The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense is stacked heading into 2020, looking more like a Madden NFL 21 team with guys like Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Mike Evans on the roster.
While the passing game will certainly be the strength of the Tampa Bay offense, as it has been in years past, the team still needs help in the backfield to put pressure on opposing defenses to stop the run, which will help open up the passing attack.
Ronald Jones had a solid sophomore campaign in 2019, rushing for 724 yards and six touchdowns, but with the loss of Peyton Barber to the Washington Football Team in free agency, the Bucs needed to add some more depth at the running back position, which is why they used their third-round pick in April’s NFL draft on Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn.
While the talent is certainly there for the Bucs, a veteran leader in the backfield could help this young group of backs excel in a pressure-filled season where the team has championship expectations.
One free agent running back who might be a fit? How about LeSean McCoy, who won a Super Bowl last season as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Speaking with NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on NFL NOW, McCoy said he’s spoken to a few teams about playing in 2020, and said right now it is all about finding the right fit.
Per McCoy:
“But I think the biggest thing is to find the right fit. Find the right fit for me. I think at the point in my career, not just playing football. I want to play for the right team. I want to be able to contribute. I want to be able to win another championship. You can’t go from playing with the Chiefs with all that talent and winning a championship to now just trying to play. I’m the type of guy, I want to come in a room, challenge the running backs, get them better. Be a veteran leader. All the type of things I want to bring to a team. So, just got to find the right fit for me.”
The part about McCoy wanting to be a veteran leader and challenge the running backs certainly makes him sound like an ideal fit for the Bucs backfield. While Jones is the incumbent back, he’s still young and only has one solid year of productivity under his belt. Plus, McCoy could be a great mentor to a guy like Vaughn, who will likely be used as a pass-catching back in a lot of situations.
The Buccaneers may already be loaded on offense, but more veteran experience — including Super Bowl experience — could certainly come in handy.
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