 2022 at 8:40 am
Well said, gotbbucs.
May 22nd, 2022 at 8:56 am
Should be a great season!! Looking forward to it!!
May 22nd, 2022 at 9:02 am
There’s a reason they’re called ” Running Backs “
May 23rd, 2022 at 3:30 am
quizz rodgers seems like a lifetime ago…
the franchise seems like a new organization since those days
May 23rd, 2022 at 3:32 am
let’s not forget how hard rojo runs…
if he gets rightly situated over there with mahommes, he could very well have himself a big ball buster type year
May 23rd, 2022 at 8:33 am
He did not fit the Bucs scheme. Might do better elsewhere. Liked his run style. Bucs should have done a better evaluation before drafting him.