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.

Bucs RB Peyton Barber – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“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.”

Barber led the Bucs in rushing last year with 108 carries for 423 yards (3.9 avg.) and three touchdowns, stepping in for a disappointing, oft-injured Doug Martin, who was released in the offseason. He’s running with determination, power and some wiggle, as he showed on an 18-yard explosive run against Tennessee on Saturday night.

As for Jones, it’s been two difficult preseason games in a row for the rookie. After rushing for nine yards and a touchdown on eight carries in Miami and rushing for just four yards on two carries in Tennessee, Jones’ NFL start has been frustrating for him and the team.

Right now, there is a huge gap between Barber and Jones when it comes to playing time. In fact, veteran Jacquizz Rodgers, who led Tampa Bay in rushing in 2016, is the second-string running back ahead of Jones on the depth chart for a reason.

Bucs RB Ronald Jones – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“He’s working at it,” Koetter said. “Ronald … it’s not because of lack of effort or anything like that. I mean he’s working at it we just haven’t been able to spring him loose. We’ve done a lot of good things on offense, but we haven’t been able to spring him. It’s not for lack of effort on his part, but it’s something we have to keep working at.”

Jones has totaled 11 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown in the preseason and has to be more productive in the final two preseason games in order to gain ground on Barber for the starting job or even earn more carries once the regular season rolls around.