Coach Bruce Arians remarked that he viewed both Jones and backfield mate Leonard Fournette as No. 1 backs during mandatory minicamp, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports. "It's a hell of a group," said Arians. "Both those guys are starters in my mind. Whoever goes out first doesn't really matter to me. But that will be determined in camp."

EDGE Analysis

Jones opened the 2020 season as the clear-cut top back with Fournette having just joined the team prior to Week 1, and he earned the right to hold onto that designation for most of the 14 regular-season games for which he was healthy. Jones compiled 978 rushing yards and seven touchdowns (5.1 YPC) while adding a 28-165-1 line through the air. However, an ill-timed quad contusion sustained in pregame warmups before a wild-card game against Washington altered the postseason fortunes of both Jones and Fournette, as the latter thrived with the lead-back job in that game and held it throughout the Super Bowl. Nevertheless, Jones' body of work over the last two campaigns following an abysmal rookie season certainly hasn't been forgotten, and it therefore appears both players could be headed for a dreaded timeshare scenario in 2021 as long they're healthy and replicating last year's production.