The Buccaneers spent the first of the three second-round picks in this year’s draft on USC running back Ronald Jones, expecting him to possibly contend for the starting job during his rookie season.
So far three weeks into training camp and half way into the preseason, third-year running back Peyton Barber is saying, “Not so fast.”
Through the first two preseason games Barber seems to have a stranglehold on the starting job. He’s rushed for 53 yards (5.3 avg.) and 10 carries with one touchdown. Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said that Barber has the look of an NFL starting running back.
“Yes, he does,” Koetter said. “Exactly what he should be doing. You know, he only had five carries last night, but he averaged over five yards per carry. He had an explosive run. You guys have talked to him. Peyton is a very serious guy. He’s got his eye on the prize, right where it should be. He’s doing everything he should be doing right now. I think if we went out there and gave it to Peyton 20 times, we’d like what he does, but you’re probably not going to do that in a preseason game.”
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