Captain Fear
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- Mar 20, 2019
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Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said last week that running back Ronald Jones will be carrying the load for the team in the backfield this season and the amount of the load he’ll bear will have something to do with how he fares in the passing game.
Jones caught 31 passes for 309 yards during the 2019 season and the Bucs got 84 catches from their running backs overall, but that was with Jameis Winston playing quarterback in Tampa. James White had 72 catches for the Tom Brady-led Patriots last season and Brady’s move to Tampa is expected to result in some changes to the offense.
Jones has gone to Brady himself for pointers on how to improve as a receiver.
“He always tells me to get low in my routes and run my routes like I already have the ball,” Jones said, via the team’s website. “A lot of times I was trying to get a feel for the defense, if it was zone or man. I’m working on getting that pre-snap read and then just exploding through my routes, just finishing. I think that’s been what we’ve been working on now just in the shorts and stuff.”
Playing on passing downs isn’t just about catching the ball, though. Jones was benched in one December game for a breakdown in pass protection and the Bucs aren’t likely to risk Brady’s health if they aren’t confident he’ll be more capable now.